Due to its many advantages, bentonite is an excellent choice for animal feed additives. Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite is a grade of this product with properties like solid cation exchange capacity, water absorption, and mycotoxin adsorption. These benefits make this grade a perfect option for usage in animal feeding. Still, stockbreeders and animal feed manufacturers must be cautious about this substance since some bentonite producers present outcomes not suitable as a food additive. In this case, they must find a trustworthy bentonite producer who employs high-quality raw materials and experienced chemists to provide them with a pure and reliable grade of feed bentonite.
Among these factors, Iran Bentonite Co. is considered a dependable bentonite producer due to its flawless supply chains in its factories. Customers worldwide can rely on this Iran Bentonite manufacturer for various grades of bentonite with high physiochemical properties suitable for animal feeding, mycotoxin absorbing, and other possible applications. We at Iran bentonite Co. count on superior raw materials and our professionals to provide you with one of the purest products available in the market.
What is Bentonite?
The term “Bentonite” was first used to describe a specific, highly colloidal, plastic clay discovered around Fort Benton in the Cretaceous beds of Wyoming, USA. This clay has the distinctive property of swelling to several times its original volume when placed in water, producing thixotropic gels with water even when only a small amount of bentonite is present. Later, the phrase was used to describe plastic clays made by altering volcanic tuff and ash, called after the Montmorillonite deposits in France and included a dominant amount of smectite particles.
Typically, there are two different kinds of bentonite. The first group can swell and have stable suspension in water dispersion due to its substantial water-absorbing capabilities. The second category of bentonites does not exhibit any swelling characteristics when moistened and does not float in thin water dispersions. The sodium bentonite (Na bentonite), or swelling type, consists of a single water layer particle that contains the exchangeable ion Na+. Calcium bentonite, also known as non-swelling bentonite, has double water layer particles with the exchangeable ion Ca2+. Sometimes, Mg2+ or Fe2+ are discovered exchanging those ions. In the trade, sodium bentonite is referred to as bentonite for its swelling type and fuller’s earth for its non-swelling version.
Clays in the montmorillonite category, particularly sodium bentonite, can absorb moisture strongly. Depending on the climate, raw ore’s moisture may reach 40%. For instance, the moisture level of raw ore extracted by some manufacturers may be only 10–12%. Mined ore may not exhibit swelling until it has dried to 5% water because of its high water content. During the plant’s design phase, volume and mass loss due to moisture release must be considered.
What is Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite?
Animal feed is a crucial link in the food chain that affects the composition and quality of animal products (meat, milk, and eggs) for human consumption. The crops used as animal feed, including wheat, maize, barley, rye, and oats, are most vulnerable to mycotoxin-causing contamination. The majority of an animal’s daily diet is made up of these cereals. Fungi can contaminate grains, which can result in the creation of mycotoxin. This might happen in a storage facility or a pasture. These fungi thrive in warm, humid environments, making them natural pollutants of these grains. At low concentrations, mycotoxins are harmful to both humans and animals. Grain contamination by fungi is a global issue. Aflatoxins (AF) and ochratoxin A were found to be present in 44, 40, and 50% of mixed cereals, maize samples, and barley samples, respectively, according to the analysis of samples taken from a market in Qatar (OTA). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) as among the most hazardous mycotoxins due to their ability to cause cancer. Aflatoxin levels have been sharply rising in Europe in recent years due to increasing average temperatures, which are projected to continue.
It has been discovered that clay materials such as bentonite, the grade of bentonite used in animal feed, are quite effective at absorbing mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins (AF). The European Food Safety Authority has assessed the additive’s safety and effectiveness (EFSA). Since bentonite is not absorbed when used as animal feed and is not genotoxic, there is no direct toxicological risk to the animal. Bentonite has demonstrated superior mycotoxin absorption compared to commercial (binders) products. The development of the mycotoxin-bentonite complex prevents the gastrointestinal absorption of mycotoxin. It has been shown that the adverse effects of 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg of aflatoxin B1 can be counteracted by the dietary addition of bentonite.
In the end, customers should know that before using this substance as a feed additive, the Safety and efficacy of bentonite as a feed additive for all animal species must be approved. According to EU law and the EU register for feed additives, 1m 558 bentonite is now approved as a product for reducing mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1) contamination in feed for pigs, poultry, and ruminants. The approval is based on the product’s safety and the efficacy of Aflatoxin in vitro and in vivo adsorption.
Different Grades of Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite
When discussing bentonite, we need to specify our intended grade of this product because there are several commercial grades of this substance with particular properties. The two primary types of bentonite clay are food grade and industrial grade. Additionally, there are various types of bentonite clay with different mineral concentrations. Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite is a type of this substance that can be used as a food additive.
The European Bentonite Association (EUBA) distinguishes five varieties of bentonite:
Calcium Bentonite
Calcium bentonite is also called non-activated bentonite.Ca2+ or Mg2+-ions primarily fill the intermediate layers of these grades.
Activated Bentonite
The alkali-activation used to create activated bentonite involves replacing the intermediate layer’s original Ca2+ ions with Na+ ions.
Natural Sodium Bentonite
The intermediate layers of natural sodium-bentonite, which is often Wyoming-bentonite but can also be found elsewhere, are primarily filled by Na2+-ions. In Na-bentonite, Ca2+ or Mg2+ ions can also usually be found in various quantities.
Organophilic Bentonite
The intermediate layers of polar organic molecules have replaced cations in organophilic bentonite or organoclays (e.g., alkylammonium ions). They can swell in organic solvents and are hydrophobic.
Acid Activated Bentonite
Acid treatment has partially dissolved the structure of bentonite, resulting in acid-activated bentonite. The original Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+ cations are primarily eliminated, while some of the lattice’s Al, Fe, Mg, and Si cations are partially dissolved, depending on the degree of activation. Acid-activated bentonite is a superior absorbent because of its high surface area (around 200 m2/g) and huge micropore capacity.
It is worth mentioning that bentonite is also divided based on its applications, which are defined by its properties. Bentonites’ characteristics can vary greatly depending on their geological origin and any modifications made after extraction. Their unique qualities have a significant impact on how they are used economically. Despite the generic name given to commercially available bentonite, a series of physicochemical characteristics have been found to correlate with the adsorption of mycotoxins. They may thus be used to classify the various varieties; they include:
- pH;
- Mineral Fraction;
- D-Spacing;
- Relative Humidity;
- Linear Swelling;
- cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable K+, Na+, Mg++, and Ca++.
Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite is also a type of bentonite with unique properties, making it a perfect choice as a feed additive. Because different manufacturers tend to produce this grade and probably utilize different grades, the outcomes may differ. Bentonite in poultry feed may be classified based on such factors; in this case, the amount of purity is a crucial determiner. It is helpful to know that tiny particles of other minerals, such as feldspar, calcium carbonate, gypsum, quartz, etc., are found in all naturally occurring bentonites. Grit is the word for these particles, which can make up 5–10% of commercially manufactured bentonites. Gridless bentonites, sometimes known as “dust” grades, are made for specific uses.
Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite Production Process
To improve its characteristics for different usage, bentonite can be treated in various methods. For a range of applications from our customers, Iran bentonite manufacturers (so-called Иран производитель бентонита by Russians) transform raw bentonite clay into products of consistently high quality. The difficulty is always in transforming a natural product with inherent variations in composition and quality into an end product that performs consistently. When processing this substance, two essential phases are grinding and drying. When bentonite is Extracted from the mines, it is solid and has a 30% natural moisture content. To reduce the moisture, you must dry it. To enable the pulverization of bentonite, a dryer reduces the moisture. Typically, a grinder is used to reduce the material’s particle sizes.
Below, you can discover more about two main stages of producing different grades of bentonite, such as livestock and poultry feed bentonite: drying and agglomeration.
The Drying Stage
When bentonite is first mined, it typically has a moisture content of 25–35% and needs to be dried to 5–12%. A rotating drum drier is frequently used to achieve this. The method of drying minerals can be pretty straightforward. However, Sodium bentonite in poultry feed needs extra care because overdrying could result in lower performance of the clay.
Because of this, bentonite producers use specialized equipment, such as a pilot-scale rotary dryer, to determine how a given source of bentonite would react to drying. This information is then used to construct a bentonite dryer on a larger scale. The focus of dryer testing frequently is on discovering important process variables like:
- Sampling and analysis of gas;
- Rotational speed;
- Rates of feed and product;
- Profiles of temperature;
- Retention time.
The Agglomerating Process
Producers usually seek to agglomerate the material for use in the final product to make bentonite easier to handle and more flowable in a production environment. Bentonite is no different from other materials in its reaction to accumulation, especially in light of the variations between and within sources. It is helpful to know that some manufacturers for producing pure grades of this substance, such as Calcium bentonite animal feed, test aggregation processes using a single piece of equipment (usually a disc pelletizer or pin mixer) or a combination of several pieces of equipment, including the rotary dryer, at both batches- and continuous pilot scales.
Agglomeration testing often focuses on the following, depending on the process’ objectives and what is previously known:
- Product yield;
- Material feed rate;
- Equipment speed;
- Equipment types;
- Locations for spraying;
- Spray rate and type of binder;
Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite Applications
As mentioned before, Each grade of bentonite holds unique properties that make it a good option for particular applications. From its name, Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite is a type of this multipurpose product employed as an additive in animal feed; this grade is also known as bentonite for dairy cows.
Animal feed pellets are made using Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite as a pelletizing aid, a free-flowing aid for unconsolidated feed ingredients like soy meal, and a supplement for animal feed. Bentonite in Animal Feeds also serves as a material to lessen mycotoxins’ ability to contaminate feed. Because of their attraction for Bentonite, small amounts of aflatoxins are added to animal feed to promote a decrease in animal systems. Still, we should remember that different grades of feed bentonite with varied physicochemical and chemical properties may be used to feed distinct animals; for example, bentonite in cattle feed may differ in some properties from other bentonites used for different animals. Below, you can discover several benefits of applying Sodium Bentonite in Ruminant Rations and feedlots.
Enhancing Digestion Efficiency
In the digestive system, Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite gels help slow down the digesting process. By covering the feed particles in bentonite, fermentation byproduct release into the fluid phases is slowed. The spiral into acidosis is prevented by offering an equal release of these chemicals.
The Buffering Capacity
Bentonite’s cation exchange capacity, or capacity to bind hydrogen ions, is related to its buffering ability. Cattle that are fed high grain rations or other foods high in carbohydrates have a tendency to overeat, which leads to the fermentation of the carbohydrates, the production of lactic acid (whose pH falls to between 3.0 and 4.0), and ruminal acidosis, which has a negative impact on animal performance and, in extreme cases, can be fatal. Ruminal acidosis is avoided thanks to the cation exchange capabilities of bentonite, which buffer (neutralizes) the effects of lactic acid.
For starter and finisher rations, bentonite is commonly blended with grain and additional mineral supplements at around 4% and 2%, respectively. Bentonite’s characteristics make it likely that beginning diets in the 1.0% to 2.0% range will operate at their best.
The Binding of Protein
Proteins can be shielded from ruminal breakdown by Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite, allowing more effective digestion further along the digestive tract. This product binds urea to offer a gradual release in the rumen, lowering the danger of ammonia toxicity and encouraging the ruminal flora to convert urea more effectively into protein.
Additionally, bentonite promotes saliva flow to the rumen. Saliva contains bicarbonates and phosphates, which function as a buffer in the digestive system.
The Pelletizing
In stock feed production, sodium bentonite is a reliable pellet binder. Australian nutritionists have proved that pelleted feed is more productive for animals than mash or powdered feed. Reducing respiratory issues brought on by penalties in a ration has caused this boost in efficiency. Sodium bentonite develops a malleable or plastic clay-water system when enough moisture is introduced through appropriate conditioning. When the pellet mill die mesh is compressed, the hydrate acts like putty to fill the crevices between the feed particles. It can increase die life and possesses lubricant-like slipperiness.
About Iran Bentonite Co’s Product
The Iran Bentonite Co. is one of the leading producers of bentonite that provides customers with different grades of this multipurpose material. This Iran bentonite supplier relies on its top-notch facilities and cutting-edge equipment to produce a pure substance suitable for use in livestock and poultry feeding. The product works as an anti-caking agent and improves the quality of pellets. You can count on our products to enhance the quality of shots and keep livestock meals from caking and flowing. Additionally, it aids in improving feed effectiveness, gain rate, milk production, wool growth, and egg production due to its high properties.
Iran Bentonite Co. is a reputable Iran manufacturer of Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite (or so-called الشركة المصنعة إيران البنتونيت in the Arabic language) of the highest quality. When dealing with this company, customers can enjoy many advantages. They can ask for various grades of bentonite employed in industries other than animal feeding. Consumers may also appreciate our packing and logistics service because our experts use methods that ensure safe and easy shipping. Animal feed manufacturers, stockbreeders, and other interested customers can also go for their intended ways of packing Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite and decide about cargo details. In this case, please check out the About Us section.
Conclusion
Bentonite is a type of fine clay extracted from the ground. Most of this substance, found in strata between different rocks, is created by altering volcanic ash in marine environments. It can be used in animal nutrition to adsorb mycotoxins and lessen their bioavailability in the animal’s intestines when fed contaminated feed. Bentonite is divided into several categories based on its physiochemical properties and applications, such as calcium bentonite and sodium type used in producing Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite. Iran bentonite manufacturers usually utilize different methods for processing this substance; still, drying and agglomerating are two vital stages in bentonite production. There are various benefits to applying Livestock & Poultry Feed Bentonite to animal feeding. For instance, It aids in treating bacterial infections and mitigates the effects of radionuclides.
