Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Biocides; animal or insect repellents or attractants
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-15
2002-08-20
Levy, Neil S. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Biocides; animal or insect repellents or attractants
C424S413000, C424S421000, C424S406000, C514S679000, C514S680000, C514S681000, C514S682000, C514S688000, C514S918000, C514S920000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06436423
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to the improvement of avian health. More particularly, the invention relates to a product comprising the combination of a bird repellent and a substrate, and more specifically litter, which, when applied within an avian house keeps avians from pecking the substrate, resulting in the production of healthier birds.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Poultry raised commercially by intensive farming methods uses high-density growth conditions that can mitigate disease through the vector of the poultry house and, more particularly, the litter. The poultry house floor is basically a substrate for the poultry to stand on and provides a natural target for pecking. In addition, birds peck the litter as they would naturally peck the ground in search of food and grit for their gizzard. Grit is used in a bird's gizzard as a means to grind food. As birds ingest products deposited throughout the poultry house, and particularly in the litter, certain pathogenic organisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites are introduced into the bird's system. As an example, the common disease coccidiosis is transmitted from bird to bird through feces that is mingled with litter and then ingested by the birds. It is also known in the industry that ingestion of litter by commercially raised poultry is a common source of several other diseases caused by pathogens such as Salmonella, Clostridia and other endoparasites, viruses and bacteria.
Presently, treatment for such diseases includes the addition of anticoccidials and any other medications to feed and/or water for the treatment and/or prevention of such specific pathogen based diseases. Other common medications for such diseases include antibiotics such as, for example, ionophores, which include Salinomycin and Monensin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a product and method for the multifunctional treatment of substrates within avian houses that improves avian performance. More specifically, the invention comprises the use of a bird repellent applied to any of a variety of substrates, and most preferably litter, located within avian houses. Such bird repellent-coated avian house substrates are effective in the following aspects:
One aspect of the invention is the reduction and prevention of litter and other substrate ingestion by avians in an avian house such that the disease exposure in those avians is significantly lowered.
Another aspect of the invention is that due to a reduction in litter and other substrate ingestion, the avians in the avian house have overall improved health.
An additional aspect of the invention is that due to the reduction in litter and other substrate ingestion, there is a resulting improvement in weight adjusted feed efficiency of avians.
The final aspect of the invention is that in the specific case of litter coated with a polycychic quinone compound, there is a resulting inhibition of sulfide generation by the litter, which, as a result, improves the odor conditions and lowers sulfide odors which may occur in a poultry house.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Definitions
The term “litter” means any material or covering used to provide a bed (syn. bedding material, bedding) for animals. (some examples of litter include wood shavings, rice hulls, and straw among others).
The term “avian” means any warm-blooded egg laying, feathered vertebrate provided with wings (syn. Bird).
The term “poultry” means any domestic fowl reared for the table, or their eggs or feathers including broilers, fryers, cocks and hens, capons, turkeys, ducks, geese and any others.
The term “avian house” means any building used to house or shelter poultry for any reason (syn. hen house, chicken coop, coop, hen coop, grow out barn, breeder house).
The term “weight adjusted feed efficiency” is based upon a feed efficiency corrected to a standard weight called the “weight adjusted feed efficiency” (WAFE). Feed efficiency can be adjusted to a standard weight of 2.00 kg. For every 31.78 grams difference in weight, the feed efficiency can be adjusted by 0.01. For example:
a) If the actual weight is higher than the standard weight then the feed efficiency is adjusted downward. If the actual weight is lower than the standard weight then the feed efficiency is adjusted upward. For example:
b) Assume a treatment group has an average weight of 2.032kg with a 2.0 feed efficiency.
c) Based upon an efficiency factor of 31.78 grams of weight equaling 0.01kg of feed efficiency then the WAFE would equal 1.99 for a standard with of 200kg.
The term “improved avian health” means any improvement in mortality (livability), and/or morbidity and/or condemnations.
The term “condemnation” means avian whole bodies, body parts or avian products (further processed meat, eggs etceteras) found unacceptable for human consumption by the governing meat and poultry inspection service.
The term “improved avian performance” means any improvement in an economic parameter used to determine improved revenues from the sale or barter of avian products for retail sale. For example, live body weight, carcass weight, salable meat yield, salable eggs, feed efficiency, average daily gain, eggs per hen housed, viable chicks, chicks per hen housed etceteras.
The term “bird repellent” means a compound or preparation that makes a bird select alternate behavior patterns in order to avoid contact, ingestion, odor or the presence of the compound.
The term “polycyclic quinone” or “PCQ” means bicyclic, tricyclic and tetracyclic condensed ring quinones and hydroquinones, as well as precursors thereof.
The term “active form of PCQ” means the formulation or finished state of the PCQ in which the molecule of PCQ is most effective.
The term “raw PCQ” means unprocessed active ingredient.
The term “non-toxic” means a substance judged by he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as non-toxic by qualified analytical methods.
The term “spreader sticker” means any compound used as an adjuvant for improving the adherence of active ingredients to the surface of a leaf or other plant tissue.
The Invention
The present invention relates to the application of a bird repellant to various substrates within an avian house. It is the inventors'finding that the ability to repel avians from feeding on substrates within an avian house is an effective way to inhibit the uptake of material, such as disease bearing litter. The invention thus has the net result of affecting avian performance in the following manner: (i) improving weight gain and feed efficiency, resulting in an improved weight adjusted feed efficiency; (ii) lowering disease exposure to the avian, (iii) improving avian health; and (iv) in some cases, lowering sulfide odors within an avian house.
As described in greater detail below, the bird repellent can be any compound or substance which has bird repellency properties. The bird repellent can be added to any type of substrate within an avian house for purposes of this invention, a substrate can be any particle or surface found or located within the avian house. For example, it is contemplated that the bird repellent be applied to such substrates as the floor, walls or litter located within an avian house.
Bird Repellent
As mentioned above, any compound or substance which functions as a bird repellent can be used in the invention. The following paragraphs summarize various characteristics of bird repellent compounds which are preferred for use in this invention.
Initially, it is important to the effectiveness of the invention that the bird repellent, in whatever physical form it is applied, be persistent. More particularly, the active material of the applied bird repellent should preferably be able to resist erosion by wind and rain and other environmental forces to which the treated surface may be exposed. For example, it is preferred (1) that the active form of the bird repellent have a relatively low solubility in water so that it is not easily washed off the treated litter surfaces, and (2) that the bird repellent have a relatively hig
Ballinger, Jr. Kenneth E.
Henry Craig W.
Arkion Life Sciences
Krikelis Basil S.
Levy Neil S.
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