Weatherized minerals and methods of making and using same

Abstract

A weatherized mineral mixture is produced by heating a digestible fat or fatty acid and spraying a mineral mixture with the heated digestible fatty acid to form a protective layer over the mineral mixture. The weatherized mineral mixture may be free of salts of fatty acids, namely soaps. The weatherized mineral mixture sheds water and is wind-resistant. Upon ingestion by livestock animals, the protective coating is digested and the minerals within the mineral mixture are absorbed by the livestock animal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A weather-resistant, anti-caking mineral product for livestock comprising:
 mineral particles;   a digestible fat layer atop the particles; and   an oil coating atop the protective layer,   said weather-resistant, anti-caking mineral product being free of salts of fatty acids.   
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1 , the oil coating formed of mineral oil. 
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 1 , the digestible fat being a high melting point fat. 
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 3 , the high melting point fat including at least one of: palm stearin, palm fat, coconut oil, lauric acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, or an animal fat. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 3 , the high melting point fat being substantially solid at room temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 1 , the digestible fat being free of a non-digestible petrolatum. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 1 , the particles being pellets. 
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 1 , further comprising particles free of the digestible fat layer. 
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 8 , the particles free of the digestible fat layer including the oil coating, and the loose trace minerals or fines being adhered to the particles free of the digestible fat layer. 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 9  arranged in an open container. 
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 1  arranged in an open container. 
     
     
         12 . A weather-resistant, anti-caking mineral mixture product for livestock comprising:
 mineral particles;   a digestible fat layer atop a first portion of the particles;   a second portion of the particles, the second portion being free of the digestible fat layer;   an oil coating atop the first and second portions of the particles,   said weather-resistant, anti-caking mineral mixture being free of salts of fatty acids.   
     
     
         13 . The product of  claim 12 , the oil coating formed of mineral oil. 
     
     
         14 . The product of  claim 13 , the mineral oil in an amount of about 0.5 to about 2.0 wt % of the product. 
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 14 , the digestible fat in an amount of about 2.0 wt % of the product. 
     
     
         16 . The product of  claim 12 , the digestible fat being a high melting point fat. 
     
     
         17 . The product of  claim 16 , the high melting point fat including at least one of: palm stearin, palm fat, coconut oil, lauric acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, or an animal fat. 
     
     
         18 . The product of  claim 12 , the particles being free-flowing. 
     
     
         19 . The product of  claim 12  arranged in an open container. 
     
     
         20 . The product of  claim 12 , having a shiny or wet appearance.