Ruminant feed composition and method of making
A nutrient or medicinal composition for administration to ruminants, which includes a core of one or more biologically active substances coated with a film of polyurethane, overcoated with an “intermediate” wax is disclosed. This polyurethane/wax coating is resistant to rumen conditions, but will release the biologically active substance(s) in the abomasum and subsequent digestive tract of the ruminant animal.
1 . A ruminant feed composition comprising a core material of at least one biologically active substance coated with a polymer coating formed in situ on the core material, and an outer intermediate wax coating surrounding the polymer coating, wherein said polymer coating and intermediate wax coating provide for effective non-release of the biologically active substance in a rumen of a ruminant animal.
2 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 1 wherein the biologically active substance is an amino acid.
3 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 1 wherein the biologically active substance is selected from the group consisting of lysine and methionine.
4 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 1 wherein the polymer coating is formed in situ from a diisocyanate and a polyol.
5 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 4 wherein the diisocyanate is polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate.
6 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 5 wherein the polyol is a polyester polyol blended with triethanolamine.
7 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 3 wherein the biologically active substance is a spherical granule having a granule size of about 0.8 mm to about 2.5 mm.
8 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 3 wherein the biologically active substance is a granule having a particle size in a range of about 0.8 mm to about 1.2 mm.
9 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 1 wherein the polymer coating has a thickness in a range of about 12 to about 20 micrometers.
10 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 1 wherein the wax coating has a thickness in a range of about 3 to about 6 micrometers.
11 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 9 wherein the wax coating has a thickness in a range of about 3 to about 6 micrometers.
12 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 1 further comprising other ruminant feed rations.
13 . A ruminant feed composition comprising a core material of at least one biologically active substance comprising lysine with a polyurethane polymer coating formed in situ on the core material, and an outer intermediate wax coating surrounding the polymer coating, wherein said polyurethane polymer coating and intermediate wax coating provide for effective non-release of the biologically active substance in rumen of a ruminant animal.
14 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 13 wherein the lysine is granular and has a particle size in a range of about 0.8 mm to about 2.5 mm.
15 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 14 wherein the polyurethane polymer coating is formed in situ from a diisocyanate and a polyol.
16 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 15 wherein the diisocyanate is a polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate.
17 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 16 wherein the polyol is a polyester polyol blended with triethanolamine.
18 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 17 wherein the polymer coating has a thickness in a range of about 12 to about 20 micrometers.
19 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 18 wherein the wax coating has a thickness in a range of about 3 to about 6 micrometers.
20 . The ruminant feed composition of claim 1 further comprising other ruminant feed rations.
21 . A method of making a ruminant feed composition comprising coating a core material of at least one biologically active substance with a polymer coating formed in situ on the core material;
applying an intermediate wax coating to surround the polymer coating, wherein said polymer coating and intermediate wax coating provide for effective non-release of the biologically active substance in rumen of a ruminant animal.
22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the biologically active substance is an amino acid.
23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the biologically active substance is selected from the group consisting of lysine and methionine.
24 . The method of claim 21 wherein the polymer coating is formed in situ from a diisocyanate and a polyol.
25 . The method of claim 24 wherein the diisocyanate is polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate.
26 . The method of claim 25 wherein the polyol is a polyester polyol blended with triethanolamine.
27 . The method of claim 23 wherein the biologically active substance is a spherical granule having a granule size of about 0.8 mm to about 2.5 mm.
28 . The method of claim 23 wherein the biologically active substance is a granule having a particle size in a range of about 0.8 mm to about 1.2 mm.
29 . The method of claim 21 wherein the polymer coating has a thickness in a range of about 12 to about 20 micrometers.
30 . The method of claim 21 wherein the wax coating has a thickness in a range of about 3 to about 6 micrometers.
31 . The method of claim 29 wherein the wax coating has a thickness in a range of about 3 to about 6 micrometers.