GB2338167A

GB2338167A - Control of spores in hay or straw

Info

Publication number: GB2338167A
Application number: GB9812346A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Susan Meech; Michael Davis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-06-09
Filing date: 1998-06-09
Publication date: 1999-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-09
Also published as: GB9812346D0; GB2338167B

Abstract

A method for control of spores related to hay or straw based feed material for an animal such as a horse or pony comprises the steps of: placing the straw or hay based material in an enclosure; treating the straw or hay based material while in the enclosure to steam or hot water to cause the straw or hay subjected to intimate contact with steam or hot water for a predetermined period; and enabling the treated material to be accessed by a horse or pony. An apparatus for the control of control of spores related to straw or hay based material comprises: an enclosure 11 adapted to receive and support straw or hay based material; a supply pipe 16 located in the enclosure; the supply pipe being equipped with apertures A1 to A4 along its length; and steam generating means coupled to the supply pipe to enable a supply of steam or hot water to be injected through the apertures and so into straw or hay based material located in the enclosure.

Description

A CONTROL OF SPORES IN HAY OR STRAW 2338167 This invention relates to the

control of spores in hay or straw. It is particularly concerned with the control of spores known to cause adverse affects on breathing of horses and ponies. It is known that when a horse or pony is stabled it can develop a harsh, dry cough. This is symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ('COPD'). It often becomes apparent at the start of exercising but the coughing frequently disappears as the animal warms up. Signs of COP1) do not occur with a horse at grass but if a horse sensitised to mould spores is stabled it frequently then develops the characteristic dry cough. The spores are identified to be associated with hay or straw. Even good quality hay and straw can produce dangerous levels of spores if ventilation is inadequate.

According to first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for control of spores related to hay or straw based material comprising the steps of:

1 placing the straw or hay based material in an enclosure; treating the straw or hay based material wl-die in the enclosure to steam or hot water to cause the straw or hay subjected to intimate contact with steam or hot water for a predetern-dned period; and 3 enabling the treated material to be accessed by a horse or pony.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for the control of control of spores related to straw or hay based material comprising: an enclosure adapted to receive and support in a region thereof straw or hay based material while allowing access to the material from most if not all directions; a supply pipe or pipes located generally beneath or in the region, the or each supply pipe being equipped with apertures along its length at least in the vicinity of the region; and steam generating means coupled to the or each supply pipe to enable a supply of steam or hot water to be injected into the region, and so into straw or hay based material located therein, by way of the apertures.

It has been found that the invention enables hay or straw based material, and in particular hay for feed to have spores initially associated with it to be reduced to a minimum. In particular it provides a means to avoiding the exposure to high levels of 2- mould spores of young horses and so to the possibility of sensitising them. In the event)m animal does become affected by COP1) then it can be treated by drugs. However it is preferably prevented by avoiding high spore levels in stables.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing of wl-dch the sole figure is a perspective part sectioned view of a steaming installation for the treatment of feed hay feed for horses.

The drawing shows an installation 10 including a container 11, in this case a polypropylene tank, with a hinged lid 12. In the lower part of the container 11 there are provided support members 13,14 located so as to provide support for a bale of hay above base 15 of the container 11 so as to leave a volume V. A supply pipe 16 is located in the volume V and incorporates a series of apertures, typically AI to A4, lying at an angle of 45 'to the vertical. The supply pipe 16 terminates on the outside of container 11 in a tank connector 17 to which is demountably attached to end 18 of a steam hose 19 whose other end 20 is demountably attached to steam outlet 21 of steamer 22 of a portable steam generator unit 23. The unit 23 includes a steel frame 24 to which the steamer 22 is secured. In this case the steamer 22 contains an electrical heating element fed power by way of a control box 25 including a switch 26. The steamer 92 is filled by way of a cap 27 which includes a pressure relief valve.

To make use of the installation 10 the lid 12 is opened and a hay bale is placed in the container to seat on the support members 13, 14. The bale can if desired be prised apart to a greater or lesser extent to provide readier subjection of the bulk of the bale to steam from steam generator 23.

When the hay in the bale is to fed to a horse water is added to the steamer 99 and the heater is switched on by way of control box 25. Generated steam is thereby enabled to pass from the steamer 22 to the supply pipe 16 from which steam is emitted from the apertures A to rise and pass into the body of the hay bale so causing soaking of the hay with water for a period of twenty minutes resulting in the reduction of spores to a minimum. The supply of steam from steamer 22 to the supply pipe 16 is then terminated.

3 The container 11 is then opened to enable the soaked bale, or a part of it, to be removed Jor feeding to a horse or pony.

0 The exemplary embodiment refers to the treatment of hay for subsequent use for feeding. While the invention can be used for straw for bedding it is not envisaged that this will normally be required except when the need to control spores in a given environment is paramount.

It will be apparent that the equipment of the exemplary embodiment and its means of operation can. be readily adapted to enable advantage to be taken of the invention in a variety of circumstances. Thus containers of different sizes can be used to accommodate the amount of straw or hay normally to be used. More than one supply pipe can be used to provide for an extended region of steam supply. Varying degrees of automatic 15 control can be applied to the steam generating installation.

It

Claims

CLAIMS A method for control of spores related to hay or straw based material feed material for an animal such as a horse or pony comprising the steps of:

1 placing the straw or hay based material in an enclosure; 2 treating the straw or hay based material while in the enclosure to steam or hot water to cause the straw or hay subjected to intimate contact with steam or hot water for a predetermined period; and 3 enabling the treated material to be accessed by a horse or pony.

2 A method of for control of spores as claimed in Claim 1 where the treated material is to be used as a foodstuff for an animal.

3 Apparatus for the control of control of spores related to straw or hay based material comprising:

2 an enclosure adapted to receive and support in a region thereof straw or hay based material while allowing access to the material within the enclosure from at least one direction towards the region; a supply pipe or pipes located generally in the enclosure; the or each supply pipe being equipped with apertures along its length at least in the vicinity of the region; and 3 steam generating means coupled to the or each supply pipe to enable a supply of steam or hot water to be injected through the apertures into the region, and so into straw or hay based material located therein.

A method for control of spores as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Apparatus for the control of spores as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.