Natural Green Zeolite For Feed Additive

Looking for ingredients to improve the quality of your animal feeds? Perhaps zeolite may be the ingredient you have always been looking for. What is zeolite and how does it benefit the feeds that you produce?

Zeolite is not something that can be found in plants or animals. When volcanic ash settle in the mountains, they mix with salt water and form zeolite. This process may take thousands of years. Scientists then collect these deposits and made some amazing discoveries. Mostly, as producers of animal feeds, you may be interested in knowing the characteristics of Zeolite.

This crystal like deposit has got amazing absorption qualities, and has been known to be able to absorb huge amounts of moisture, gases, petrochemicals, heavy metals and even low level radioactive elements. This is achieved by having large enough surface areas for absorption to occur. The deposit has holes inside it, and is therefore able to absorb up to 50% of its own volume. When added to feeds as an additive, the feeds become something better. More specifically:

1) Anti caking/flow agent for animal feeds - Many animal feeds tend to harden and form cakes when expose to moisture. Due to the presence of zeolite, much of the moisture is absorbed and this prevents caking. When caking occurs, the animal feed becomes pretty much useless. Adding zeolite can help save thousands of dollars by preventing caking.

2) Increased feed pellet durability - Feed pellet may turn bad when un-used for a long period of time. Sometimes, it's hard to manage inventory as animal feeds decay with time. The addition of zeolite prolongs the life span of feeds.

3) Higher animal weight gain and growth. - How is this possible? Zeolite actually helps to increase the efficiency of food conversion rate. In other words, the minerals and nutrients are better absorbed by the animals, thus boost growth rate and weight gain. This is surely good news for animal farmers, as the animal feeds will lead to reduced cost.

4) Strong affinity for ammonium. - Ever walk into an animal feed storage warehouse? It just smells bad! Zeolite has this natural affinity for ammonium and helps prevent the feeds from smelling bad. When added to the feeds, it provides some form of odor control.

5) Improvement of animal health. - Due to zeolite's natural properties, it can help reduce the risk of contracting scours, acidosis, diarrhea, enteritis and other gastrointestinal diseases. Also, due to zeolite's ammonia neutralising capabilities, it can help reduce toxic effects when there is ammonia buildup in the digestive tracts of animals.

Of course, you want to make sure that Zeolite is an approved ingredient before you go out and purchase some for your animal feeds.

You will be glad to learn that Zeolite is approved in the EU for usage in the swine and poultry industry as Myco-Toxin binder. (70/524/EEC)

It is also approved by the FDA to be added to animal feeds as an anti-caking agent. (CFR 582-2727)