Sodium Bicarbonate (Feed) - Turkey

Brief Overview

Sodium bicarbonate is a water soluble white crystalline powder commonly known as baking soda which is widely used as leavening agent in food. Feed grade sodium bicarbonate is predominantly used as the source of sodium to increase dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD). It is also used as dietary supplement for ruminants to treat acid indigestion and metabolic acidosis. In poultry, it helps improving calcium absorption to increase eggshell quality. It is also fed to broiler chicken as partial replacement for salt to provide drier litter and healthier living environment.

Manufacturing Process

A process for producing sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate  includes reacting within a reactor of sodium sulfate in aqueous solution with ammonia and carbon dioxide to precipitate sodium bicarbonate and form a first stock solution. The sodium bicarbonate is separated and dried to produce sodium bicarbonate product. Alternatively, the sodium bicarbonate may be calcined to convert it to sodium carbonate. The first stock solution may be evaporated to precipitate unreacted sodium sulfate, with the formation of a second stock solution. The second stock solution may be cooled to precipitate a double salt of sodium sulfate/ammonium sulfate and water. A third stock solution is formed from this process. The latter-mentioned liquor from the precipitation of the double salt is evaporated to precipitate a substantial pure ammonium sulfate in a purity of greater than approximately 75 wt %. A fourth stock solution is formed. The double salt is added to the first stock solution from the precipitation of sodium bicarbonate prior to the evaporation step and the fourth stock solution is added to the second stock solution from the evaporation to precipitate unreacted sodium sulfate.

Animal Feed Industry

As feed additive and premix raw material, the product could be used as partial salt replacement. It can also be used as sodium source without chloride. Poultry meal is suitable for ruminants such as dairy cow, beef cow, sheep, and also poultry including  broiler chicken, laying hens chicken, swine, and turkey. Another function of the product is to be dietary supplement containing sodium bicarbonate helps improve calcium absorption and eggshell quality as well as buffer to help stabilize rumen’s pH by reducing acidic condition.