FR2584270A1 - Floating or non-floating feedstuff for animals, in particular for fish, making it possible to obtain floating excrement - Google Patents

Abstract

Feedstuff for animals, in particular for fish, making it possible to obtain excrement floating on the water. The invention relates to the addition of a component (harmless to the organism of the animals and in particular that of fish), to feedstuffs normally used for feeding animals and in particular fish. This first component has a density less than that of water. To be mentioned are products containing silicates, silicones or silica and products derived from silicon such as perlite or synthetic products and materials, such as polyurethane foam. This feedstuff, which results from two components, one a nutrient, the other with the purpose of making the excrement float, is intended to feed animals living in aquatic media.

Description

DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to animal feed, in particular for fish, making it possible to obtain floating excrement on the surface of the water.

Food composition
- First component: all the usual food for animals and in particular for fish.

 - Second component: product to be added to the first component which is in no way harmful to the organism of animals and more particularly that of fish. These are products which contain silicates, silicones or silica and by-products derived from silicon, such as, for example, perlite, or products and synthetic materials, such as polyurethane foam.

 The main characteristic of these components is that their density (specific weight) must be lower than that of water.

This characteristic ensures the buoyancy of the excrement and.

possibly that of food on the surface of the water.

 The amount of the second component should be between 2 and 45 percent of the first component, by weight.

On the other hand, this quantity varies according to two factors
1) The proportion of lipids contained in food (first component)
2) The water content desired in the finished product (floating or non-floating food); the latter being the most important.

 These foods have the property of allowing excrement to rise and remain on the surface, which makes it possible to prevent or delay the deterioration of the quality of water in the event of breeding, exploitation in stagnant water; the risk of yield reduction is therefore reduced. In the case of running water, these excrements, pollution which is not harmful to the environment, will be carried by the currents. They can also be used in aquariums.

This process also makes it easier to monitor food consumption.

 In addition, these excrements can be recovered as a natural fertilizer useful in agriculture and more particularly for greenhouse cultivation.

Example of manufacturing processes
Put the following components in a blender in a dry state
- floury foods (first component)
- perlite (second component),
The latter, depending on the desired buoyancy.

The "food-perlite" mixture thus obtained, after adding water, is treated in a kneader, in order to obtain a paste;
Then this dough is pressed through the die of an extruder; and after granulation, the resulting granules are introduced into a drying system.

Recommendations
This manufacturing process requires the use of low pressures (below 200 bars), because at high pressures, the second component would cause the density of the granules to increase.

 In addition, drying is necessary for two reasons, on the one hand it ensures better conservation, on the other hand it decreases the density of the product.

 Proper drying reduces the percentage of the second component.

 If the aim is to make the excrement buoyant, the percentage of the second component can be relatively low. But if you also want the food to float, the percentage of the second component must be higher.

Claims (6)

 1) Food for animals and particularly for fish characterized by the fact that it is the result of two main components: a food and another component which aims to float the excrement on the surface of the water.  2) Food according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-nutritive component, allowing the excrement to float, as well as possibly the food, has a density lower than that of water.  3) Food according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the non-nutritive component is not harmful to the organism of the animals to which these foods are intended and in particular to the organism of fish.  4) Food according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the component allowing the buoyancy, is chosen, among others from perlite and polyurethane foam.  5) Food according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the composar: t which ensures the buoyancy of the excrement represents 2 to 45 percent of the weight of the nutritive component.  6) Application of food according to any one of the preceding claims in fresh, salt, stagnant water and in aquariums.