JP2021112177A - Bedding for animal - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide bedding for an animal, which is made from used paper and which is excellent in water absorbability, water retentivity and cushioning property.SOLUTION: Bedding for an animal, which is made from used paper, comprises a central lump portion, and a beard-shaped peripheral edge in which recycled pulp is partially loosened. The lump portion is made by massively intertwining the cracked recycled pulp. The minimum diameter of the lump portion is in the range of 5-24 mm. The ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is 3 or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to animal bedding used in livestock houses and the like made from used paper.

In livestock barns where livestock are raised, litter is used for the comfort of livestock and the treatment of manure. Originally, agricultural products such as rice straw, rice husks, straw, and hay were used as the bedding, but nowadays, pulpwood (thinned wood) is directly processed in addition to the rice flour generated from sawmills. Rice husks made from rice husks have come to be mainly used.

However, in recent years, large-scale woody biomass power generation has been carried out nationwide under the feed-in tariff (FIT), and the shortage of supply of sardine powder and soaring prices due to competition for pulpwood, which is the raw material, have become problems. It has become to.

For this reason, studies are being conducted on litters made from waste-based materials such as used paper, construction waste materials, and waste fungus beds. For example, in Patent Document 1 below (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-20131), it is stated that waste paper or waste pulp is cut and crushed material is humidified and granulated to obtain most of the cotton-like particles having a particle size of 3 to 10 mm. The characteristic bedding material for livestock is disclosed. According to this, the animal does not cause bronchitis or otitis because it does not generate dust, and because it has the ability to retain and absorb sufficient water, it is not possible to collect urine due to urination, and the amount used is rice straw. Can be reduced to about 1/2. In addition, since the main material is pulp such as used paper, it is possible to make a soft and warm bed, and it can be mass-produced at the factory regardless of the season or natural condition, so it can be supplied stably and inexpensively. In addition, since the flooring material after use is plant fiber, the effect of being able to reuse it as high-quality compost can be obtained.

Further, in the following Patent Document 2 (Patent No. 2931591), paperboard or laminated paper is crushed into an indefinite shape in the range of 1 to 50 mm in length and width, and the peripheral edge is fluffed as if pulp fibers were torn off to make manure. Disclosed is a paper litter for livestock that has excellent absorption sustainability, heat insulation, and bactericidal properties.

Further, in Patent Document 3 below (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-263011), used paper is boiled, crushed and dehydrated, and heat-dried to have good cushioning properties. A method for manufacturing a water-absorbing material used for treating livestock bedding, shochu effluent, sludge, etc., which can efficiently prevent classical swine fever, etc., and can be disposed of by carbonization after use, and used water absorption. A method of treating the material is disclosed.

Furthermore, in Patent Document 4 below (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-239426), the longest portion of used paper is crushed from 1 mm to 30 mm to form a litter, and if necessary, a coloring material, a deodorant, bacteria, and soil are used. Livestock breeding with excellent water absorption, heat insulation, and bactericidal properties against manure by adding a function by mixing or spraying an improved material, a surfactant, or a highly water-absorbent resin and a porous compound. The litter fee is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-20131 Japanese Patent No. 2931591 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-263011 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-239426

The litter described in Patent Document 1 is obtained by cutting used paper and waste pulp into a cotton shape of about 0.5 mm or less, sieving it to remove fine particles of 10 μm or less, spraying and humidifying it with water, and granulating the machine. Since most of the particles are made into a cotton-like body and made into flexible porous cotton-like particles having a particle diameter of 3 to 10 mm, they can be easily loosened in whole or in part during laying and when the animal moves. Then, cotton-like particles of 10 μm to 0.5 mm are scattered. In addition, the cotton-like particles that are scattered or scattered and accumulated on the floor surface stick to the floor surface when wet with manure, and the paper contains water-soluble components and the like (water-soluble components and the like will be described later). Therefore, when water is absorbed, these are dissolved and viscous is added, so that the floor becomes muddy or clay (hereinafter also referred to as sticky) and stains the floor surface, while the bedding containing manure can be recovered. It will be difficult. Therefore, when it is used as a bedding for animals such as dairy cows that have a large amount of water in manure, it cannot be used alone, but is mixed with sawdust or the like.

If a binder is mixed during granulation to improve particle stability, scattering of cotton-like particles can be suppressed, but if a water-soluble binder such as carboxymethyl cellulose, which is commonly used, is used, water is absorbed. Not only does the binder itself melt out and the shape cannot be maintained, but the floor surface becomes more sticky. In addition, a polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol, which is water-soluble but becomes water-insoluble once dried, has a film-forming property. Therefore, when this is used, a film is formed on the surface of cotton-like particles, and a porous portion between fibers is formed. In addition to reducing water absorption after use, if it is collected together with manure after use and then made into compost, etc., it may remain as a persistent substance.

Further, the paper dressing of Patent Document 2 also has the same problem as that of Patent Document 1 because the paper is crushed by a dry method to make the peripheral portion fluffy. Further, the paperboard and the laminated paper absorb more water than the relatively thin paper such as copy paper, but retain more water on the surface and in the gaps between the papers. Furthermore, by fluffing the peripheral edge, a large amount of water can be stored in the fluffed peripheral edge. Therefore, at first glance, the water absorption is high. However, the water retained on the paper surface, between the papers, and on the fluffy peripheral edge easily diffuses to the surroundings due to the movement of the litter due to the movement of animals or the like. In particular, since a large amount of water flows out when collecting the litter containing manure, the workability of the collection work is poor, and the odorous components (mainly ammonia components) in the water that have flowed out or scattered are scattered at once. , There is a risk of deteriorating the environment inside the barn.

Furthermore, the manufacturing method of Patent Document 3 has the same problems as those of Patent Document 1. In particular, water-soluble components and the like dissolve out in order to make the used paper soaked by immersing it in water or warm water or boiling it. Polyvinyl alcohol, which is used to bond fillers, etc., is difficult to dissolve in water when boiled, but it dissolves easily in warm water. Mineral powder dissolves. In the use of general animal bedding, hot water or the like is not used, so it does not dissolve, but it dissolves when it is boiled, so it is necessary to sufficiently separate and remove it.

Furthermore, the litter of Patent Document 4 has the same problems as those of Patent Documents 1 and 2 because a relatively large number of flat surfaces of the paper remain because the used paper is crushed by a dry method. In particular, when kneading or bending, more water is stored between the bent paper surfaces, so when the bedding moves due to the movement of animals, the retained water easily diffuses around. In addition, when a surfactant is applied to waterproofed paper to impart water absorption, water retention is performed only on the surface of the paper, and the amount of water retained on the surface increases, so that more water is retained. It spreads to the surroundings due to the movement of the litter.
Furthermore, if there is moisture between the litter and the floor surface, the litter with many flat surfaces will stick to the floor surface, making it difficult to collect. Even if it is rubbed or bent, it tends to spread flat when it gets wet with water, and when it is stepped on by an animal, it becomes even flatter and sticks to the floor.

In general, used paper is collected by being bundled or messed up, so it is difficult to evenly impart hydrophilicity to the entire surface even if a surfactant is sprayed on it. In addition, the shape becomes irregular after crushing, and it becomes even more difficult if the shape is kneaded or bent. Further, even if it can be applied to the whole, since the surfactant is generally used by adding several weight% to water, the water content of the paper after application becomes high, and the function as a water absorbing material may be lost. There is.

Based on the above, there is an urgent need to supply alternatives to ogaku powder in response to the recent shortage of supply of ogaku powder and soaring prices, and used paper has been considered as an alternative raw material. Even if you bend it, make the periphery fluffy, or simply make it fibrous while leaving most of the shape, fine powder will scatter, the floor surface will become sticky, and even it will stick to the floor surface for recovery. It is hardly widespread due to problems such as hindrance.

Therefore, the present inventors have enthusiastically investigated the cause of the sticky floor surface when using used paper as an animal bedding. As a result, it is noticed that the floor surface becomes sticky due to the dissolution of the water-soluble components and the like added in the papermaking process, and these water-soluble components and the like are easily separated from the used paper and then washed with water and removed. I realized that it would melt and the floor would not be sticky. Furthermore, I noticed that manure adheres to the surface of used paper in a wet state, making the floor surface more sticky, and by making the shape of the litter lumpy, the solid and liquid components of manure can be separated, and the floor surface The idea was to make it less sticky, and the present invention was completed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an animal bedding which is excellent in water absorption, water retention and cushioning and whose floor surface is not sticky at the time of use and a method for producing the same.

The animal bedding according to the first aspect of the present invention is an indefinite-shaped lump made of recycled paper pulp, and the lump has a minimum diameter of a lump portion at a substantially central portion of 5 to 13 mm in a plan view. The feature is that the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is 24 mm or less, the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is 3 or less, and the peripheral edge of the lump portion has a whisker-like shape having a length of 10 mm or less in which used paper pulp is partially scattered. do.

The animal bedding according to the second aspect of the present invention is the animal bedding according to the first aspect, and is an animal bedding containing 50% by weight or less of natural plant fiber waste in the mass. The natural plant fiber waste is characterized by being a mixture of one or more of cotton and hemp fiber waste.

The animal bedding according to the third aspect of the present invention is the animal bedding according to the first and second aspects, and is characterized by containing 7 to 20% by weight of water based on the total weight.

The method for producing an animal bedding according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a crushing step of using used paper as a raw material and crushing the raw material into a fibrous form of a predetermined size, and a used paper obtained by crushing the raw material into a fibrous form in the crushing step. A water washing step of washing the pulp with water, a waste paper pulp lump forming step of pressing and dehydrating the used paper pulp washed with water in the water washing step to form a used paper pulp lump, and a used paper pulp lump formed in the used paper pulp lump forming step in a wet state. It is characterized by comprising a step of forming an atypical lump to form an atypical lump by crushing and a step of drying the atypical lump formed in the step of forming the atypical lump.

In the method for producing animal bedding according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a raw material mixing step of mixing natural plant fiber waste with the raw material and a mixed raw material mixed in the raw material mixing step are crushed into fibers of a predetermined size. A crushing step, a water washing step of washing the used paper pulp mixture obtained by crushing into fibers in the crushing step with water, and a used paper pulp mixture obtained by pressing and dehydrating the used paper pulp mixture washed with water in the water washing step to form a waste paper pulp mixture mass. Formed by the lump forming step, the atypical lump forming step of crushing the used paper pulp mixed lump formed in the used paper pulp mixture lump forming step in a wet state to form an amorphous lump, and the amorphous lump forming step. It is characterized by comprising a drying step of drying the atypical lumps.

According to the animal bedding according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the used paper pulp has a central portion that is entangled and agglomerated, when water touches the surface of the bedding, it permeates into the inside of the central portion. Can be stored. For this reason, when cow dung having a relatively large amount of water, such as dairy cow, comes into contact with the surface of the litter, the water in the cow dung quickly permeates the inside of the lump portion, and the solid content adheres to the surface and loses water. It dries quickly and is not sticky with moist cow dung. In addition, since the peripheral edge of the lump part has a whisker-like shape in which used paper pulp is partially scattered, the surface area that comes into contact with moisture increases, and the range in which water can be absorbed by one litter is widened. It also has the effect of helping the transfer of water to the adjacent litter. Furthermore, it is difficult to roll and interferes with the adjacent litter, and it is difficult for animals to roll and become uneven due to movement.

According to the animal bedding according to the second aspect of the present invention, natural plant fiber waste, which is tougher than used paper pulp, is entangled and present, so that a bedding with more excellent cushioning property can be provided.

According to the animal litter of the third aspect of the present invention, the water content is too low to become hard and the cushioning property is not impaired, and the water content is too high to generate mold during storage. ..

According to the method for producing an animal bedding according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, by crushing used paper into a fibrous form in the crushing step, a water-retaining space is created between the used paper pulp and a water-soluble component in the washing step of the next step. Etc. can be easily removed by washing with water. Further, by removing the water-soluble component or the like by washing with water in the water-washing step, it is possible to prevent the floor surface from becoming sticky due to the water-soluble component or the like.
Furthermore, in the process of forming a lump of used paper pulp, the water-soluble components and the like dissolved during washing with water can be squeezed out, so that the residual water-soluble components and the like can be made substantially zero, and the degree of squeezing can be adjusted. The gap between the recycled paper pulp can be adjusted, and a litter with excellent water absorption, water retention and cushioning properties can be obtained.

In addition, by crushing the waste paper pulp mass in a wet state in the process of forming an amorphous lump, it becomes a litter consisting of a central portion of the lump and a beard-shaped peripheral portion in which the waste paper pulp is partially separated. The fluffing that occurs during dry crushing is unlikely to occur, and even if it occurs partially, the lumpy part has better water absorption than the fluffy peripheral part, so it quickly penetrates into the lumpy part and the fluffy peripheral part Since the water does not stay on the floor, the retained water does not diffuse to the floor due to the movement of the litter, and the floor can be prevented from becoming sticky.
Further, by setting the water content to 7 to 20% by weight in the drying step, the cushioning property is not impaired and the generation of mold can be suppressed.

According to the method for producing an animal bedding according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the animal bedding according to the second aspect can be produced, and a bedding having excellent cushioning properties can be obtained.

It is a schematic diagram of the bedding for animals which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a process block diagram of the manufacturing method of the animal bedding which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a graph which showed the measurement result of the water absorption amount and the bulk density. It is a graph which showed the measurement result of the water absorption amount with respect to the minimum diameter of a mass part and the weight before water absorption. It is a process block diagram of the manufacturing method of the animal bedding which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Hereinafter, the animal bedding according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, the embodiments shown below exemplify animal bedding for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention. It is equally applicable to those of other embodiments contained in.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, the animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention is made of used paper as a raw material, and is composed of a lump portion 11 in the central portion and a whisker-shaped peripheral portion 12 in which the used paper pulp is partially scattered, and is formed in the central portion. The lump portion 11 is formed by entwining crushed recycled paper pulp to form a lump, and the minimum diameter thereof is 24 mm or less at the maximum centered on 5 to 13 mm, and the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is 3 or less. Further, the peripheral portion has a whisker-like shape in which the used paper pulp is partially scattered and the length is 10 mm or less.
Hereinafter, these shapes will be described in detail and their actions will be clarified.

a) Action of the lump in the center Recycled paper (that is, paper) is made by pressing pulp and then drying it. The thickness of the thinnest folded leaflet is 0.06 mm, and even thick postcards are 0. It is about 24 mm. For this reason, the amount of water absorbed inside the paper fiber is very small in the litter with many flat surfaces of the paper remaining, and most of the water retained is present on the surface and in the gap between the litter. Further, a paper in a fluffy state in which the fracture surface is torn off due to breakage or the like can store a large amount of water in the fluffy portion.

Therefore, when the litter moves due to the movement of animals and the collection of the litter, most of the retained water diffuses to the floor surface. Furthermore, when cow dung with a high water content such as dairy cows comes into contact with this litter, it is broken and adheres to the fluffy peripheral edge made of innumerable short fibers, but water and solids are mixed on the litter surface. Moisture containing solids diffuses and the floor surface becomes sticky. If the litter is thin and has many flat surfaces, it will stick to the floor when it gets wet, which will hinder recovery.

On the other hand, the litter of the present invention has a lump-like central portion and there is a space due to appropriate pressing between the recycled paper pulp inside, so that a large amount of water can be stored in this lump portion. Furthermore, by setting the minimum diameter of the mass portion to 24 mm or less, as shown in Experimental Examples 13 to 21, the force of sucking up water is stronger than the weight of the water itself, so that the once absorbed water does not flow out, and the movement of the animal and movement of the animal Even if the litter moves due to the collection of the litter, the retained water does not diffuse to the floor surface. Even if cow dung with a higher water content comes into contact with this litter, the water permeates the inside of the mass, whereas the solid content adheres to the surface and loses water, so the solid in the cow dung attached to the surface The minutes do not diffuse to the floor and the floor is not sticky. In addition, since the contact portion with the floor surface is not a flat surface but a point, it does not stick to the floor surface and hinder recovery.

When feces and urine are mixed, urea in the feces is decomposed into odorous components such as ammonia by enzymes (urease) and microorganisms in the feces, and a foul odor is generated. Since it can be absorbed inside the urine and the mixture of feces and urine can be suppressed, the generation of foul odor can be prevented.

Further, when the litter of the present invention is collected together with manure after use and then composted, the water content in the feces is trapped in the litter and composted in a state where water and solids are separated, so that the macroscopic water content is the same. However, the water content in the feces is low, air is easily taken in during stirring, composting is promoted, and aerobic fermentation is promoted rather than anaerobic fermentation, so that the generation of malodor can be suppressed. Further, when composting, the effect is further increased by adding the litter of the present invention.
If the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter of the lump portion exceeds 3, the apparent surface area of the litter with respect to the apparent volume becomes large, and the lump-like effect is diminished.

b) Action of the beard-shaped peripheral part where the used paper pulp is scattered Since the lump part in the central part is easy to roll, it is easy to become uneven and a gap is easily formed between the litters. For this reason, by having a whisker-shaped peripheral part in which the used paper pulp is partially separated from the lump part, it is difficult to roll by itself and is stable, and the animal moves by interfering with the adjacent litter. It is possible to prevent the deviation due to.

Furthermore, since the contact area with the adjacent bedding increases, the adjacent bedding does not absorb water after flowing out to the floor from the bedding that has absorbed more water than the permissible amount, but the moisture is transmitted through the beard-shaped peripheral edge. Since the floor surface is hard to get wet and the lump part has a larger cross-sectional area where water is transmitted than the peripheral part, the contacted water first diffuses in the lump part, and then the excess water is adjacent through the peripheral part. Since it is transmitted to the litter, it is filled in order from the litter closest to the point where the animal excreted, so water is absorbed with the minimum range of litter. Furthermore, since the boundary between the litter that has absorbed water and the litter that has not absorbed water is clearly separated, it is only necessary to replace the litter at the part that has absorbed water, and the usage fee of the litter can be reduced.

In addition to the above, the animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention contains 7 to 20% by weight of water based on the total weight.
When the waste paper pulp loses water, it becomes hard and loses its flexibility, and the entangled waste paper pulps become less slippery, so that they are less likely to slip and their elasticity is impaired. In particular, when the water content is less than 7% by weight, it becomes remarkable, and the cushioning property of the litter is impaired. Further, it is generally said that when the water content exceeds 20% by weight, mold is likely to occur.

FIG. 2 is a process block diagram of a method for producing an animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The animal bedding manufacturing method 10A according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes (a) a crushing step of crushing used paper into fibers of a predetermined size, and (b) a washing step of washing the used paper pulp obtained by crushing with water. And (c) a waste paper pulp mass forming step of pressing and dehydrating the waste paper pulp washed with water to form a waste paper pulp mass, and (d) crushing the waste paper pulp mass into a predetermined shape or size to form an amorphous mass. It consists of an irregular lump forming step and (e) a drying step of drying the amorphous lump, which has excellent water absorption, water retention and cushioning properties, does not scatter fine powder during use, and is a floor. It is possible to produce animal bedding that is not sticky on the surface and does not stick to the floor surface during collection after use and does not interfere with collection.

Hereinafter, this production method will be described in detail, and its action will be further clarified.
(A) Crushing step In this crushing step, the recycled paper is crushed to a predetermined size, and the recycled paper pulp is crushed into a fibrous form. At this time, the fiber is crushed so that the fiber length after crushing is 10 mm or less. If the fiber length is longer than this, the entanglement becomes stronger and the litter becomes too large. Further, depending on the type (particularly size) of the animal used as the bedding, the size of the bedding can be adjusted by adjusting the fiber length to be longer for large animals and shorter for small animals.
By crushing into fibers in this crushing process, gaps are created between the recycled paper pulp, and more water can be stored. In this crushing step, since the crushing is performed by a dry method, easily free pulp is likely to be generated, but the generated easily free pulp is removed in the water washing step of the next step.

(B) Water-washing step In this water-washing step, foreign substances, water-soluble components, etc. adhering to or mixed with the waste paper pulp obtained by crushing and easily free pulp are washed away with water to remove them. Various foreign substances are attached to the used paper, and when the used paper is crushed into fibers, easily free pulp is generated. These foreign substances and easily free pulp scatter when used as a litter and deteriorate the environment of the livestock barn. Furthermore, if this bedding gets wet with manure, there will be problems in the working environment such as the release of easily free pulp and the dissolution of water-soluble components, which makes the floor surface sticky. You can get the litter.

Further, the water-soluble components and the like will be described in detail below. Recycled paper is used paper discharged from homes and businesses, and includes newspapers, magazines, corrugated cardboard, paper cartons, other miscellaneous goods, and shredder paper. In the papermaking process, the paper that is the source of used paper is subjected to various chemicals and surface treatments according to its use, and the used paper contains various chemicals and the like. It is considered that this chemical and the like also cause a problem of mudification when used as a litter.

For example, the filler added to improve the whiteness, opacity, texture, and surface smoothness of paper and prevent ink from coming off is a mineral powder such as kaolin (similar to clay). Is used, and is fixed between the paper fibers by an adhesive. Generally, this adhesive is insoluble in water, but when the paper absorbs water, the paper fibers swell and their adhesive strength weakens, and when the paper fibers are disintegrated, mineral powders such as kaolin also dissolve and become viscous. Be done. In addition, carboxymethyl cellulose, which is a water-soluble thickener, may also be used in the papermaking process, and these are also considered to be factors of viscosity.

Therefore, the litter of the present invention from which these water-soluble components and the like have been removed by washing with water does not have a sticky floor surface because these water-soluble components and the like do not dissolve even when wet with manure during use. Strictly speaking, mineral powders such as kaolin are not water-soluble components, but macroscopically they dissolve and suspend, so these are collectively referred to as water-soluble components and the like. In addition, since the component eluted by hot water or the like, which is generally not touched when used as a litter, does not dissolve during use even if it is a water-soluble component, there is no problem even if it remains. Further, there is no problem even if a water-soluble component or the like that is covered with a water-insoluble component and does not dissolve even when wet with water remains. The important thing is that when it gets wet, it dissolves and does not show stickiness.
It should be noted that the effect is further increased by repeating the washing step and the waste paper pulp lump forming step of the next step a plurality of times.

Further, the used paper pulp once crushed into fibers in the crushing step is washed in water in this water washing step to take in water and swell in the used paper pulp, and the used paper pulps are entangled with each other to create gaps between the used paper pulps. Occurs. Excellent water absorption and cushioning properties can be obtained by appropriately adjusting this gap in the waste paper pulp mass forming step of the next step. By crushing in water in the crushing step, the washing step and the crushing step can be performed at the same time.

(C) Waste Paper Pulp Ingot Forming Step In this used paper pulp ingot forming step, the water contained in the washed waste paper pulp is squeezed and dehydrated. Although the amount of water contained in the recycled paper pulp after washing with water is very small, it contains foreign substances and water-soluble components, and these remain when dehydrated by evaporation of water such as natural drying or heat drying. do. At this time, excellent water absorption (water absorption amount and water absorption rate) and cushioning property can be obtained by optimizing the gaps between the recycled paper pulp generated in the water washing step. The gap between the recycled paper pulp can be adjusted by adjusting the squeezing rate during squeezing and dehydration, but since the squeezing conditions change depending on the properties of the material, it is more stable to control the water content after squeezing and dehydrating. Water absorption and cushioning properties can be obtained.

(D) Amorphous lump forming step In this amorphous lump forming step, the used paper pulp lump obtained by pressing and dehydrating is crushed into a predetermined shape and size in a wet state. The litter that has been crushed and lumped in a wet state has a lumpy shape at the center, and the waste paper pulp is partially scattered at the peripheral portion to form a whiskers-like shape. In particular, by crushing the fiber length to 10 mm or less in the crushing step, the entanglement between the used paper pulps is weakened, and the waste paper pulps are crushed in a wet state. Since it is torn off with a relatively weak force, it can be crushed in a relatively short time to form a litter having a lumpy central part and a beard-shaped peripheral part in which the used paper pulp is partially separated. Since the length of the used paper pulp is crushed to 10 mm or less in the crushing step, the length of the whiskers-like shape of the peripheral portion is approximately 10 mm or less.

If the crushing time is long, the used paper pulp is scattered as a whole and a large amount of easily free pulp is generated, so that the crushing time is shortened. Since the action of the lump portion in the central portion and the peripheral portion having a whiskers-like shape in which the used paper pulp is partially scattered has been described above, the description thereof will be omitted.
Although it may be crushed after the drying step of the next step, if it is dried as a relatively large waste paper pulp mass, uneven drying is likely to occur, and a part having a small amount of water and a fixed portion is formed and crushed. Since it is necessary to lengthen the time, the used paper pulp becomes monofilamentous and fluffy, and easily free pulp is easily generated. Therefore, it is preferable to crush the waste paper pulp before drying.

(E) Drying step In this drying step, the amorphous mass obtained by crushing is dried by natural drying, heating, blowing air, or the like. The amount of water contained in the bedding after drying is 7 to 20% by weight, preferably 10 to 15% by weight, based on the total weight of the bedding. If it is less than 7% by weight, it becomes hard and the cushioning property is impaired, and if it exceeds 20% by weight, mold is likely to occur.

<Experiment on water absorption of used paper [Experimental Examples 1 to 4]>
Next, the water absorption of the litter produced by the production method of the first embodiment of the present invention was confirmed by Experimental Examples 1 to 4.
First, the water-absorbent used copy paper and the water-repellent used parking ticket were crushed into fibers by a dry method, washed with water, and then squeezed and dehydrated. Further, after washing with water, squeezing and dehydrating, then crushing, and then air-drying, the experiment of the litter of the first embodiment having a whisker-shaped peripheral portion that is partially separated from the central portion of the mass portion. Samples of Examples 1 and 2 were obtained.

Next, the used copy paper having water absorption and the used parking ticket having water repellency were crushed into fibers by a dry method, washed with water, and then squeezed and dehydrated. Then it was washed with water. At this time, 0.1% by weight of a surfactant was added to the water used for washing with water. Then, it was squeezed and dehydrated, crushed in a wet state as it was, and then air-dried to obtain samples of Experimental Examples 3 and 4 of the litter of Embodiment 1 in the same manner.

Next, each of the samples of Experimental Examples 1 to 4 was placed in a container of about 0.2 g, and the weight thereof was measured. Then, water was absorbed, the weight of the sample after water absorption was measured, and the amount of water absorbed with respect to the weight before water absorption was calculated. The results are shown in Table 1.

From the results shown in Table 1, the following was found.
In the case of the used copy paper having water absorption of Experimental Examples 1 and 3, it was found that a sufficient water absorption of 1 time or more was obtained regardless of the addition or absence of a surfactant, and that the used copy paper had sufficient water absorption as a litter. did. On the other hand, in the case of a used parking ticket having water repellency, Experimental Example 2 to which no surfactant was added did not absorb water at all, but Experimental Example 4 to which a surfactant was added had a sufficient water absorption amount of 1 time or more. Was obtained, and it was found that the litter had sufficient water absorption.

From the above, according to the animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention, an animal bedding having sufficient water absorption can be obtained from the used paper, and a surfactant can be used even in the water-repellent used paper. It was confirmed that an animal litter having sufficient water absorption could be obtained.

<Experiment on stickiness (elution of water-soluble components, etc.) [Comparative Example 1, Experimental Example 5]>
Using the used paper (used copy paper with water absorption) used in Experimental Example 1, an experiment was conducted on the cause of the sticky floor surface, which is a problem in conventional paper dressings.
A piece of paper (comparative example) obtained by cutting used copy paper into a square of about 10 mm and a litter of embodiment 1 (experimental example 5) are placed on a petri dish, water is dropped with a dropper so that the whole is sufficiently wet, and then the paper is left for 30 minutes. After that, I unraveled it with my finger and confirmed the slimy state. As a result, the piece of paper of Comparative Example 1 was unraveled and the fingers became slimy.
On the other hand, the animal bedding of the first embodiment of Experimental Example 5 did not feel slimy on the fingers.

If the used paper is used as a bedding just by cutting it, the floor will become sticky because it gets wet with manure during use and is trampled by livestock, but the animal bedding of Embodiment 1 may have a sticky floor. It can be inferred from the above experimental results that there is no such thing.

<Experiment on moisture content after crushing [Experimental Examples 6 to 12]>
Next, the water content of the litter produced by the production method of the first embodiment of the present invention after the formation of the recycled paper pulp mass, the water absorption after drying, the cushioning property, and the retention between the process of forming the amorphous mass and the step of drying. The shape was confirmed by Experimental Examples 6 to 12.

First, the used copy paper was crushed into fibers by a dry method, washed with water, and then squeezed and dehydrated. After further washing with water, the water content was adjusted and squeezed and dehydrated to produce a waste paper pulp mass having a water content of about 30 to 80% by weight. Then, it was crushed by a crusher and air-dried to obtain samples of Experimental Examples 6 to 12. Next, the water content, bulk density and weight of the samples of Experimental Examples 6 to 12 after drying were measured. After that, each surface was allowed to absorb water until it became slightly wet, and then the weight was measured to calculate the amount of water absorption. In addition, the elasticity (cushioning property) of each sample and the shape-retaining property between the amorphous mass forming step and the drying step were also confirmed. The results are shown in Table 2 and FIG. Experimental Example 12 was excluded from the experiment because it had poor shape retention and could not be crushed.

From the results shown in Table 2 and FIG. 3, the following was found.
As the water content of the recycled paper pulp mass after squeezing and dehydrating increased, the bulk density decreased, while the water absorption increased. This is because the internal space (that is, the water retention space) of the sample becomes wider as the water content of the recycled paper pulp mass increases (the degree of compression during squeezing and dehydration decreases), the bulk density decreases, and the water absorption increases. Is. When the water content of the recycled paper pulp mass was 30% by weight or more, the water absorption amount was 1 times or more the weight before water absorption, and it was found that the waste paper pulp mass had sufficient water absorption as a litter. It is considered that the water absorption amount exceeds 1 times even if the water content is less than 30% by weight, but it was not carried out because the apparatus would be large to actually squeeze and dehydrate to less than 30% by weight.

Regarding the cushioning property, it was found that when the water content of the recycled paper pulp lump is 60% by weight or more, the lump portion in the central portion is also flexible and has excellent cushioning property. Further, it was found that at 40 to 60% by weight, the lump portion in the central portion was slightly inferior in flexibility, but the peripheral portion was flexible, and sufficient cushioning property could be obtained as a whole. On the other hand, when it was 30% by weight or less, the lump portion in the central portion was hard, and the peripheral portion had almost no whiskers-like shape, and almost no cushioning property was felt as a whole.

Regarding the handling after the used paper pulp lump forming step, when the water content of the used paper pulp lump is 70% by weight or less, there is shape retention, and there is no problem in handling in the subsequent steps, but when it exceeds 80% by weight, there is no problem. The shape retention was deteriorated, the shape could not be maintained, and it adhered to a crusher or the like and did not become lumpy.
From the above results, by controlling the water content of the recycled paper pulp mass within 50 to 80% by weight, it is possible to form a whisker-like shape in which the central part is lumpy and the peripheral part is partially separated, and water absorption is possible. It was found that a litter with excellent properties, water retention, and cushioning properties can be obtained.

<Experiment on size [Experimental Examples 13-21]>
An animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention was prepared, and an experiment was conducted on the amount of water absorption depending on the size. First, used corrugated cardboard was crushed into fibers of 10 mm or less, washed with water, and squeezed and dehydrated. Then, the lump portion in the central portion was crushed so as to have a size of 3.5 to 30.5 mm, and then air-dried to obtain samples of Experimental Examples 13 to 21.
Next, each sample whose weight was measured in advance was placed on a petri dish, water was dropped onto the petri dish, and water was absorbed from below. At this time, the liquid level was not higher than 1 mm, and when the sample stopped absorbing water, the water adhering to the surface was wiped off, the weight was measured, and the amount of water absorption was calculated from the difference in weight before and after. The results are shown in Table 3 and FIG.

From the results shown in Table 3 and FIG. 4, the following was found.
As the minimum diameter of the mass portion of the sample increased by more than 10 mm, the amount of water absorption decreased, and when it exceeded 24 mm, the rate of decrease increased. This is because when the minimum diameter of the lump part becomes large, the weight of water exceeds the force of sucking water from the bottom, and the amount of water that can be retained at the top of the sample decreases, so the amount of water occupying the entire sample, that is, the amount of water absorption, It is thought that this is because the number is reduced. Therefore, if the size of the minimum diameter exceeds 24 mm, the water absorption efficiency deteriorates and the once absorbed water may flow out. Therefore, it is better to crush the water to 24 mm or less.

When laying the dressing on the floor, the minimum diameter is most stable in the height direction (so-called thickness), so the experiment was conducted by placing the minimum diameter in the height direction. If it is less than 5 mm, the effect of lumps will be reduced, but it is better to have some because it fills the gap between the litter and mediates the movement of water.
Therefore, it was found that a litter with good water absorption efficiency can be obtained by crushing the mass portion to a maximum of 24 mm or less centered on a minimum diameter of 5 to 10 mm.

<Experiment of water content and hardness [Experimental Examples 22 to 29]>
Among the methods for producing animal bedding according to the first embodiment of the present invention, samples (Experimental Examples 22 to 29) having a moisture content of 4.5 to 23.9% of the bedding were prepared by changing the drying time in the drying step. The elasticity of the lump part was confirmed by squeezing the lump part with a finger. The results are shown in Table 4.

From the results shown in Table 4, the following was found.
Up to 9.6% by weight of water, the lump part was easily crushed and restored by squeezing it with a finger, but when it was 8.3% by weight or less, it was slightly hard but crushed, and when the hand was released, it was restored to some extent. On the other hand, the sample having a water content of 4.5% by weight was hard and did not crush, and fine powder easily scattered was generated. When the water content was 6.8 to 9.6% by weight, the elasticity of the lump portion was slightly deteriorated, but there was no problem in the cushioning property because the flexibility of the peripheral portion was supplemented.
From the above results, it was found that a litter with excellent cushioning property can be obtained by increasing the water content to 7% by weight or more.

[Embodiment 2]
Hereinafter, the animal bedding according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The animal bedding according to the second embodiment of the present invention contains 50% by weight or less of natural plant fiber waste such as cotton waste and hemp waste in addition to recycled paper pulp in the animal bedding according to the first embodiment. ..
Some recycled paper pulp has a considerably damaged surface and becomes brittle, and when compressed in the waste paper pulp mass forming process, it may be bent or crushed, and even if it is dried after that, sufficient cushioning properties may not be obtained. be. On the other hand, since the fibers of natural plant fiber waste are tougher than those of recycled paper pulp, they are not easily crushed even when compressed, and when mixed with recycled paper pulp, they act as springs to prevent deterioration of cushioning property. Furthermore, since the fibers of the natural plant fiber waste are easily entangled, it is possible to prevent the lump portion from being crushed and separated by being stepped on by an animal or the like during use.

Natural plant fiber waste generally repels water, but it does not affect water absorption up to a mixing ratio of 30% by weight or less with respect to 100% by weight of the litter, and if it exceeds this, water absorption deteriorates, so it is natural. The mixing ratio of the plant fiber waste is preferably 30% by weight or less based on the total weight. However, since hydrophilicity can be imparted by using a surfactant as described later, mixing of 30% by weight or more is also possible.
Although the same effect can be obtained with chemical fiber waste, it becomes a problem when it is used as a litter and then composted or used as a raw material for methane fermentation.
When natural plant fiber waste is mixed with recycled paper pulp, it is preferable to crush it to 5 mm or less because the fiber is relatively strong and entangles with the apparatus in the steps after the crushing step and causes a failure.

FIG. 5 is a process block diagram of a method for producing an animal bedding according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
In the method 10B for producing an animal bedding according to the second embodiment of the present invention, there are (a'-0) a raw material mixing step of mixing waste paper with natural plant fiber waste, and (a') a fibrous mixture of mixed raw materials of a predetermined size. A crushing step of crushing the waste paper pulp, a water washing step of (b') washing the waste paper pulp mixture obtained by crushing with water, and (c') a waste paper pulp mixture formed by squeezing and dehydrating the water-washed waste paper pulp mixture. A lump forming step, (d') an atypical lump forming step of crushing a waste paper pulp mixture lump into a predetermined shape and size to form an atypical lump, and (e') drying the atypical lump. It consists of a drying process.

In this manufacturing method, among the steps (a'-0) to (e'), the steps (a') to (e') are the steps (a) to (e) of the manufacturing method of the first embodiment. ) Is the same as each process. Therefore, in the same process, only different processes will be described, avoiding duplicate explanations.

(A'-0) Raw Material Mixing Step In this raw material mixing step, a predetermined amount of natural plant fiber waste is mixed with recycled paper. When mixing, it is better to mix while stirring so that uneven mixing does not occur. The mixing ratio of the natural plant fiber waste shall be 50% by weight or less based on the total weight of the litter. The mixing amount of 50% by weight or less is a ratio to 100% by weight of the litter, that is, the amount mixed in the litter of the final product.
In the crushing step (a') of the next step, used paper and natural plant fiber waste may be added at the same time.

<Experiment of cotton waste mixing, water absorption and cushioning [Experimental Examples 30 to 51]>
Next, the effect of the mixed amount of cotton waste of the litter produced by the same production method as in Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention was confirmed in Examples 30 to 51. First, the total weight of the raw material is 100% by weight, and the mixed amount of cotton waste is changed from 0% by weight to 100% by weight in increments of 10% by weight, and the rest is made into used copy paper with water absorption and dried. It was crushed into fibers, washed with water, and then squeezed and dehydrated. Further, it was washed with water, dehydrated by pressing, crushed in a wet state, and then air-dried to obtain samples of Experimental Examples 30 to 40.
Next, the samples of Experimental Examples 41 to 51 were obtained in the same manner except that the surfactant was added to the water used for the second washing with a ratio of 0.1% by weight based on the water.

Next, each of the samples of Experimental Examples 30 to 51 was placed in a container of about 0.2 g, and the weight thereof was measured. Then, water was absorbed, the weight of the sample after water absorption was measured, and the amount of water absorbed with respect to the weight before water absorption was calculated. In addition, confirmation of sample flexibility and measurement of water absorption start time were also carried out. The results are shown in Table 5.

From the results shown in Table 5, the following was found.
Among the samples produced by the same production methods as those of Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention, the samples of Experimental Examples 30 to 40 in which the surfactant was not added to the water for washing with water had a mixing ratio of 30% by weight of cotton waste. Until then, the time to visually start water absorption after the sample came into contact with water was within 1 second, but it was slightly slower, about 2 to 3 seconds for 40 to 50% by weight and 5 to 10 seconds for 60 to 80% by weight. As a result, water was not absorbed at 90% by weight or more. In addition, the amount of water absorption relative to the weight before water absorption increased as the mixing ratio of cotton increased up to 80% by weight, and all of them were 1 times or more, showing sufficient water absorption as a litter, but at 90% by weight or more. Almost no water was absorbed.

On the other hand, the samples of Experimental Examples 41 to 51 to which the surfactant was added started to absorb water within 1 second until the mixing ratio of cotton waste was 50% by weight, and 60 to 90% by weight slowed down to absorb water in 2 to 3 seconds. Has begun. In addition, water absorption started in 5 to 10 seconds at 100% by weight, but it took 30 seconds to completely absorb water. In addition, the amount of water absorbed relative to the weight before water absorption increased as the mixing ratio increased up to 80% by weight, but did not change at 80 to 90% by weight, and decreased slightly at 100% by weight. Was more than 1 times, and showed sufficient water absorption as a litter.

In terms of flexibility, the sample of Experimental Example 30 with used paper alone and without adding a surfactant was slightly hard, but the samples of other Experimental Examples 31 to 51 were soft, and cotton waste was mixed with the used paper. It turns out that doing so increases flexibility.
From the above, it was found that a litter having excellent water absorption and cushioning properties can be obtained by setting the mixing ratio of cotton waste to 50% by weight or less.

<Experiment on dressing [Comparative Example 2, Experimental Example 52]>
An animal bedding was prepared by the same manufacturing method as in the first embodiment of the present invention, and the bedding was laid in a dairy barn to confirm the state at the time of use. That is, the corrugated cardboard was crushed into fibers of 10 mm or less, washed with water, and then squeezed and dehydrated. As a result of measuring the water content of the recycled paper pulp mass after squeezing and dehydrating, it was 67% by weight. Then, it was crushed in a wet state and then air-dried. In the obtained litter (Experimental Example 52), the minimum diameter of the lump portion in the central portion was approximately 7 to 10 mm, and the peripheral portion of the lump portion had a whisker-like shape in which the used paper pulp was partially scattered. ..

As a result of laying this bedding on the barn for one cow and observing the usage condition, there was no scattering of fine powder or the like at the time of laying, and there was no rolling and unevenness. Further, when observing the state immediately after urination, the dressing in the range of about 80 cm in diameter centered on the urinating part was wet, and the dressing on the outside remained dry. In addition, although the floor surface was moist, no urine pool could be confirmed and it was not sticky. Furthermore, when the bedding was collected, running water from the bedding could not be confirmed, and it did not stick to the floor surface, so that it could be collected without any trouble.

On the other hand, a litter prepared by mixing waste corrugated cardboard into fibers of 10 mm or less and crushed corrugated cardboard while leaving a flat surface at a weight ratio of 1: 1 was laid in the same manner as Comparative Example 2 and observed. rice field.
As a result, fine powder was scattered during laying, but it did not become uneven. Observing the condition immediately after urination, the dressing and floor surface in the range of about 60 cm from the urination part are wet, and the dressing and floor surface are wet toward the lower side of the floor surface, and the floor surface is partially wet. It was sticky. Furthermore, at the time of collection, it was difficult to collect the litter on the floor surface, and some of the flat ones stuck to the floor surface and could not be collected.

11 Central mass 12 Beard-shaped peripheral edge 13 Natural plant fiber waste 10A, 10B Manufacturing method of bedding for animals (a'-0) Raw material mixing step (a), (a') Crushing step (b) , (B') Washing step (c) Waste paper pulp lump formation step (c') Waste paper pulp mixture lump formation step (d), (d') Atypical lump formation step (e), (e') Drying step

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an animal bedding that is excellent in water absorption, water retention, and cushioning properties and whose floor surface is not sticky at the time of use.

The animal bedding according to the first aspect of the present invention is an indefinite-shaped lump made of recycled paper pulp , and the lump has a minimum diameter of 5 to 24 mm and a minimum diameter of a lump portion at a substantially central portion in a plan view. The ratio of the maximum diameter to the amount of the lump portion is 3 or less, and the peripheral edge of the lump portion has a beard-like shape having a length in which the used paper pulp is partially scattered exceeds 0 mm and is 10 mm or less. ..

The animal bedding according to the second aspect of the present invention is the animal bedding according to the first aspect, and contains natural plant fiber waste in the mass in an amount of more than 0% by weight and 50% by weight or less based on the total weight. An animal bedding, the natural plant fiber waste is a mixture of one or more of cotton and hemp fiber waste.

Claims (5)

It is an irregularly shaped lump made of used paper pulp, and the lump has a maximum diameter of 24 mm or less centered on a lump portion in a substantially central portion of 5 to 13 mm in a plan view, and the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is An animal litter having a length of 3 or less and a beard-like shape having a length of 10 mm or less in which the peripheral edge of the lump portion is partially separated from recycled pulp. An animal bedding containing 50% by weight or less of natural plant fiber waste in the mass, wherein the natural plant fiber waste is a mixture of one or more of cotton and hemp fiber waste. The animal litter according to claim 1. The animal litter according to claims 1 and 2, which comprises 7 to 20% by weight of water based on the total weight. A crushing step of using used paper as a raw material and crushing the raw material into fibers of a predetermined size, a water washing step of washing the used paper pulp obtained by crushing the raw material into fibers in the crushing step, and a water washing step of washing the used paper pulp with water in the washing step. A waste paper pulp mass forming step of forming a waste paper pulp mass by squeezing and dehydrating, and an amorphous mass forming step of crushing the waste paper pulp mass formed in the waste paper pulp mass forming step in a wet state to form an amorphous mass. A method for producing an animal bedding, which comprises a drying step of drying the amorphous lumps formed in the irregular lump forming step. It is obtained by a raw material mixing step of mixing natural plant fiber waste with the raw material, a crushing step of crushing the mixed raw material mixed in the raw material mixing step into fibers of a predetermined size, and crushing into fibers in the crushing step. A water washing step of washing the used paper pulp mixture with water, a waste paper pulp mixture lump forming step of pressing and dehydrating the used paper pulp mixture washed with water in the water washing step to form a used paper pulp mixture lump, and a used paper formed by the used paper pulp mixture lump forming step. It is characterized by comprising a step of forming an amorphous lump to form an amorphous lump by crushing the pulp mixture lump in a wet state and a step of drying the amorphous lump formed in the step of forming the amorphous lump. Manufacturing method of bedding for animals.

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