Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Whole live micro-organism – cell – or virus containing – Fungus
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-19
2001-04-10
Criares, Theodore J. (Department: 1617)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Whole live micro-organism, cell, or virus containing
Fungus
C514S054000, C426S062000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06214337
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an animal feed composition that comprises yeast glucan and a process for enhancing animal growth by feeding animals with the feed composition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Limited supply of conventional food protein is a major problem facing a rapid increase in world population. Of particular importance is the production of animal proteins that contain proteins having essential amino acids required by humans. Due to limited production facilities and lack of improvement in production technology, increase in animal protein production does not seem to proportionate the increase in world population.
Therefore, it appears highly desirable to improve the productivity of animal protein production. One of the means to improve the productivity is to develop feed compositions that enhance animal growth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an animal feed composition. Another object of the invention is to provide a feed composition that would enhance animal growth. A further object of the invention is to provide a process for enhancing animal growth by feeding the animal with the feed composition. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the invention is more fully disclosed hereinbelow.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, an animal feed composition that enhances animal growth is provided which comprises at least one starch-bearing substance, at least one protein-bearing substance, at least one fat-containing substance, and a yeast glucan.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, a process for enhancing animal growth is provided which comprises feeding a composition comprising at least one starch-bearing substance, at least one protein-bearing substance, at least one fat-containing substance, and a yeast glucan to an animal.
According to a third embodiment of the present invention, a composition is provided that can enhance the growth rate of an animal if the composition is orally administered to the animal. The composition comprises an animal feed and a yeast glucan. The yeast glucan is present in the composition in an amount sufficient to effect the growth enhancement.
According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a process for enhancing the growth of an animal is provided which comprises orally administering the composition which comprises an animal feed and a yeast glucan to an animal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the first embodiment of the present invention, any animals whose growth can be enhanced upon being fed with the composition of the invention can be employed in the present invention and can vary widely. The preferred animals are warm blood animals which include, but are not limited to, chickens, pigs, turkeys, and calves. The presently most preferred are newly weaned or hatched animals such as, for example, weanling pigs.
To enhance the growth, the length of time required for feeding the invention composition to the animal can vary widely depending on the type of animals. For example, for a weaning pig, it is preferred to feed it for about 7 to 40 days.
Suitable starch-bearing substances are those commonly used as feed components and are generally derived from grains selected from the group consisting of corn, soybean, wheat, sorghum, barley, oat, and mixtures thereof. Examples of suitable starch-bearing substances include, but are not limited to, corn flour, oat groat, ground corn, soybean flour, wheat flour, ground oat flour, wheat middlings, soybean meal, corn grit, and mixtures thereof. The presently preferred suitable starch-bearing substances are oat flour, ground corn, oat groat, wheat middlings, soybean meal, and mixtures thereof. These starch-bearing substances are commercially available.
A variety of protein-bearing substances can be used as a component of the invention composition as long as the protein-bearing substance can support the growth of an animal. The protein content of protein-bearing substances can vary over the range of from about 10 weight % to about 90%. For economical reasons, a crude protein-bearing substance such as, for example, a fish meal, dried whey, a soybean meal, and mixture thereof can be used. Other suitable protein-bearing substances include, but are not limited to, soybean protein concentrate, soy flour, blood meal, plasma protein, dried skim milk, whey protein concentrate, canola meal, corn gluten meal, wheat gluten meal, yeast, sunflower meal, and mixtures thereof. The presently preferred protein-bearing substances are fish meal, dried whey, blood meal, plasma protein and soybean meal. These protein-bearing substances are commercially available.
Any fat-containing substance that can support the growth of an animal can be used. Suitable fat-containing substances include, but are not limited to, lard, tallow, soybean oil, lecithin, coconut oil, whey-fat blend, and mixtures thereof. The presently preferred fat-containing substances are soybean oil, coconut oil, and lard.
The term “yeast glucan” is used in this application to refer generically, unless otherwise indicated, to an insoluble yeast cell wall material substantially free of mannan and phosphomannan or mannoprotein and has essentially no inherent nutritional value at the levels incorporated in the composition of the invention. Yeast glucan is mainly composed of a backbone chain of &bgr;(1-3) linked glucose units with a low degree of inter- and intra-molecular branching through &bgr;(1-6) linkages. A minor component that consists mainly of a highly branched &bgr;(1-6) linked glucan is closely associated with the main component and both comprise alkali-insoluble glucan fractions.
The yeast glucan used in the invention can contain a glucan content (&bgr;(1-3) and &bgr;(1-6) linkages measured as glucose) from about 40% to about 99%, a protein content from about 0.01% to about 50%, a lipid content from about 0.01 to about 50%, an ash content from about 0.01% to about 12%, and a solids content from about 10% to about 100%; preferably a glucan content from about 40% to about 90%, a protein content from about 0.05% to about 30%, a lipid content from about 0.05% to about 45%, an ash content from about 0.05% to about 10%, and a solids content from about 20% to about 99%; more preferably a glucan content from about 50% to about 90%, a protein content from about 0.1% to about 10%, a lipid content from about 0.1% to about 40%, an ash content from about 0.5% to about 8%, and a solids content from about 70% to about 98%; and most preferably a glucan content from 60% to 85%, a protein content from 1% to 8%, a lipid content from 1% to 35%, an ash content from 1% to 5%, and a solids content from 90% to 99%. The percentage disclosed in this application is weight percent.
The yeast glucan suitable for use in the invention can be derived from any yeast species. Preferably the yeast glucan is derived from a yeast selected from the group consisting of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces uvarum, Candida utilis, Kluyvecomyces fragilis, Pichia pastoris,
and combinations thereof. The presently preferred yeast species are
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
and
Candida utilis
because both have been traditionally and are used for food and feed supplements.
Yeast glucan can be prepared from the above-described yeast by any known method in the art including, for example, treatment with heat, bases, acids, enzymes, solvents, or combinations thereof. The choice of a suitable method is generally a matter of preference to those skilled in the art.
The presently preferred process for the preparation of a yeast glucan comprises: (1) preparing a yeast suspension in an alkaline solution to form a mixture containing an insoluble yeast cell wall fraction; (2) separating the insoluble yeast cell wall fraction from the mixture; (3) suspending the insoluble yeast cell wall fraction in an acid solution to form a yeast glucan; and (4) separating the yeast glucan.
The term “yeast suspension” used herein refers to, unless otherwise indicated, a liquid s
Hayen Gary D.
Pollmann Dennis Steven
Biotec ASA
Criares Theodore J.
Ladas & Parry
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