Animal water amendments for lowering ammonia concentrations in animal excrement

Abstract

Improved animal feeds and/or waters are provided, which include amendments comprising one or more copolymer salts serving to reduce volatilized ammonia derived from the excrement of animals. The copolymers are preferably water soluble and have substantially equimolar amounts of maleic and itaconic moieties.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An improved animal water comprising a mixture of water and an amendment comprising a copolymer salt containing maleic and itaconic repeat units, said amendment sufficient to reduce volatilized ammonia derived from the excrement of the animal administered the improved animal water. 
     
     
         2 . The animal water of  claim 1 , said copolymer present in said water at a level of from about 0.003-0.15% by volume. 
     
     
         3 . The water of  claim 2 , said level being from about 0.0045-0.12% by volume. 
     
     
         4 . The water of  claim 1 , said amendment comprising at least two copolymer salts having different salt-forming cations, at least one of said copolymer salts containing maleic and itaconic repeat units. 
     
     
         5 . The water of  claim 4 , said amendment including a partial calcium salt of a maleic-itaconic copolymer, and a partial ammonium salt of a maleic-itaconic copolymer. 
     
     
         6 . The water of  claim 5 , said amendment comprising from about 50-80% by weight of partial calcium salt copolymer solids, and from about 20-50% by weight of partial ammonium salt copolymer solids, with the total amount of the copolymer solids in the amendment taken as 100% by weight. 
     
     
         7 . The water of  claim 4 , each of said partial salt copolymers having at least about 85% by weight of maleic and itaconic moieties therein. 
     
     
         8 . The water of  claim 1 , said water designed to be administered to mammals or poultry selected from the group consisting of chicken, duck, goose, peafowl, swan, ostrich, pigeon, turkey, guineafowl, pheasant, rhea, and emu. 
     
     
         9 . A method of reducing volatilized ammonia derived from the excrement of animals, comprising the step of administering to the animals an amended water in accordance with  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , said amended water containing from about 0.003-0.15% by volume of said copolymer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , said amended water containing from about 0.0045-0.12% by volume of said copolymer.