GB2321583A

GB2321583A - Animal feed supplement with herbs

Info

Publication number: GB2321583A
Application number: GB9801567A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Phelim Greene; Terence Jennings
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-01-31
Filing date: 1998-01-26
Publication date: 1998-08-05
Also published as: IES75678B2; IES970063A2; GB9801567D0

Abstract

A feed supplement composition for animals, particularly horses, is prepared from molasses, calcium oxide and a herb or herb mixture. The herb may be one or more of camomile, comfrey, dandelion, yarrow, lavender, mint, garlic, clover, nettle, seaweed, oregano, basil, thyme, fenugreek, fennel seed and liquorice powder. The herb(s) constitute 25% to 35% by weight of the composition, and may be used in dried form. Salt, limestone flour and calcified seaweed may also be added. Specific examples of compositions are given. The composition sets to a solid, water resistant block.

Description

ANIMAL FEED SUPPLEMENT COMPOSITION The present invention relates to a feed supplement for animals, in particular equines.

It is common practice for equines to be provided with a feed supplement constituting a herb or a mixture of herbs. The supplement is normallv administered in dry form by offering a certain weight of dried herbs to each animal on a daily basis. Alternatively the herbs may be scattered over the normal feed. If the herbs are unpalatable, the animal may consume only a portion of them or may reject them totally. Furthermore. a substantial amount of time is required for the herbs to be weighed, prepared and offered to the individual beasts.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the above disadvantages.

The applicant has now surprisingly found that herbs can be incorporated into an animal feed supplement block which is substantially solid and which is acceptable to animals for consumption on a free choice basis.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a substantially solid animal feed supplement composition prepared from a mixture of a herb or herbs, molasses and calcium oxide.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only.

Herbs which may be incorporated into the supplement include. but are not limited to.

camomile, comfrev, dandelion, yarrow, lavender, mint, garlic, clover, nettle, seaweed, oregano, basil. thyme, fenugreek fennel seed and liquorice powder.

The herb or herbs may comprise 25% to 35% by weight of the solidified feed supplement. Usually, but not exclusively, the herbs are harvested fresh and dried before use. The herbs are then mixed with molasses and calcium oxide and the chemical reaction which occurs between the molasses and the calcium oxide serves to solidify the composition so that the herbs are mixed through and embedded in the resulting substantially solid feed supplement composition Typically, the mixture is poured into a suitable receptacle such as a tub or a bucket before it has set completely. The product therefore comprises a relatively sweet composition which has a taste which is acceptable to animals and therefore the product may simply be offered to the animals who will consume it on a self-serve, free choice basis. The product may be offered to the animals while housed and especially at those times of the year when fresh herbs are not readily available.

Equally the product has been found to have good water-resistance and stability properties when exposed to the outside environment and it is therefore very suitable for self-choice feeding to animals out of doors. In field trials. equines including mares, colts and yearlings. both in stables and in paddocks, have been found to free-choice feed from the feed supplement composition.

The preparation of substantially solid animal feed supplement compositions using molasses and calcium oxide is described in Irish Patent Specification No. 52298.

Herbal feed compositions according to the invention may be prepared for the feeding of animals other than equines including but not limited to bosines, ovines, porcines and domestic pets. The nature and quantity of the herbs in the composition may be tailored to meet the nutritional needs of the animals and may be adjusted to compensate for local.

geographical deficiencies in the herbs present in pastures or localised mineral deficiencies.

Examples of some typical herbal formulations for incorporation into the feed supplement composition are listed below.

FORMULATION A FORNIIJLATION B FORMULATION C % % % Mint 40 Mint 40 Mint 30 Oregano 15 Oregano 10 Oregano 20 Basil 15 Basil 10 Basil 10 Seaweed 15 Seaweed 10 Seaweed 10 Thyme 10 Thyme 10 Garlic 10 Garlic 5 Garlic 20 Fenugreek 10 Nettles 10 FORMULATION D FORMULATION E FORMULATION F % % % Mint 30 Mint 40 Mint 25 Oregano 10 Oregano 20 Oregano 10 Thyme 10 Basil 20 Basil 10 Garlic 20 Seaweed 10 Seaweed 15 Fennel Seeds 20 Garlic 10 Thyme 10 Liquorice Garlic 10 Powder 10 Fenugreek 10 Nettles 10 FORMULATION G Mint 20 Oregano 10 Basil 10 Seaweed 10 Thyme 10 Garlic 10 Fennel 10 Liquorice Powder 10 Nettles 10 Liquorice Powder comprises the powdered roots of the liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza glabra G.lepida) The following example illustrates the preparation of an animal feed composition according to the invention.

Example of Herb Block Mix per 1000 kgs: *Herbal mixture 250 kgs Calcified Seaweed 100 kgs Calcium Oxide 42 kgs Salt 130 kgs Limestone Flour 98 kgs Cane Molasses 380 kgs 1000 kgs * Mixture as per Formulation C above.

Method of manufacture: A herbal mixture is mixed with salt, limestone flour, calcified seaweed, and calcium oxide. The resulting dry mix is then mixed with molasses by a continuous process (as described in Irish Patent Specification No. 52298), poured into tubs and allowed to set. This product is now ready to use.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A substantially solid animal feed supplement composition prepared from molasses calcium oxide and optional other ingredients, the composition having a herb or herb mixture incorporated in it.

2. A composition according to claim 1 in which the herb or herb mixture comprises dried herbs.

3. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the herb or herb mixture comprises 25% to 35% of the weight of the composition.

4. A composition according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the herb or herb mixture includes one or more of camomile, comfrey, dandelion, yarrow, lavender, mint, garlic, clover, nettle, seaweed, oregano, basil, thyme, fenugreek, fennel seed and liquorice powder.

5. A composition according to any preceding claim in which the relative proportions of molasses and calcium oxide used in preparing the composition are selected so that the composition is palatable to animals on free choice feeding.

6. A composition according to any preceding claim, further including one or more of salt, limestone flour and calcified seaweed.

7. A substantially solid animal feed supplement composition according to claim 1, and substantially as herein described.

8. A substantially solid animal feed supplement composition according to the Example, or according to the Example modified by substituting any of Formulations A, B and D to G for Formulation C.