Fibrillated Parenchymal Cellulose Binder for Animal Feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current animal feed compositions for carnivorous animals, such as minks, face issues with grain being too energetic for digestion and water content leading to feed liquefaction, which results in inefficiencies and waste during feeding.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating fibrillated parenchymal cellulose from sources like soybean hulls, pea hulls, or sugar beet pulp as a low-energy-density binder that enhances water retention and stiffness, allowing for increased water content without liquefaction, thereby maintaining feed integrity and nutritional value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If grain is added to feed porridge as a binder, then feed thickness and stiffness are improved, but energy density increases making it too energetic for carnivorous animals to digest
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the binder function from grain by isolating cellulose microfibrils from plant cell walls. This extraction removes the high-energy-density grain component while retaining the structural binding capability through purified cellulose microfibrils that form a gel network in the feed porridge.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces cellulose microfibrils as an intermediary substance that mediates between the liquid feed components and the desired solid feed structure. These microfibrils act as a bridging agent that binds feed components together through gel formation without contributing high energy density like grain would.
2Quantity of substance
If water content is increased to hydrate mothers, then water intake is improved, but feed liquefies and drops through the net
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the rheological parameters of the feed by incorporating cellulose microfibrils that form a gel network. This gel structure fundamentally alters how the feed responds to water addition, enabling high water content (up to 80%) while maintaining feed stiffness and preventing liquefaction that would cause the feed to drop through the net.
3Stability of the object's composition
If grain is used as a binder, then feed integrity is improved, but digestive efficiency decreases due to tough cellulose in carnivores
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the cellulose structure by isolating individual microfibrils from the complex plant cell wall matrix. This segmentation creates fine, digestible cellulose microfibrils that maintain feed integrity through gel formation while being much more digestible for carnivores compared to the tough cellulose in whole grain.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of fibrillated parenchymal cellulose provides a cost-effective, energy-efficient binder that maintains feed stiffness and water retention, improving feeding efficiency and reducing waste, while maintaining the natural nutritional profile for carnivorous animals.
Implementation Method 1
The fibrillated parenchymal cellulose is obtained from soybean hulls, pea hulls, corn hulls, bagasse, corn, vegetables, rice, sugar beet, potato pulp, fruits, or mixtures thereof... the water content of the feed composition is between 5% and 80% by weight of the feed composition
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
The present invention discloses a feed composition comprising fibrillated parenchymal cellulose, and a method for its production. The feed composition is particularly suitable for preparing wet or semi dry feeds.