Hard solid animal feed supplement

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said sugar solution is molasses of a concentration from 60 to 85 Brix.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said magnesium oxide is finely subdivided with at least 90 weight percent thereof passing a 100 mesh screen.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said magnesium oxide all passes a 225 mesh screen.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein said magnesium oxide is added at a concentration of from 4 to about 10 weight percent.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein discrete pulped cellulose fibers having lengths from about 1/16 to about 1 inch, are added to said sugar solution prior to its gelation in sufficient quantities to reinforce said solid products and inhibit the formation of cracks therein.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein said cellulose fibers are wood pulp.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein said wood pulp is unbleached kraft process pulp.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 which includes adding from 2 to about 30 weight percent fat to said solution before it solidifies.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein calcium hydroxide is added to said solution.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 wherein calcium oxide is added to said solution.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 wherein phosphoric acid is added to said solution after the addition of said calcium reactant.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 wherein calcium oxide is added to the solution and permitted to hydrate and phosphoric acid is thereafter added when the pH value of the solution has risen by 4 to 5 units.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 including the addition of a nitrogen source to said solution before its solidification to provide from 1 to about 40 weight percent equivalent protein in said supplement.

Claim 16

A solid animal feed supplement consisting essentially of molasses, and solidifying ingredients sequentially added thereto as a soluble calcium reactant selected from the class consisting of calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide, in an amount from 1.0 to about 5.0 weight percent, expressed as the oxide and a soluble phosphate or phosphoric acid in an amount from 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent expressed as P 0, with a proportion of equivalent weights of phosphate to metal from 1.0 to about 4.0, sufficient to react with said calcium reactant and solidify said supplement into solid block form and magnesium oxide added subsequent to commencement of said reaction between said calcium reactant and phosphate or phosphoric acid and prior to solidification of said molasses, in an amount from 2 to about 15 weight percent, sufficient to increase the hardness of said solid product to inhibit its consumption.

Claim 17

A solid animal feed supplement consisting essentially of molasses, and solidifying ingredients sequentially added thereto as a soluble calcium reactant selected from the class consisting of calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide, in an amount from 1.0 to about 5.0 weight percent, expressed as the oxide and a soluble phosphate or phosphoric acid in an amount from 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent expressed as P 0, with a proportion of equivalent weights of phosphate to metal from 1.0 to about 4.0, sufficient to react with said calcium reactant and solidify said supplement into solid block form and magnesium oxide added subsequent to commencement of said reaction between said calcium reactant and phosphate or phosphoric acid and prior to solidification of said molasses, in an amount from 2 to about 15 weight percent, sufficient to increase the hardness of said solid product to inhibit its consumption.

Claim 18

The supplement of claim 15 wherein said molasses has a concentration from 60 to 85 Brix.

Claim 19

The supplement of claim 15 wherein said magnesium oxide is added at a concentration from 4 to about 10 weight percent.

Claim 20

The supplement of claim 15 also including discrete pulped cellulose fibers of lengths from 1/16 to about 1 inch present in an amount from 0.1 to about 2.5 weight percent, sufficient to inhibit the formation of cracks in said solid feed supplement.

Claim 21

The supplement of claim 15 including from 2 to about 30 weight percent of a feed grade fat.

Claim 22

The supplement of claim 19 including from 0.05 to about 1 weight percent of a fat emulsifying agent.

Claim 23

The supplement of claim 15 including from 5 to about 40 weight percent equivalent protein derived from an added nonprotein source selected from the class consisting of urea, biuret and ammonium phosphate.