AU617897B2 - Grain treatment - Google Patents

Description

i ~e i .i COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) 61ff ]a FOR OFFICE USE Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name of Applicant: 0 O 0 0 0 Address of Applicant:

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0o Actual Inventor(s): 0o 0 Address for Service: COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ORGANISATION AND INDUSTRIAL Limestone Avenue, Campbell, Australian Capital Territory, Commonwealth of Australia DUNCAN WILBUR PETER DOUGLAS BARRIE PURSER DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Complete specification for the invention entitled: "GRAIN TREATMENT" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 1 I 9 1 I

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This invention concerns means for improving the nutritional balance of grain, in particular lupin grain, for supply to stock as feed supplement.

In various parts of the world lupin grain is recognized as a useful feed supplement. In Western Australia, for example, it is nowadays extensively fed to sheep during the summer season. Lupin grain has, however, been shown to be nutritionally imbalanced with respect to sulphur, and where the practice is to supply the grain by broadcasting over entire paddocks, there has not hitherto ,0 been a cheap, practical way of overcoming the imbalance.

00 0 t aThe present invention offers a method of compensating for 044 15 nutritional deficiencies in grain feedstuffs which 0°0" essentially comprises providing the grain with a coating containing supplementary nutrients.

,0 2 CThe coating can also be used to compensate for 0 0 0 0 0 20 nutritional deficiencies in dietary components other than 0 00 oO 0 o0 the grain, or for other dietary imbalances. For example, 0 dry pasture may often provide less than the optimal o quality/balance of a range of minerals.

o S 25 Accordingly, in its broadest aspect this invention provides a grain-based supplement for stock comprising a 0 Q 00o feed grain having an artificially applied coating containing one or more agents selected to compensate for nutritional deficiencies of the grain and/or4 other feedstuff, to C tV e% gCon cAAVec, In one preferred aspect the invention provides a grain based supplement for stock comprising lupin grains having a coating comprising sulphur or a compound containing sulphur.

2 1 g 0

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Or 20,tgcspe.0OO2,TGC1532.SPE2

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i 3 The coating should contain sufficient sulphur to produce a nitrogen to sulphur ratio in the grain plus coating of no more than 12:1. Depending on the circumstances under which the coated grain is to be used and the quantities to be fed, this ratio may be adjusted accordingly. For example, when the coated grain is to be used as a feed supplement for stock consuming forages or other foods containing less than optimum levels of sulphur, additional sulphur will be needed in the coating.

0 0 Generally, the coating will contain about 0.2 g or more of sulphur, per 100 g of grain.

0 0 ooo Usually, the coating will comprise the active agent(s) 000 0o0 15 and a coating material, i.e. a substance or mixture of substances which form an adherent coating on the grains.

Methyl cellulose is one preferred coating material.

o° 0 In some instances, however, the coating material itself 20 may also be the active agent or one of the active agents in accordance with the invention. For example Plaster of o Paris (CaS0 4

H

2 0) can be used as both the coating material and a source of sulphur (and calcium).

oooo 25 Obviously the coating material may also include both "active" and "inactive" components. For example, a mixture of methyl cellulose and Plaster of Paris may be used to advantage.

The coating may also include other desired additives, such as growth promotants, antibiotics, protected amino acid supplements, and the like.

As indicated above, this invention has been found to be of particular value in improving the efficiency of utilization of lupin grain. Trials were conducted with lupin grain coated with a complete mineral mix using 891120,tgcspe.002,TCC1532.SPE,3 4 methyl cellulose as the coating substance and where the mineral mix either contained no sulphur or sulphur (as gypsum and sodium sulphate) at the level of 2.2 g sulphur per kg grain. The grain was fed at levels varying between 125 and 500 g per animal per day to weaner sheep offered low quality roughage ad lib.

It was observed that: There were no measurable substitution effects, 10 i.e. roughage intake was not affected, until lupin intake exceeded 250 g/day, and total dry matter intake (roughage and lupins) continued 0 X to increase up to a maximum lupin supplement of 500 g/day.

15 While feeding lupin without sulphur stimulated roughage intake by 5.10%, a further 5.8% increase was attained when sulphur was included.

There were improved liveweight gains "0 20 corresponding to the level of inclusion of sulphur in the supplements.

00600 0 0 Similar trials, using Plaster of Paris as a sulphur source and the coating material showed substantial 25 increases in wool production by 2 year old wethers.

The invention is further described and illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

Example 1 150 kg of lupin seed was placed in a horizontal mixer and coated with a hot slurry of methyl cellulose (1 kg/100 kg grain) containing essential trace minerals (Co, Se, I, Ni, As, Mo, Cu, V, Zn). Salts of the essential macrominerals, Na, K, P, Ca and Mg, with and without sulphur as a mix of gypsum and sodium sulphate (2.2 g S/kg grain) were immediately added and mixing continued for 891120, tgcspe.002,TGC1532.SPE,4

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15-20 minutes. The coated grain was dried in a current of air at Details of the trace element and macro-mineral compositions used (with and without sulphur) are as follows: Trace Elements

ELEMENT

9 ~i 0 o O 0 0t! 09 0 IO~ 0994 Se Co

I

15 Cu Mo Ni Cr

V

Zn Mn Fe

AMOUNT

(mg/100 g seed) 0.05 0.05 0.10 1.5 0.5 0.025 0.025 0.025 10.0 10.0 10.0 ADDED AS Na 2 SeO 3 CoCi 2 6H 2 0

KI

CuSO 4 5H 2 0 Na 2 MoO 4 2H 2 0 NiSO 4 7H 2 0

K

2 Cr 2 0 7

NH

4 V0 3 ZnSO 4 .7H 2

O

MnSO 4

.H

2 0 FeSO 4 .7H 2

O

AMOUNT

(mg/100 g seed) 0.109 0.202 0.131 5.906 1. 260 0.120 0.141 0.058 43.995 40.00 49.80 00 o00 09 0 a 0 0640 00000 00 9 macro minerals A. Without Sulphur ELEMENT AMOUNT (g/kg seed) 30 Na

K

p Ca Mg 1.10 5.09 2.02 4.05 1.08 ADDED AS NaCl

K

4

P

2 0 7 .3H 2 0 CaCO 3 MgCO 3 3MgCO 3 .Mg(OH) 2 3H 2 0

AMOUNT

(g/kg seed) 2.80 12.54 10.14 4.32 B. With Sulphur As above except: NaCl CaCO 3 omitted reduced to 2.15) Na 2

SO

4 added CaS0 4 .2H 2 0 added 5.80 g/kg 3.28 g/kg 7. 60 g/kg 891120. tgcspe.002,TGC1532.SPE,5 I 6 Trials were conducted on 8 groups of 6 sheep per group.

The sheep were 20 months old weaner wethers.

All sheep allowed to feed ad lib. for 14 days on roughage (a 50:50 hammer-milled mixture of wheat straw and oat hay) to which essential minerals (except sulphur) had been added to meet the animals' normal requirements.

On day 15 the feeding regimes of the groups were changed 10 as follows (all sheep still received roughage ad lib.).

o e0 o o 0 o 0 000 00 0 o o o 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0o 0 0400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 Group 1.

Group 2.

Group 3.

Group 4.

Group 5.

20 Group 6.

Group 7.

Group 8.

Roughage only.* Roughage only but sulphur and extra nitrogen supplied* to match levels of sulphur and nitrogen supported with 125 g of coated lupins with S in coating.

125 g lupin seed no sulphur in coating.

125 g lupin seed plus sulphur in coating.

250 g lupin seed no sulphur in coating.

250 g lupin seed plus sulphur in coating.

500 g lupin seed no sulphur in coating.

500 g lupin seed plus sulphur in coating.

*Extra sulphur and nitrogen supplied on 50 g of coated oats to group 2. Group 1 received 50 g of uncoated oats.

Feeding under these regimes was continued for a further 4 weeks.

The results obtained in the trials are summarized in the following tables.

891120,tgcspe. 002,TGC1532.SPE, 6 i 7 Total Roughage Intake (Roughage~ and Lupin) (Weekly Means g/d) Test Group Weeks 1 2 (Mean) week 6 Week 6 values as of weeks 1 2 mean 1 2 3 4 6 15 7 8 784 782 782 789 810 776 778 782 805 924 962 1028 1034 1012 1090# 1148 102.7 118.2 123.0 130.5 130.6 130.4 140.9 146.8 0 0 a 0 00 O 00 0 0 a 0000 0 000 00* 0 04Q l 00 00 0 0 0 00 0 0.000.

000 00 0 0000 000 0 00 0 0 #5 sheep only as 1 refused to eat lupin zieed.

These figures show progressive increase in total dry matter intake (DM1). Except with 250 g lupin total DM1 Increased with additional sulphur.

Roughage (only) Intake as percentage of means of weeks 1 and 2 Week Test 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 87.1 106.5 98.0 103.3 92.1 93.2 65.8 59.1 4 94.9 108.9 107.5 113.1 103.2 99.9 74.0 74.3 5 100.0 110.4 111.5 105.1 106.0 105.2 83.0 83.8 Increase oveX, preceding group 96.9 109.9 105.7 116.0 103.7 101.3 85.9 89.4 9-12% 5-8% -4-1% -6-4% 891120. tgcSPe.002,TGC1532.SPE,7 8 These figures show there was no depression of roughage intake until lupin feed was greater than 250 g/day.

Lupin and sulphur stimulate roughage intake.

Mean liveweight gain from week 3 to week 6 inclusive (during lupin feeding period) Test Group 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 Gain (kg)* 0.25 0.45 0.9 1.03 1.05 1.38 1.23 1.68 (r #1(1e These figures show the positive benefits of including sulphur with lupin seed on liveweight gain.

*(Values are means of 6 sheep/treatment, except for group 7 which is the mean of 5 sheep) 0000 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o 0 0 0 0o 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 00O 0) .0 891120,tgcpe.002,TGC1532.SPE.,8 9 Example 2 300 kg of lupin seed was placed in a horizontal mixer. 3 litres of water containing trace elements at the concentrations specified in Example 1 was then added and mixed in, followed by the macro mineral compounds specified below (including Plaster of Paris) to provide the following composition.

COMPOUND ELEMENT/COMPOUND Sf 10 ADDITION (g/kg Q seed) S CaS0 4

H

2 0 7.16 S 32.43 S" 15 Ca 8.94 Ca Na NaCI 3.19 Na 8.11 K K 4

P

2 0 7 .3H 2 0 5.49 K 13.51 P) 2.17 P K K 2 S0 4 1.21 K 2.70 S 0.49 S (Total S 7.65) 00 (Total K 6.70) O 0 STotal Minerals 56.75 0 00 0 0 0 0 No air drying was required; the Plaster of Paris coating o° on the seed set within 15 minutes.

0 0 0 Field trials were conducted using 2 year old wethers fed 0 0 30 150 g/day (equivalent) of uncoated or coated lupin seed 00 0 o from March to May, 1989 (11 weeks) during a period of low pasture quality and availability on dry sub-clover based pasture.

Coated lupin seed was spun onto pasture once a week or trail fed 3 times a week. Uncoated lupin seed was also spun onto pasture once a week.

Sheep were fed/grazed in plots (1ha) with 10 sheep/ha and 2 plots/treatment. (4 treatments) ie. 20 sheep/treatment.

Control animals did not receive any lupin seed.

891120,tgcspe.002,TGC1532.SPE,9 10 The sheep were shorn and were calculated for each follows.

Group Lupin Seed Fed* 1. Nil/Control 2. Trail/Coated 3. Spun/Uncoated 4. Spun/Coated the annual greasy wool weights group. The results are as Plot Averages Overall Averages a. 4.91 b. 4.67 a. 5.39 b. 5.66 a. 5.03 b. 5.09 a. 5.28 b. 5.71 4.78 5.52 5.06 5.49 4 0 I 0 0 4 40 o so O 0 o 0 00 0 0 0 0 a 0 0 04O Method of feeding/Type of lupin seed.

Although the invention has been particularly exemplified by reference to lupin grains and sulphur, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the principle and general teaching of the invention will be applicable to other sulphur-deficient grains, or combinations of grains and nutritional agents. For example, the provision of calcium together with a trace element combination would be appropriate for cereal grains. It will be further apparent that there will be many suitable alternatives to methyl cellulose and/or Plaster of Paris for ensuring satisfactory adhesion between grain and agent, and that the selection of grain/agent proportions appropriate for a desired result should follow from due consideration of properties of thcomponents and the requirements of the stock to be supplied.

891120.tgcspe.002.TGC1532.SPE,10

Claims (8)

1. A grain-based supplement for stock comprising a feed grain having an artificially applied coating containing one or more agents selected to compensate for nutritional deficiencies of the grain and/or Qan other feedstuff tzo Mc t\he gr\n \ss Ae

2. A grain based supplement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the grain is lupin grain and the coating comprises sulphur or a compound containing sulphur.

3. A supplement as claimed in Claim 2, which contains sufficient sulphur to produce a nitrogen to sulphur ratio in the grain plus coating of no more than 12:1.

4. A supplement as claimed in Claim 2, which contains at least 0.2 g of sulphur per 100 g of grain. A supplement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the coating includes trace elements and/or macro-minerals. 00 0 00 0000 0 n' 0 0 00 3 0 0r 00 25 6. o0 a 00Q A supplement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the coating also includes other desired additives.

7. A supplement as claimed in any one of claims, wherein the coating comprises material and the said agent(s).

8. A supplement as claimed in any one of claims, wherein the coating comprises calcium sulphate which acts as both a material and a source of sulphur. TD .91120,tgcspe.002,TGC1532.SPE,11 the preceding a coating the preceding hydrated coating 12

9. A method of compensating for nutritional deficiencies in grain feedstuffs, which comprises providing the grain with a coating containing supplementary nutrients. A method for improving or modifying the growth of animals, which comprises feeding the animals with a supplement as claimed in any one of the Claims 1 to o

11. A grain-based feed supplement substantially as o hereinbefore described with reference to the Examples. 0 1 _T j ps fg :1 t- 00-0 referred to or indicated in the s a ion and/or claims of this applic' individually or collectiv any and all combinations of any S Dated this 20th day of "ovember, 1989 oo.. D DAVIES COLLISON Patent Attorneys for 25 COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH C 0 ORGANISATION 891120,tgcspe.002,TGC1532.SPE,12