Animal bedding additive and animal bedding containing the same

This application relates to bedding for animals, and particularly bedding for livestock such as cattle and horses.

Throughout Agrarian times, farmers have recognized the importance of shelter and bedding in the comfort and well-being of livestock. Livestock that are well-kept and content generally produce more food and have a greater longevity as work animals. Providing comfort to these animals during rest and sleep is essential for keeping the animals content and productive. Thus, farmers have used bedding materials such as straw, sawdust, sand and even recycled manure solids for their livestock. Thus, bedding generally provides cushion, support and warmth essential to comforting the animals.

However, the use of such bedding has a serious drawback in that such materials have a tendency to retain the animals\' excreted waste products. The need to groom the bedding and sometimes completely replace the bedding every few days for hygienic reasons constitutes a high cost and labor and replacement materials for a farmer.

Accordingly, there is the need and the animal husbandry field for an animal bedding additive that when added to bedding materials such as straw, sawdust, sand or recycled manure solids is inert, but when contacted by moisture, e.g. urine, produces germicidal agents effective to counteract many micro-organisms commonly found in animal bedding, such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and others. Thus, the animal bedding, when combined with the bedding material additive disclosed herein remains hygienic for a longer period of time reducing labor costs and replacement material costs for a farmer.

The present disclosure contemplates animal bedding having a bedding material and a bedding material additive. The bedding material is preferably straw, sawdust, sand or recycled manure solids, but may be any type of bedding material known in the art of animal husbandry. The bedding material additive preferably includes 60-99% by weight absorbent clay or powder, 0.1 to 35% by weight chlorite salt, and 0.1 to 35% by weight sodium bisulfate or sodium percarbonate. The chlorite salt may be sodium chlorite, magnesium chlorite, potassium chlorite or calcium chlorite. Preferably, sodium chlorite is used. The bedding material additive may also include 0.01 to 5% by weight of a surfactant. This surfactant is preferably sodium dodecylsulfate, dodecyl ammonium sulfate, sodium cholate, sodium deoxycholate, N-lauroylsarcosine sodium salt, lauryldimethylamine-oxide, cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide, dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, ethoxylated alkyl phenol, or bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate sodium salt. Most preferably, the surfactant is dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid. Additionally, the bedding additive may further include 0.01 to 5% by weight urea. If it is so desired, the bedding material additive may also include a dye in an amount effective to achieve coloration of the additive. If it is so desired, the bedding material additive may also include a perfume or other material to emit and diffuse a fragrant odor in an amount effective to achieve a desirable odor for the additive. The bedding material additive may be provided in either powdered or a granule form.

When the bedding material additive is dry, it is inert and neither germicidal nor acidic. However, when the bedding material additive is exposed to moisture, e.g. urine or rain, either the sodium bisulfate will acidify the solution, creating an acidic environment, or the sodium percarbonate will release oxygen into the solution, creating an oxidative environment. The acid or oxidant will instigate the formation of hypochlorous acid and chlorine dioxide from the chlorite salt. The acidification of the sodium bisulfate also is effective to reduce ammonia and cause a reduction in odor. Hypochlorus acid and chlorine dioxide are powerful, broad spectrum germicides that have proven efficacy against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and other micro organisms commonly found in animal bedding.

The animal bedding of the present disclosure includes a combination of bedding material and a bedding material additive. The bedding material is preferably straw, sawdust, sand or recycled manure solids, but may be any type of bedding material that is commonly used within the field of animal husbandry. The bedding material additive is preferably combined with the bedding material from either a powdered or granular form.

The bedding material additive includes 60-99% by weight absorbent clay or power, 0.1 to 35% by weight chlorite salt, and 0.1 to 35% by weight sodium bisulfate or sodium percarbonate. Preferably, the additive comprises 98.5% absorbent clay or powder, 0.5% sodium chlorite, and 1% sodium bisulfate or sodium percarbonate. The bedding material additive may also include 0.01% to 5% of a surfactant, 0.01 to 5% by weight urea and 0.001 to 0.1% dye.

The chlorite salt to be used is preferably sodium chlorite, dry (80%) (CAS#15630-89-4). However, magnesium chlorite, potassium chlorite and calcium chlorite may also be used as the chlorite salt of the bedding material additive. Preferably, the sodium bisulfate used is technical grade sodium bisulfate, anhydrous globular (CAS#7681-38-1). The preferred sodium percarbonate constituency is technical grade sodium percarbonate (CAS#15630-89-4).

As aforementioned, the bedding material additive is mixed with a bedding material such as straw, sawdust, sand, or recycled manure solids and used as bedding for animals, preferably livestock such as cows or horses. The primary benefit of using the chlorite salt and sodium bisulfate or sodium percarbonate mixture as an additive is that it is inert, stable and non-acidic in a dry environment for an extended period of time, but when it interacts with moisture, chlorine dioxide and hypochlorous acid is formed creating a potent, broad spectrum germicide. Specifically, when the additive is exposed to moisture, such as urine from an animal, the sodium bisulfate or sodium percarbonate will acidify or oxidize in the presence of moisture create an acid or oxidant. When that acid or oxidant interacts with the chlorite salt, hypochlorous acid and chlorine dioxide are formed changing the inert dry mixture into a powerful germicidal agent. Moreover, the acidification of the moisture operates to reduce ammonia causing a reduction in odor. Hypochlorous acid and chlorine dioxide are very powerful, broad spectrum germicides that have proven efficiency against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and other micro-organisms commonly found in animal bedding.

In a preferred embodiment, where the chlorite salt is sodium chlorite and sodium bisulfate is used in the additive, sodium bisulfate first interacts with water to form an acid according to the following reaction:

NaHSO₄+H₂O→Na⁺+H₃O⁺+SO₄²⁻

The acid then interacts with sodium chlorite to form the germicides chloride dioxide and hypochlorous acid according to the following reactions:

4NaClO₂+2H₃O⁺→2ClO₂⁻+2HClO₂+4Na⁺+2H₂O

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