Compound source of fiber and micronutrients for diet of ruminants, obtained from the benefit of the mate herb (ilex paraguariensis)

Description

A compound source of fiber and micronutrients for ruminant diets, obtained from the processing of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis). Field of invention

[001] Int. CI.: A23K 50 / 10; A23K 50 / 42; A23K 40 / 10

[002] FEED PRODUCT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RUMINANTS; BY PRODUCTION METHODS: DRY AND GRANULATED.

[003] Purpose of the present invention: to add a source of fiber and additional micronutrients to the composition of feed and feed compounds for ruminants. Fundamentals of the invention

[004] The field of ruminant nutrition is searching for materials to replace traditional and necessary roughage / forage as a source of fiber and stimulant of rumen activity. This substitution makes it possible to transfer livestock production, or part of it, to controlled environments in order to reduce the need for pasture areas, thus reducing this demand for a scarce resource. This produces significant positive effects for the protein production chain and for the environment. Among these, we can highlight the main ones: reduction of the cost of animal protein production for the consumer market, reduction of pressure on natural biomes due to the lower need for pasture areas or for the production of forage intended for livestock, and enabling the use of animal feces for the production of biogas and fertilizers.

[005] The main materials currently used for this purpose are residues from cotton processing and soybean processing. These materials are used by professionals in charge to compose a nutritious diet as a source of fiber and to stimulate rumen activity in herds, even eliminating the need for roughage.

[006] On the other hand, the production of yerba mate, from harvesting to processing, generates large quantities of waste from branches and twigs, which, despite being constituent parts of the final product intended for consumption, are still present. Petition 870250008108, dated 01 / 31 / 2025, page 6 / 9 / 3 human these cannot exceed a certain proportion as they would mischaracterize the final product and its acceptance by the consuming public, this surplus material from both the harvesting and processing phases of Yerba Mate is the subject of this patent, providing a new and noble destination for this material, for animal nutrition. Description of the invention

[007] The present invention has identified characteristics that make processed Yerba Mate branches and stems, following the description of this innovation, an excellent option in ruminant nutrition:

[008] Stimulates ruminant and digestive activity in animals, due to the low proportion of lignin in relation to other fibers (cellulose and hemicellulose). This constitutive and proportional property is related to the age of the branches and twigs; the younger the branches and twigs, the more favorable the proportions. Consequently, the age of the branches and twigs is related to the diameter, which can be the determining factor for selecting the raw material.

[009] Source of fiber, adequate hemicellulose content, most digestible fiber fraction with its dry basis content around 35%.

[0010] Presence at an adequate level of flavonoids and tannins, which as secondary metabolites are beneficial to the probiotic environment within the animal's digestive system and consequently to animal health.

[0011] Due to the characteristics listed [008; 009; 0010], the present innovation offers a lignocellulosic compound for animal nutrition with a particle size of not less than 1.8 mm and not more than 5 mm with a maximum of 20% moisture, originating from the branches and stems of yerba mate, the obtaining of this compound is achieved by the processes below [0012; 0013; 0014 and 0015]:

[0012] Process for utilizing waste from yerba mate processing for human consumption, characterized by: deferred by a process of sifting branches and twigs in excess of what is needed. Petition 870250008108, dated 01 / 31 / 2025, page 7 / 9 / 3 for the product intended for human consumption, before any of the phases prior to the packaging of yerba mate, this material, after being segregated from the process, undergoes a combined grinding and selection process so that its particle size characteristics are not less than 1.8 mm and not more than 5 mm with a maximum of 20% moisture.

[0013] Change in the manual and / or mechanical harvesting process and its subsequent processing of yerba mate, characterized by: adding branches and stems of up to 12mm in diameter to the raw material for yerba mate processing, where the current state of the art incorporates branches and stems of a maximum of 6mm, such modification in the process aims to increase the amount of branches and stems in the yerba mate processing and thus proceed with the process in accordance with claim

[0012] .

[0014] Process of reusing waste (branches and twigs) already in the manual and / or mechanical harvesting of yerba mate, characterized by: fractionation of branches and twigs with subsequent classification by their diameter.

[0015] Isolated beneficiation process for selected yerba mate branches and stems from process

[0014] , characterized by: grinding, drying and selection, aiming at the production of lignocellulosic compound with a particle size not less than 1.8 mm and not more than 5 mm with a maximum of 20% moisture.

Claims

1. Lignocellulosic compound for animal nutrition characterized by: particle sizes not less than 1.8 mm and not more than 5 mm with moisture not exceeding 20%, originating from the branches and stems of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis).

2. Process for utilizing waste from yerba mate processing for human consumption purposes characterized by: deferred by a process of sifting branches and twigs in excess of what is necessary for the product for human consumption, before any of the phases prior to packaging the yerba mate, this material after being segregated from the process, undergoes a combined grinding and selection so that its characteristics fit the claim (1).

3. Change in the manual and / or mechanical harvesting process and its subsequent processing of yerba mate, characterized by: adding branches and stems of up to 12 mm in diameter to the raw material for yerba mate processing, where the current state of the art incorporates branches and stems of a maximum of 6 mm, such modification in the process aims to increase the amount of branches and stems in the yerba mate processing and thus proceed with the process in accordance with claim (2) 4. Process for reusing waste (branches and twigs) already in the manual and / or mechanical harvesting of yerba mate, characterized by: fractionation of branches and twigs with subsequent classification by their diameter.

5. Isolated beneficiation process for selected yerba mate branches and stems in process (4), characterized by: grinding, drying and selection, aiming at the production of the lignocellulosic compound described in claim (1)