Soft gel delivery system for treating poultry

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of treating poultry hatchlings in a hatchling tray. The method comprises of providing a soft gel form capable of being dispensed through a spray nozzle, providing a spray dispensing apparatus, the apparatus being capable of delivering a predetermined volume of the gel as a plurality of small beadlets through a plurality of nozzles, placing the hatchling tray containing the hatchlings beneath the nozzles of the dispensing apparatus, dispensing the predetermined volume of the soft gel containing the therapeutic agent as small beadlets into the hatchling tray and allowing the hatchlings to consume the beadlets. The present invention is also directed to a dispensing apparatus for dispensing a therapeutic agent in a soft gel into a hatchling tray of poultry hatchlings.

1 . A soft gel composition for treating poultry comprising
 a therapeutic agent,   between 0.6% and 2% of one or more setting agents and at least 90% water.   
     
     
         2 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the setting agent is carrageenan. 
     
     
         3 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 2  wherein the therapeutic agent is a competitive exclusion product or an immunizing dose of a live organism, wherein the live organism is  Salmonella , Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Bursal disease, Newcastle disease, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, mycoplasma, Pneumovirus or coccidiosis. 
     
     
         4 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 2  wherein therapeutic agent is oocysts of one or more strains of  Eimeria  sp. 
     
     
         5 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 2  wherein the soft gel composition is reconstituted from a dry powder mixture containing 0.6-2% carrageenan. 
     
     
         6 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 5  wherein the therapeutic agent is a competitive exclusion product or an immunizing dose of a live organism, wherein the live organism is  Salmonella , Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Bursal disease, Newcastle disease, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, mycoplasma, Pneumovirus or coccidiosis. 
     
     
         7 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 5  wherein the therapeutic agent is oocysts of one or more strains of  Eimeria  sp. 
     
     
         8 . A soft gel composition for treating poultry comprising
 a therapeutic agent,   between 0.6% and 2% of one or more setting agents and at least 90% water,   
       wherein about 15 to 50 ml of gel is used for every 100 birds. 
     
     
         9 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 8  wherein the setting agent is carrageenan. 
     
     
         10 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 9  wherein the therapeutic agent is a competitive exclusion product or an immunizing dose of a live organism, wherein the live organism is  Salmonella , Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Bursal disease, Newcastle disease, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, mycoplasma, Pneumovirus or coccidiosis. 
     
     
         11 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 10  wherein therapeutic agent is oocysts of one or more strains of  Eimeria  sp. 
     
     
         12 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 10  wherein the soft gel composition is reconstituted from a dry powder mixture containing 0.6-2% carrageenan. 
     
     
         13 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 12  wherein the therapeutic agent is a competitive exclusion product or an immunizing dose of a live organism, wherein the live organism is  Salmonella , Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Bursal disease, Newcastle disease, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, mycoplasma, Pneumovirus or coccidiosis. 
     
     
         14 . A soft gel composition according to  claim 12  wherein the therapeutic agent is oocysts of one or more strains of  Eimeria  sp.