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Animal feed and methods for reducing ammonia and phosphorus levels in manureRelated Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Dormant Ferment Containing Product, Or Live Microorganism Containing Product Or Ongoing Fermenting Product, Process Of Preparation Or Treatment ThereofAnimal feed and methods for reducing ammonia and phosphorus levels in manure description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070218168, Animal feed and methods for reducing ammonia and phosphorus levels in manure. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/868,070 filed Jun. 15, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/499,988 filed on Sep. 4, 2003, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/541,500 filed on Feb. 3, 2004, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/541,622 filed on Feb. 4, 2004, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates generally to animal feeds and methods of feeding animals that produce more environmentally benign waste products. BACKGROUND [0003] The number one complaint filed with both state and federal environmental agencies against animal producers involves odors. What is true for animal producers in general is also true for poultry producers. Controlling odors associated with poultry manure is a continuing problem for poultry and egg producers. Aerosol ammonia is one of the primary causes of nuisance odors associated with confined animal feeding operations. Since aerosol ammonia comprises a large portion of the odor associated with poultry litter, measures to control odor at poultry operations should incorporate strategies to reduce ammonia volatilization. In addition to ammonia's role as a component in nuisance odors, high levels of gaseous ammonia adversely affects animal health and the safety of people working in these environments. [0004] Aerosol ammonia levels in hen houses with shallow pits and monthly manure removal have been measured to be in the range of 46 parts per million (ppm). Similarly, the levels of aerosol ammonia in hen houses with deep pits (manure-drying pits where manure is removed annually) have been measured to be in the 46 ppm range. Gaseous ammonia levels are especially high in winter, when hen house ventilation is restricted to conserve heat. During cold weather, gaseous ammonia levels in hen houses often exceed the 46 ppm range. [0005] Poultry, for example, chickens and turkeys, continuously exposed to 20 (ppm) ammonia vapors exhibit significant respiratory tract damage after only six weeks. Chicks exposed to 20 ppm ammonia for 72 hours are much more susceptible to Newcastle Disease than chicks reared in ammonia-free environments. A high level of ammonia in the environment of laying chicken hens is also known to reduce egg production. For a more thorough discussion of the effect of high levels of gaseous ammonia on animal health and production, the reader is directed to the following articles that are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. See: Avian Dis. 8:369-379, 1964; Deaton et al. Poultry Sci., 63:384-385, 1984; McQuitty et al. Canadian Agricultural Engineering 27:13-19; Strombaugh et al. J. Anim. Sci. 28:844, 1969. Similarly, high ammonia levels correlate with a reduction in the amount of animal feed converted to animal body mass and reduced weight gain in hogs. [0006] In addition to ammonia's adverse effects on animal health, exposure to high levels of aerosol ammonia also adversely impacts human health. For example, exposure to aerosol ammonia concentrations in the range of 25 parts per million (ppm) produces discomfort in workers, and even brief exposures (<5 minutes) to ammonia can cause nasal irritation and dryness. In recognition of the ill effects of aerosol ammonia on human health, both the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identify ammonia as a health hazard. Currently NIOSH rules set the permissible exposure level (PEL) for ammonia over an 8-hour period at 25 ppm. OSHA rules set a PEL, over an 8-hour period, at 50 ppm. OSHA also recognizes that an aerosol ammonia concentration of 300 ppm ammonia is immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH). 29 C.F.R. 1910.120 (2003) defines IDLH as "[a]n atmospheric concentration of any toxic, corrosive or asphyxiant substance that poses an immediate threat to life or would cause irreversible or delayed adverse health effects or would interfere with an individual's ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere." [0007] In addition to the problems associated with aerosol ammonia in animal manure, manure often times comprises high concentrations of water-soluble forms of phosphorus. High concentrations of phosphorus can cause environmental problems, especially if the phosphorus finds its way into surface water sources or shallow aquifers. Manures from monogastric animals such as hogs and poultry are especially high in phosphorus due to the inability of monogastric animals to digest phytic acid, a phosphorus-rich compound commonly found in animal feeds. The presence of high levels of soluble phosphates in manure is especially problematic when manure is disposed of by spreading it over fields or when feedlots are located near watersheds or above shallow aquifers. Examples of environmental damage caused by manures high in soluble phosphates include fish kills and bacterial or algal blooms exacerbated by the introduction of phosphates from manure into surface waters. [0008] While plants require phosphorus in order to grow, excess levels of phosphorus can stunt plant growth and in some cases cause plant death. This is especially problematic, as one common means of disposing of manure is to use it to fertilize plants. Accordingly, phosphorus must be provided to plants in amounts conducive to and not detrimental to plant growth and development. When phosphates are provided to plants in amounts that exceed the plants' ability to absorb these compounds, excess phosphates accumulate in the soil or find their way into the watershed. [0009] One widely used measure of fertilizer efficacy is the fertilizer's Nitrogen to Phosphate ratio (N:P ratio). For most plants, a N:P ratio in the 5.8:1 range is acceptable. When the N:P ratio is substantially lower than 5.8:1, a compound may provide more phosphate than plants can readily absorb while providing less nitrogen than the plants require for optimal growth. Off-gassing of ammonia lowers the nitrogen content in manure, thereby decreasing the nitrogen/phosphorus ratio in the manure. Especially if manure is already high in phosphorus, as ammonia is off-gassed the N:P ratio may become so low that the manure must undergo costly processing before it can be used as a fertilizer. [0010] Clearly then, there is a need for methods to produce a manure that exhibits low levels of gaseous ammonia and has a N:P ratio in a range suitable for its ready use as a fertilizer. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] One embodiment of the invention is an animal feed ration that helps to reduce the level of volatile ammonia in manure produced by an animal fed the ration. One embodiment comprises a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound, wherein the acidogenic compound lowers the pH of the manure produced by an animal fed the animal feed such that ammonia in the manure is protonated to produce ammonium cations. A variation of this embodiment includes a level of crude protein reduced relative to a conventional feed. In one variation of this embodiment, the reduced crude protein feed is supplemented with at least one at least partially purified amino acid. [0012] Another embodiment is a method of reducing the level of ammonia aerosol from manure, comprising the steps of providing an animal feed including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound and feeding the animal feed to an animal. The acidogenic compound is present in one variation of this embodiment such that the initial pH of the animals' excreta is reduced to a pH of .ltoreq.9.3. In another variation of this embodiment, the pH is reduced to <7. [0013] Still another embodiment is a method of producing manure comprising the steps of providing a feed ration including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound capable of reducing the pH of the manure and feeding the feed ration to an animal. At least a portion of the ammonia in manure produced by animals fed these rations is protonated to form ammonium cations that bind to the cation exchanger. [0014] Another embodiment is a fertilizer comprising manure produced by an animal fed a ration including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound that reduces the pH of the manure. [0015] Another embodiment is a method for controlling the number of insects associated with manure. The method comprises the steps of providing a feed ration including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound capable of reducing the initial pH of the manure produced by an animal fed the feed ration and feeding the feed ration to an animal. At least a portion of the ammonia in the manure is protonated to form ammonium cations that bind to the cation exchanger. [0016] Another embodiment comprises an animal feed including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound, wherein the acidogenic compound lowers the pH of the manure produced by an animal fed the animal feed such that ammonia in the manure is protonated to produce ammonium cations. In this embodiment, the manure has a substantially lower level of aerosol ammonia than manure produced by an animal fed a conventional industry standard diet. [0017] A further embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of reducing the level of ammonia aerosol from manure. The method comprises the steps of providing an animal feed including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound capable of reducing the pH of manure produced by an animal fed the animal feed and feeding the animal feed to an animal. At least a portion of the ammonia in the manure is protonated to form ammonium cations that bind to the cation exchanger. In this embodiment, the animal feed reduces the pH of the manure produced by the animal fed the animal feed compared to a pH expected from a manure produced by the animal when it is fed a conventional industry standard animal feed. The animal feed in this embodiment also increases the amount of ammonium cations protonated from the ammonia in the manure produced by the animal fed the animal feed compared to an amount of ammonium cations protonated from ammonia in a manure produced by the animal when it is fed a conventional industry standard diet. [0018] Yet another embodiment is a method for reducing the level of soluble phosphorus in manure comprising the steps of providing an animal feed including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations, an exchangeable phosphate reactive metal associated with the cation exchanger, and an acidogenic compound and feeding the animal feed to an animal. The animal manure produced by this method has lower levels of soluble phosphorus than manure produced by the animal fed the conventional industry-standard animal feed. In still another embodiment, the phosphate reducing feed further includes compounds that reduce the amount of phosphate in the manure. Compounds such as phytase reduce the amount of phosphate in the manure by making more phosphate bioavailable for incorporation into animal tissue and products. [0019] Another embodiment is a fertilizer comprising manure produced by an animal fed a ration including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound. The acidogenic compound is present in the ration such that at least a portion of the ammonia in the manure is protonated to form ammonium cations. Fertilizer made from manure produced by the animal fed the inventive ration has a more favorable (higher) N:P ratio than similarly produced fertilizer made using manure produced by animals fed a conventional industry standard diet. [0020] Still another embodiment is a method for controlling the number of insects associated with manure comprising the steps of providing a feed ration including a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound and feeding the feed ration to an animal. The acidogenic compound reduces the pH of manure produced by an animal fed the animal feed the ration such that at least a portion of the ammonia in the manure is protonated to produce ammonium cations. The manure produced by the animal fed the feed ration reduces the number of insects associated with the manure from a number of insects associated with a manure produced by the animal fed a conventional industry-standard feed ration. [0021] In still another embodiment, an animal ration is amended to produce a first manure produced by an animal fed said amended animal ration, said first manure having a high N:P ratio relative to a second manure produced by said animal fed a conventional industry standard diet. The inventive amended animal ration includes means for lowering a total amount of crude protein in the amended animal ration relative to a total amount of crude protein contained in the conventional industry standard diet; means for lowering a volatile ammonia content of the first manure relative to a volatile ammonia content of the second manure; means for increasing an amount of bio-available phosphorus in the amended animal ration relative to an amount of bio-available phosphorus contained in the conventional industry standard diet; and means for reducing a total amount of phosphorus in the amended animal ration relative to a total amount of phosphorus contained in the conventional industry standard diet. 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