Caustic agricultural compositions

Abstract

An aqueous teat dip composition includes significant amounts of glycerin and preferably ethanol and has a pH of at least 8.5. The aqueous teat dip composition can be provided by a method that involves delivering a basic concentrate to a site where dairy animals are located where the concentrate is mixed with water before the pH of the resulting solution is upwardly adjusted. The basic concentrate can be a byproduct of a biofuel refining process.

1 . A process for providing a teat dip composition, comprising blending into water (1) a liquid that comprises glycerol and ethanol, said liquid having a pH of at least 9, and (2) a sufficient amount of a moderate or strong base so as to provide said teat dip composition, said composition having a pH of at least 8.5. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said base comprises hypochlorite ions. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2  wherein said teat dip composition has a pH of at least 9. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 2  wherein said teat dip composition has a pH of at least 9.5. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 2  wherein said teat dip composition has a pH of from 10.0 to 10.5. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 2  wherein said base is bleach. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6  wherein composition is provided by blending from 10 to 16 volume parts of said bleach and from 2 to 5 volume parts of said liquid into 100 volume parts of water. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said water is provided at a temperature of from 35° to 60° C. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said water is provided at a temperature of from 37° to 57° C. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said water is provided at a temperature of from 43° to about 54° C. 
     
     
         11 . A method of treating an area in which a dairy animal is milked, said method comprising applying to said area an aqueous composition that comprises glycerin, said composition having a pH of at least 9 and being applied at a temperature of at least 32° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said composition is applied at a temperature of at least 35° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said composition is applied at a temperature of from 37° to 54° C. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said composition further comprises hypochlorite ion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said composition has a pH of at least 9.5. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said composition has a pH of from 10.0 to 10.5. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said hypochlorite ion is provided by the addition of from 10 to 16 volume parts bleach for every 100 volume parts water. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said composition further comprises at least 5 volume percent ethanol. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said composition comprises up to 25 volume percent ethanol. 
     
     
         20 . A feed supplement suitable for a dairy animal, said feed supplement comprising at least 10 weight percent soluble protein as a percentage of total crude protein, said feed supplement having a higher-than-neutral pH.