Compositions for use in animal housing
View Patent ↗Provided herein are compositions useful for improving conditions in animal housing. In some embodiments, the compositions may include, in combination: a) an organic acid; b) an organic terpene; and optionally, c) a strong mineral acid. In some embodiments, the composition has a pH of from 2 to 5, or from 2.5 to 4, or from 3 to 3.5. Also provided are processes for the control of ammonia and microbes in animal housing, which may include applying a composition as taught herein to at least a portion of the house, e.g., to the bedding of the house, whereby said applying steps result in the control of ammonia and/or microbes in the animal housing.
1. An aqueous composition comprising, in combination:
a) an organic acid; and
b) an organic terpene;
wherein said composition has a pH of from 2 to 5.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein:
said organic acid is provided in said composition at a concentration of from 2 to 30% by weight of said composition;
said organic terpene is provided in said composition at a concentration of from 0.05 to 6% by weight of said composition; and/or
said strong mineral acid, when present, is provided in said composition at a concentration of from 5 to 15% by weight of said composition.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said organic acid comprises from 1 to 15% citric acid by weight of said composition, and from 0.5 to 10% lactic acid by weight of said composition.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition has a pH of from 2.5 to 4.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition has a pH of from 3 to 3.5.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises magnesium sulfate.
7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises a fungicide or coccidiostat.
8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises a strong mineral acid.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises boric acid.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises ozone.
11. An animal bedding treatment comprising an aqueous composition comprising, in combination:
a) an organic acid; and
b) a strong mineral acid,
wherein said composition has a pH of from 2 to 5.
12. The animal bedding treatment of claim 11 , wherein the composition further comprises a pH buffer such as gypsum or sodium sulfate.
13. The animal bedding treatment of claim 11 , wherein said animal bedding comprises rice hulls, soft wood sawdust, wood shavings, hemp stalk, recycled pulp, biomass, or a combination thereof.
14. The animal bedding treatment of claim 11 , wherein said animal bedding comprises gypsum.
15. The animal bedding treatment of claim 11 , wherein the composition further comprises an organic terpene.
16. A process for the control of ammonia and/or microbes in animal housing, comprising:
applying to a bedding and/or manure of the animal housing an aqueous composition comprising, in combination:
a) an organic acid;
b) an organic terpene; and
c) a strong mineral acid,
wherein said composition has a pH of from 2 to 5; and
applying the bedding to the floor of the animal housing,
whereby said applying step(s) result in the control of ammonia and/or microbes in the animal housing.
17. The process of claim 16 , wherein said process comprises the step of applying a floor conditioning composition, and said floor conditioning composition comprises sulfuric acid.
18. The process of claim 16 , further comprising applying elemental sulfur to the floor of the animal housing.
19. The process of claim 16 , wherein said process comprises applying gypsum to the floor of the animal housing.
20. The process of claim 16 , wherein the floor of the animal housing is covered by a physical barrier.
21. The process of claim 16 , wherein said animal housing houses an avian animal selected from chickens, turkeys and ducks, or wherein said animal housing houses a bovine, porcine or companion animal.