Granulated, plant-based bedding material for poultry houses

Abstract

Bedding material for poultry houses, comprising a granulated substrate based on dried leaves, enriched with phytogenic active ingredients, to improve barn hygiene, animal welfare and sustainability.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a granulated bedding material based on plant-based raw materials, in particular dried leaves, enriched with phytogenic active ingredients and optional mineral carriers. The material improves stable hygiene, reduces the ammonia content in the air through adsorption and microbiological inhibition, reduces dust formation, increases animal welfare, and can be used as organic fertilizer after use. Description

[0002] The present invention relates to a plant-based, granulated bedding material for poultry floor housing. Floor bedding is a key factor for animal welfare, health, barn hygiene, and productivity. It binds excrement and moisture, thermally insulates the barn floor, reduces harmful gas emissions, enables scratching and pecking, influences air quality in the barn, and thus directly affects performance parameters, susceptibility to disease, and stress levels of the animals.

[0003] Current technologies use materials such as straw, wood shavings, miscanthus, sawdust, peat, or sand. However, these have disadvantages: straw has low moisture absorption capacity and is susceptible to mold; wood shavings and sawdust are dusty; miscanthus is expensive and not available everywhere; peat is ecologically problematic; sand is a poor insulator and makes the ground cold.

[0004] A major problem is the formation of ammonia (NH3) by urease-producing microorganisms that break down urea and uric acid. Ammonia damages the respiratory tract at levels above 20 ppm, increases susceptibility to disease, reduces performance, and also puts a strain on stable staff.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a bedding material that: - exhibits high moisture absorption and ammonia binding, -reduces the NH3 concentration in the barn air, - has antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic and stress-reducing effects, - Dust generation minimized, - is ecologically sustainable and can be used as fertilizer after use, - can be flexibly adapted to different animal species and husbandry systems.

[0006] A granulated substrate based on dried, sanitized leaves, supplemented with miscanthus, oregano, lavender straw, and other herbs, is proposed as a solution. The leaves have a residual moisture content of < 20% and are granulated or pelletized into particle sizes of 1–20 mm.

[0007] Granulated leaves constitute the main volume, are porous, and bind liquids and ammonia. Miscanthus improves the structure and absorbency. Oregano provides carvacrol and thymol, which have antimicrobial and ammonia-inhibiting effects by inhibiting urease-producing microorganisms. Lavender straw contains linalool and linalyl acetate, and has antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and calming properties.

[0008] Additionally, phytogenic additives such as thyme, rosemary, turmeric, lemon balm, chamomile, mint, tea tree oil, garlic or grape pomace can be incorporated.

[0009] Mineral carriers such as bentonite, zeolite, or diatomaceous earth can be added. They increase the adsorption capacity, bind ammonium ions, and act as a reservoir for essential oils.

[0010] The combination has a synergistic effect: Liquids are absorbed and wet areas are avoided. - Ammonia is reduced by adsorption and inhibition of the microbiota, - Antimicrobial agents reduce the bacterial load, - Aromatic additives reduce stress, - Granular form reduces dust, - After use, the material can be used as an organic fertilizer with an increased NPK value.

[0011] Advantages over the state of the art: 1. High moisture absorption. 2. Significant reduction in ammonia concentration. 3. Improved respiratory health. 4. Less dust. 5. Promoting animal welfare and employment. 6. Antibacterial, antiviral and antiparasitic effects. 7. Odor binding through essential oils. 8. Foot health through dry bedding. 9. Sustainability through biogenic raw materials. 10. Flexibility depending on the animal species. 11. Usability as fertilizer. 12th contribution to the circular economy.

[0012] A preferred embodiment comprises 85-92% foliage, 2-10% miscanthus, 1-5% lavender straw and 0.5-3% oregano, supplemented by herbs as required.

[0013] Validation and measurement methods: Efficacy can be demonstrated through standardized measurements, e.g., continuous NH3 monitoring systems (electrochemical sensors) or tube tests, determination of urease activity (enzymatic activity assays), microbial count determination (CFU), and / or molecular targeting of urease-related genes (e.g., ureC). Additionally, pH, moisture, and temperature profiles in the bedding are recorded, and comparative analyses are performed against reference materials (e.g., straw).

[0014] Contribution of mineral carriers: Zeolites (e.g. clinoptilolite) have a high cation exchange capacity and bind NH4 +reversibly alters its framework structure. Bentonite (montmorillonite) swells in the presence of water, increasing micro- to mesoporosity and extending the contact time for adsorption processes. Diatomaceous earth provides a large internal surface area. Together with the plant fibers, it forms a multi-layered binding matrix that binds ammonia / NH4. + efficiently fixed and simultaneously serves as a carrier for essential oils (depot and sustained-release effect).

[0015] Role of moisture and pore structure: Urease activity requires water. The granules reduce the water activity (a_w) in the bedding, thus interrupting the microbial cascade. The defined particle size (e.g., 1–8 mm or 1–20 mm) and the high porosity of the leaves promote capillary transport and surface evaporation, but prevent the formation of dense, airless wet zones. This limits microbial colonization and local NH3 release.

[0016] Chemical equilibrium and influencing factors: The release of ammonia into the barn air is largely determined by the equilibrium between unprotonated ammonia (NH3, gaseous) and protonated ammonium (NH4). + , predominantly in the liquid phase). The equilibrium is pH-dependent (pKa of the ammonium-ammonia equilibrium reaction ≈ 9.25) and temperature-dependent. With increasing pH and temperature, the equilibrium shifts in favor of NH3, thereby increasing emissions. The bedding material according to the invention counteracts this by rapidly binding moisture, mitigating pH spikes, and reducing NH4. + fixed to mineral carriers via ion exchange.

[0017] At the same time, the granular structure of the leaves, the fibrous components of miscanthus, and optional mineral carrier substances (bentonite, zeolite, diatomaceous earth) enable the remaining ammonia to be bound physicochemically through adsorption and ion exchange. This results in a dual protective effect: a biological reduction of ammonia formation and a chemical-physical fixation of the ammonia in the granules.

[0018] The bedding material according to the invention specifically targets the inhibition of these microorganisms and their enzyme activity. Phytogenic active ingredients such as carvacrol and thymol from oregano or linalool from lavender have an antimicrobial effect by destabilizing the cell membranes of the microorganisms and reducing their metabolic activity. This inhibits urease production, resulting in a lower conversion of urea to ammonia.

[0019] Typical urease-producing microorganisms include bacterial genera such as Proteus, Klebsiella, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas, as well as certain yeasts of the genera Candida and Cryptococcus. These microorganisms colonize the moist and nutrient-rich zones of the bedding, multiply rapidly there, and contribute significantly to the accumulation of ammonia in the stable air.

[0020] A key factor in the formation of ammonia (NH3) in poultry houses is the activity of so-called urease-producing microorganisms. These microorganisms—primarily bacteria and certain fungi—synthesize the enzyme urease, which breaks down urea and uric acid contained in the animals' excrement. This process produces gaseous ammonia and carbon dioxide. The reaction process can be described as follows: (NH2)2CO + H2O → 2NH3 + CO2.

Claims

[1] Bedding material for poultry houses, comprising a granulated substrate based on dried leaves, enriched with phytogenic active ingredients, to improve barn hygiene, animal welfare and sustainability. [2] Bedding material according to claim [1], characterized by that the foliage has a residual moisture content of < 20% and is granulated or pelletized in grain sizes of 1-20 mm. [3] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that fibrous materials such as miscanthus, hemp or other biogenic materials can be added to improve structure and absorbency. [4] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it may contain oregano, whose ingredients carvacrol and thymol have antimicrobial and ammonia-inhibiting effects. [5] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat it contains lavender straw, whose essential oils have calming, stress-reducing and antiparasitic effects. [6] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it may contain other phytogenic additives such as thyme, rosemary, turmeric, lemon balm, chamomile, mint, tea tree oil, garlic or grape pomace. [7] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that mineral carrier substances such as bentonite, zeolite or diatomaceous earth may be present, which bind ammonia through ion exchange and act as a reservoir for essential oils. [8] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that it reduces ammonia both by adsorption in the granules and by inhibiting urease-producing microorganisms. [9] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat it has a granular structure that minimizes dust formation and protects the respiratory health of the animals. [10] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it is completely biodegradable and can be used after use as an organic fertilizer with increased nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content. [11] Bedding material according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that it binds and masks odors through essential oils and plant-based active ingredients. [12] Use of the bedding material according to any of the preceding claims for a significant reduction of the ammonia concentration in the barn air and for improving the respiratory health of poultry. [13] Use of the bedding material according to any of the preceding claims for reducing dust pollution, controlling odors and increasing animal welfare through stress-reducing and antiparasitic properties. [14] Use of the bedding material according to any of the preceding claims as a humus-forming soil improver in agriculture after its use in the stable.