FR2844152A1 - Poultry feed in block form is made from cereals with added minerals and oyster shell particles, mixed with a liquid binding agent and molded - Google Patents

Abstract

The block feed consists of cereals such as wheat, barley, oats and maize, mixed with powdered or granulated minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or sodium, particles of oyster shells and a liquid binding agent. The mixture is poured into a bowl or pail to make a molded block once it has set.

Description

The present invention relates to poultry feeding, and more

  particularly the feeding of poultry reared in groups or flocks of a large number of individuals. The main poultry, laying hens, chickens and turkeys, are granivores. Their diet usually contains a high proportion of cereals. This food is distributed to them under

  form of granules or whole grains.

  Poultry are often reared in groups of one

  large number of individuals. The natural aggressiveness of these birds, exacerbated by this group behavior, means that aggressions between animals are frequent. They result in plucking of feathers, and pecking to the blood, which can go as far as cannibalism.

  This results in an increase in poultry mortality, as well as in the proportion of downgraded products: eggs with blood spots (following

  oviduct pecking), skin scratches etc ...

  These elements are sources of significant economic losses for the farmer, since the mortality rate

  d picking can go up to 10% on a strip.

  In order to avoid these drawbacks, it is customary in laying hen farms to practice the removal of part of the beak of animals (debeaking) and / or to provide them with opaque "glasses" reducing the possibilities of seeing animals together

and therefore aggression.

  However, due to the awareness of the need to protect farm animals, and to take their welfare into account in farming practices, these

uses are now disputed.

  In particular a European Directive (of July 20, 1998) regulates the protection of animals in the 5 farms and another (of July 19, 1999) establishes the minimum standards relating to the protection of laying hens. If the ablation of part of the beak is not totally prohibited, this regulatory set 10 however goes in the direction of prohibiting any

mutilation of animals.

  These provisions are already introduced into the procedures of many farms anxious to move in the direction of this awareness, but the need 15 appears however to be able to set up, in these farms, substitution practices, so as to

  avoid the return of the disadvantages described above.

  The object of the present invention is therefore to reduce the frequency of attacks between animals in group poultry farming, without having to mutilate these animals or deteriorate their

living conditions.

  For this, the applicant had the idea of channeling the naturally aggressive behavior of poultry towards the pecking of a block-shaped feed element, the pecking activity being a natural activity of the

free range poultry.

  The invention therefore proposes to make available to poultry reared in groups a food unit 30 consisting of: - cereals (whole and / or in particles), thus meeting the normal food requirements of these animals, and - a loaded binder to ensure the cohesion of cereals between them. It is thus understood that the poultry, the breeding of which in free bands tends to develop aggressiveness between them, will be caused to bite the food block, of which they are fond of the constituents, rather than to bite themselves between them thereby reducing the disadvantages of

group farming.

  The food block binder according to the invention must

  be of a composition which makes it possible to obtain a cohesion of the cereal particles which is neither too weak nor too strong.

  In fact, too weak cohesion would lead to excessive consumption by animals and would make the cost of using the food block prohibitive for poultry farms. On the other hand, too strong cohesion would discourage poultry from biting the block,

  which would then limit his interest.

  Advantageously, the binder is formed from mineral material also necessary for animals. It contains in particular calcium, used to promote bone growth and the constitution of the eggshell

  and possibly magnesium, sodium and phosphorus.

  The binder can, moreover, possibly contain

  other food or dietetic substances.

  Advantageously, the block can also contain, agglomerated to the cereals by the binder, particles of

oyster shells.

  According to the method of manufacturing the food block 5 according to the invention, the cereals (and possibly the particles of oyster shells) and the mineral materials are mixed in a manufacturing container, after which a liquid is incorporated into this mixture to obtain a paste which is poured into a mold. The pasty mixture thus poured can naturally take mass in

  the mold, until a demouldable block is obtained.

  The block thus obtained is carried in its mold to the place of use, where it is then easily removed from the mold. The pasty mixture can also solidify by

  applying pressure and be removed from the mold immediately.

  To make the invention clear, we will describe

  below, by way of example without limitation, an example of manufacturing food blocks 20 for poultry.

  In a manufacturing tank, a mixture of cereals, particles of oyster shells and a binder is produced. Cereals and oyster shell particles, which together make up about 55% of the mixture, 25% comprise 75% cereals, i.e. wheat, barley, mas and oats , and for the remaining 25% of

oyster shells.

  The binder, which constitutes 45% of the mixture, comprises in a proportion of 75% of the mineral matters in powders or in semoulettes, that is to say phosphate, magnesia and calcium carbonate, and water for the remaining 25%. In practice, we first pour into the

  manufacture dry raw materials, that is to say, 5 cereals and oyster shells, and mineral materials.

  These materials are mixed, before incorporating the water which

  then allows obtaining a paste.

  The pasty mixture thus obtained is then poured into basins (or buckets) forming molds, and the mass is allowed to set naturally (without the need for the addition of pressure), the hardening of the binder occurring within the hours which follow. the casting operation. The food blocks thus obtained, in their 15 molds, stored in a dry and temperate place, can be kept 12 months after their date of manufacture. The

  storage is easily carried out on pallets.

  For its use, the molded block (weighing 10 kg) in its basin is brought to the breeding site, this transport being easy due to the low weight and the presence of the handles of the basin. The block is then removed from the mold by reversing the basin, preferably on a support of low height relative to the ground (such as for example a concrete block). Demoulding is easily carried out due to the constitution of the binder which makes it possible to stick

  the cereals together, without sticking to the bowl.

  The block thus demolded, consisting of particles agglomerated by the binder, has an adapted cohesion, that is to say neither too weak not to cause excessive consumption by the animals, nor too strong to

  do not discourage them from stinging the block.

  It will be understood that the above description has been

  given by way of example, without limitation, and that additions or constructive modifications could be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

  1. Cereal-based poultry food, characterized in that it is in the form of a block consisting of cereals and a binder ensuring the cohesion of the cereals between them. 2. Poultry feed according to claim 1,   characterized in that said binder comprises minerals.   3. Poultry feed according to claim 2,   characterized in that the minerals provide calcium 10 and / or phosphorus, and / or magnesium and / or sodium.   4. Poultry feed according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, in addition to the cereals and the binder, it contains particles of oyster shells.   5. Poultry feed according to any one of   Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cereals comprise wheat and / or barley and / or oats and / or from the mas.   6. Method for manufacturing a feed for 20 poultry in the form of a block according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that it   consists in: - pouring into a manufacturing container cereals as well as mineral matter in the form of powders or semolettes, - mixing the matters thus poured, - incorporating a liquid into said mixture to obtain a paste , and   to pour said dough into a mold.   7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in   this is left to naturally take in mass the pasty mixture thus poured, until a demouldable block is obtained.   8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in 5 that a pressure is applied to the mixture thus poured, in order to obtain its solidification, and to release the mold immediately block obtained.   9. Method according to any one of the claims   6 to 8 characterized in that poured into the manufacturing container, in addition to cereals and materials   mineral, particles of oyster shells.   10. Method according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that said mold is a basin or bucket.