Weatherized minerals and methods of making and using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9504269-B2
Application number	US-201313765298-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2013
Priority date	Feb 14, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A weatherized mineral mixture is produced by heating a digestible fat or fatty acid and spraying a mineral mixture with the heated digestible fatty acid to form a protective layer over the mineral mixture. The weatherized mineral mixture may be free of salts of fatty acids, namely soaps. The weatherized mineral mixture sheds water and is wind-resistant. Upon ingestion by livestock animals, the protective coating is digested and the minerals within the mineral mixture are absorbed by the livestock animal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing livestock animals with free-choice minerals, comprising:
providing the livestock animals with a weatherized mineral mixture comprising a mineral mixture coated with a digestible fat protective layer, the weatherized mineral mixture free of salts of fatty acids, and the digestible fat protective layer and the minerals in the mineral mixture absorbed by the digestive system of the livestock animal.

2. The method of claim 1 , the weatherized mineral mixture comprising loose minerals at the outside of the protective layer, and the loose minerals available for absorption substantially upon ingestion of the weatherized mineral mixture.

Assignees

• Purina Animal Nutrition Llc

Inventors

• Kanzelberger-Coolich Melissa
• Scott Ronald R

Classifications

• A23K40/30

  by encapsulating; by coating · CPC title

• A23K20/158 Primary

  Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats · CPC title

• A23K50/10

  for ruminants · CPC title

• A23K40/20

  by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes · CPC title

• A23K40/25

  by extrusion · CPC title