BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Animal manure is known to pose a risk of containing pathogenic microorganisms that can be harmful to humans and domestic animals. The procedure of disposing of untreated animal manure in open fields can endanger the health of humans, livestock and domestic animals. Animal manure is also known to contain plant nutrients that can replace agricultural chemical-fertilizers.

Several processes for treating animal manure are known.

A common method for the treatment of manure, which is described e. g. in Carol Miles <BR> et. al. ,"From End to Beginning", Washington State University Cooperative Extension October 1999 (see: http ;//agsyst. wsu. edu/manure. htm) is composting. Composting, if done properly, eliminates the pathogenic microorganisms but requires substantial time periods, large storage facilities, can cause troublesome odors and can put a substantial financial burden on its use. The composted manure forms granule products that have to be mechanically or manually spread for agricultural use.

Another common method used for the treatment, decontamination and storage of manure, especially in farms using barn-flushing systems is the employment of Lagoons. Lagoons require relatively large land area and may cause odor and ground water contamination due to seepage problems if not maintained properly. The manure in lagoons is subjected to intensive microbiological degradation and separates to overflow water and sludge that are (separately) applied to fields (Biological Resources Engineering Topics, University of Maryland www. inform. umd. edu Geosynthetic Clay Liners for Animal Residuals Containment. By: James T. Olsta, Anaerobic and Aerobic Treatment of Animal Manure. A Reiew. By Jose'R. Bicudo et al. In: Animal Residuals Management Conference. November 12-14,2000. Kansas City, Missouri).

Animal Manure is often disposed untreated. To reduce nutrient loss and environmental contamination the disposal is often performed by using machinery that either sprays or injects manure on, or into the soil. See, e. g., Mark Dougherty et. al., Liquid manure application systems design manual. Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service (NRAES), 1998 (ISBN 0-935817-24-7). The machinery requires the passage of the manure through pumps, tubes and nozzles. Thus, the physical characteristics of untreated manure, especially cattle manure, causes blockages in the tubes and an uneven spread of the disposed manure as it comes out of the dispensing machinery.

US 5,538, 529 relates to The invention relates to a nutrient rich humus material produced by a process wherein solids in an aqueous slurry of the excrement are precipitated in a solids ecoreactor, the treated slurry is passed to a bioreactor wherein soluble phosphorus is precipitated with metallic salts, the slurry is aerobically and anaerobically treated to form an active biomass that actively bioconverts remaining soluble phosphorus and the aqueous slurry containing bioconverted phosphorus is recycled to said solids ecoreactor wherein the at least a portion of slurry is bioconverted and recovered as a beneficial humus material.

US 5,755, 852 relates to a nutrient rich humus material produced by a process wherein solids in an aqueous slurry of animal excrement are settled or precipitated in a solids ecoreactor, the slurry may be treated before and/or after settlement in the ecoreactor by passing to a bioreactor wherein soluble phosphorus may be precipitated with metallic salts, the slurry is aerobically and anaerobically treated to form an active biomass that actively bioconverts remaining soluble phosphorus, nitrogen and organics, and the aqueous slurry containing bioconverted phosphorus is recycled to said solids ecoreactor and/or discharged, and at least a portion of slurry is bioconverted and recovered as a beneficial humus material.

In order to minimize the use of irrigating water drip-irrigation is commonly used.

Efficient use of chemical fertilizers can be obtained by distribution through drip irrigation systems. The use of chemical fertilizers requires water dissolvent or the formation of stable suspensions of fine fertilizer-particles that will not clog the drip- irrigation systems. Animal manure, rich with plant nutrients, could be utilized as fertilizers using drip-irrigation systems if animal manure could be processed to form very fine particle stable immultions.

In view of the above, one can conclude that the need for a process for treating manure that will bring the treated manure to appropriate physical, chemical and biological properties remains.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect, the present invention relates to a process for treating manure comprising the steps of : a) mechanically crushing of manure particles; b) separating particles having a particles size less than a size which is between 5 to 10mm fromparticles having a particles size greater than said size; and c) homogenizing and pasteurizing the smaller particles resulting from step (b) using a steam-transfuser.

According to another aspect, the present invention relates to an industrial system useful in treating animal manure comprising a manure feeder which is connected to the input section of a manure crushing unit; the output section of said crushing unit is connected to the input section of a separating unit; one output section of the separating unit is connected to the input section of a steam-transfuser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWING Fig. 1 schematically represents a manure treatment system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to the present invention, as depicted in Fig. 1, manure is fed into a crushing unit (1) where it is crushed. The crushed material is separated according to particle size in the separating unit (2). The larger particles are disposed (5) and the smaller particles are fed (4) into the steam-transfuser (3); to which steam is introduced (6).

According to one embodiment a pre-treatment, involving the removal of large particles that are not integral part of the manure such as straw, strings and rocks is applied. This could be achieved by sieving raw manure through sieves with holes typically in the order of 5-lOcm.

According to another embodiment, the manure treated according to the present invention is selected from the group of livestock such as cattle, poultry, geese, sheep, goats, horses and hog manure.

According to another embodiment, the crushing of step (a) is performed by using one or more grinding methods selected from the group consisting of ball-mill, rod-mill, hammer-mill roll-mill and other grinding device that will be able to disintegrate manure lumps and chunks to particles of a size ranging under 10mm.

According to another embodiment, step (b) comprises separating particles having a particles size of less than about 5mm from particles having a particles size of more than about 5mm.

According to another embodiment, step (b) comprises separating particles having a particles size of less than about 6mm from particles having a particles size of more than about 6mm.

According to another embodiment, the separation of particles in step (b) is performed by using one or more methods selected from the group consisting of a sieve, a net and a porous surface.

The term"Particle size'is defined as to the largest measurable dimension in any distinct particle.

Various types of steam treatment may be employed in the process of the present invention, however, according to a preferred embodiment, the steam-transfuser used is described in detail in published international patent application No. WO 99/28022 (Pekerman). Said publication is incorporated herein by reference.

In the course of contacting steam and manure in the steam-transfuser the manure is warmed. Thus, by contacting the manure with the steam two goals may be achieved: homogenizing, and pasteurizing. However, while it is typical to achieve the goal of homogenizing by using the transfuser, the goal of pasteurizing may be typically achieved by the latent heat of the steam, induced by the transfuser, by the heat of a different source of heat or by a combination thereof According to another embodiment, the pasteurization may be achieved by passing the manure through the steam-transfuser in more than one cycle. The temperature of the processed manure depends on the temperature of the manure entering the process and the ratio between the amounts of steam and manure employed in the process. Elevated temperatures can be achieved by circulating manure more than once through the process.

The temperature of the manure following the processing is between 50°C and 100°C.

In order to prevent heat loss, the processed manure slurry is preferably collected in a thermally insulated receiver.

According to one embodiment, the pasteurization is performed by maintaining the slurry manure at a temperature of between about 70°C and about 100°C for at least one hour.

According to another embodiment, the pasteurization is performed by maintaining the slurry manure at a temperature of about 72°C to about 78°C for at least one hour.

The process of the present invention provides a pasteurized, homogenized and stable manure slurry that can be used for all kinds of plant watering including on-soil spreading, injecting and sprinkling. When passed through a fine sieve (such as 100 mesh), the process will enable the use of raw manure in drip-irrigation systems.

The liquidated manure remains as stable slurry for over 2 months when stored in a closed, unstirred container. However, as the composition of various types of manure of various origins, and even from the same origin, may vary widely, the stability period may also vary in an unexpected manner.

The liquidated manure, may be pasteurized by collecting the processed manure to a thermally insulated receiver and keeping it there for at least at 70°C for at least one hour.

The process of the present invention provides a solution to the contamination problem, and also ensures the free flow of manure through tubes and an even spread of manure suspension when applied with distributing machinery.

The integration of the injected steam with the manure in the transfuser-configuration causes a radical change in the physical characteristics of the manure, forming a homogenized suspension, easily flowing, slurry Cattle manure processed according to the present invention typically showed a decreased number of coliform bacteria (colony forming units, CFU, counted on VRBA medium) from 6.9 x 103 per ml to the limit of detection, less than 10 bacteria per ml. The manure slurry was stored in plastic barrels with loose lids, in shaded, outdoors, conditions. After more than a month of storage the slurry did not form a considerable sedimentation layer (the slurry kept its emulsion characteristics) and no fowl odor was emitted from the barrels.

While embodiments of the invention have been described by way of description, it will be apparent that the invention may be carried out with many modifications, variations and adaptations, without departing from its spirit or exceeding the scope of the claims.

It should be understood that some modification, alteration and substitution is anticipated and expected from those skilled in the art without departing from the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the following claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope and spirit of the invention.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Dairy cattle manure was collected below the crust of collected manure under the slotted-floor of a barn in kibbutz Sha'ar-Ha'amakim, ISRAEL. The manure was ground in batch lots using a ball-mill utilizing steel-balls of assorted sizes (up to a diameter 0. 3cm). The grinding was carried till a uniform paste was observed. The manure paste was passed through a mechanical vibrating steel-sieve with holes of a diameter of 2.8 mm.

The percentage of solids in the raw manure prior to sieving was: 13.6%. The percentage of solids after the steam-transfuser treatment: was 9.5%.

The manure paste was passed through the steam-transfuser. Upon exiting the transfuser, the manure's temperature was 75°C. The treated manure was collected and stored in 20 liter plastic barrels, with loosely closed lids. Samples were taken for chemical and microbiological analysis prior the steam-transfuser treatment and one hour thereafter, while the temperature in the barrels was above 70°C.

The coliform bacteria count decreased from 6. 9x103 per ml down to the limit of detection, i. e. less than 10 bacteria per ml.

The total w/w nitrogen concentration of nitrogen prior to the steam-transfuser treatment was 0. 48%. The concentration after the treatment was found to be 0.36%.

The manure after the steam-transfuser treatment was homogenous and free flowing and remained so for two months when kept in barrels in a shaded outdoor shed.

Example 2 Using the same technology out-lined in Example 1, the cattle manure was enriched with 6% (w/w) fresh hen-house poultry manure obtained from kibbutz Geva ISRAEL.

The total w/w nitrogen concentration of nitrogen prior to the steam-transfuser treatment was 0.67 %. The concentration after the treatment was found to be 0.55 %.

The manure after the steam-transfuser treatment was homogenous and free flowing and remained so for two months when kept in barrels in a shaded outdoor shed.

Example 3 Transfuser-treated dairy-cattle manure slurry was sieved through a 140 mesh sieve, diluted to a 6% water suspension and passed through 20 dripping nipples at a rate of 2 liters per hour for two hours.