Animal feed covers and systems and methods for their production and use

Abstract

Methods of covering an animal feed product involve depositing in an open end of a container an animal feed. Placing a cover on an exposed surface of the feed at the open end of the container, where the cover includes a flowable coating arranged on one side of a flexible film and a rigid or semi-rigid layer bound to an opposite side of the film. The exposed surface of the feed comprises irregular surface structures due to feed components positioned at the exposed surface. A central portion of the flexible film of the placed cover conforms to the irregular surface structures at the exposed surface of the feed upon the flowable coating reaching a temperature of at least about 125° F.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cover for covering an animal feed held within a container, comprising:
 a flexible film conformable to a surface of the animal feed;   a coating arranged on one side of the film; and   a rigid or semi-rigid layer joined to an opposite side of the film, the rigid or semi-rigid layer more rigid than the film,
 wherein the film and the rigid or semi-rigid layer are concentrically arranged, and 
 wherein the film has a larger size relative to a size of the rigid or semi-rigid layer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is flowable at a temperature of 125° F. 
     
     
         3 . The cover of  claim 2 , wherein the coating comprises one or more of wax, rubber, aluminum distearate, and/or ester gum. 
     
     
         4 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the film comprises a plurality of radial slits or notches arranged along an outer circumference. 
     
     
         5 . The cover of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of radial slits or notches terminate at a boundary where an external circumference of the rigid or semi-rigid layer couples to the film. 
     
     
         6 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the film is semi-permeable to one or more of water or gas. 
     
     
         7 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the film is non-heat-shrinkable. 
     
     
         8 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein an outer circumference of the film is substantially similar to an inner circumference of an open end of the container such that the film contacts, or is proximate, a circumferential sidewall of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is adapted to be carried with the rigid or semi-rigid layer upon removing the cover from the container. 
     
     
         10 . The cover of  claim 1 , further comprising a primer arranged between the film and the coating. 
     
     
         11 . The cover of  claim 10 , wherein the primer is configured to facilitate retention of the coating to the film upon the coating reaching a temperature of at least 125° F. 
     
     
         12 . The cover of  claim 10 , wherein the primer is configured to facilitate release of the coating from the film. 
     
     
         13 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid or semi-rigid layer has a thickness of about 10 pt. to about 46 pt. 
     
     
         14 . The cover of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer arranged between the rigid or semi-rigid layer and the film. 
     
     
         15 . The cover of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive layer is configured to facilitate removal of the rigid or semi-rigid layer from the film. 
     
     
         16 . The cover of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive layer is configured to maintain a bond between the rigid or semi-rigid layer and the film during removal of the cover from the container. 
     
     
         17 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the film comprises one or more food grade components. 
     
     
         18 . The cover of  claim 17 , wherein the food grade components comprise starch. 
     
     
         19 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the rigid or semi-rigid layer is two to four inches smaller than a diameter of the film.