Stabilized pancreas product

Abstract

The present invention provides stabilized pancreas products useful, for example, as an animal feed additives. The invention also provides for feed additives and feed rations comprising a stabilized pancreas product. Further, the invention provides for methods of making stabilized pancreas products. The present invention also provides for methods of supplementing an animal feed utilizing stabilized pancreas products.

1 .- 40 . (canceled)  
     
     
         41 . A stabilized pancreas product comprising emulsified pancreas glands and one or more pancreatic enzymes in zymogen form, 
 wherein said one or more enzymes is a protease, and    wherein said stabilized pancreas product is stable upon exposure to air or water, and wherein said stabilized pancreas product is not defatted.    
     
     
         42 . The stabilized pancreas product according to  claim 41 , wherein said product contains about 1 percent to about 20 percent moisture.  
     
     
         43 . The stabilized pancreas product according to  claim 41 , wherein said product contains about 20 percent to about 95 percent moisture.  
     
     
         44 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has an amylase activity of at least about 0 percent of the amylase activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         45 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has an amylase activity of at least about 3 percent of the amylase activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         46 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has an amylase activity of at least about 75 percent of the amylase activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         47 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has an amylase activity of at least about 105 percent of the amylase activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         48 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has a protease activity of at least about 25 percent of the protease activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         49 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has a protease activity of at least about 80 percent of the protease activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         50 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has a protease activity of at least about 100 percent of the protease activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         51 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has a protease activity of at least about 130 percent of the protease activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         52 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , wherein said product, when activated, has a protease activity of at least about 200 percent of the protease activity of pancreatin.  
     
     
         53 . A feed additive comprising a stabilized pancreas product as recited in  claim 41 .  
     
     
         54 . An animal feed ration comprising a feed additive as recited in  claim 53 .  
     
     
         55 . The animal feed ration of  claim 54 , wherein the feed additive is about 0.1 percent (w/w) of the feed ration.  
     
     
         56 . The animal feed ration of  claim 54 , wherein the feed additive is about 0.2 percent (w/w) of the feed ration.  
     
     
         57 . The animal feed ration of  claim 54 , wherein the feed additive is about 0.4 percent (w/w) of the feed ration.  
     
     
         58 . The animal feed ration of  claim 54 , wherein the feed additive is about 0.5 percent (w/w) of the feed ration.  
     
     
         59 . The animal feed ration of  claim 54 , wherein said ration is formulated for an animal selected from the group consisting of cat, cattle, deer, dog, fish, goat, horse, llama, pig, poultry, rabbit, and sheep.  
     
     
         60 . A method comprising orally administering the stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41  to an animal.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein said stabilized pancreas product is administered to an animal beginning from about 1 week prior to a production change to about 1 week after the production change.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the production change is a transition from a first food source to a second food source.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the production change is a transition from a liquid food source to a solid food source.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the production change is weaning from a dam.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein said ration is formulated for an animal selected from the group consisting of cat, cattle, deer, dog, fish, goat, horse, llama, pig, poultry, rabbit, and sheep.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein said period of production change is the result of environmental factors.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the environmental factors are selected from the group consisting of changes in the temperature or climate to which the animal is exposed; changes in the animal's housing; and changes in the animal's social group, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         69 . A method of making a stabilized pancreas product comprising the steps of: 
 emulsifying pancreas glands to form emulsified pancreas; and    blending the emulsified pancreas with an acidifier, thereby obtaining a stabilized pancreas product, wherein said method does not comprise the removal of fats from said pancreas glands, and wherein said stabilized pancreas product is stable upon exposure to air or water.    
     
     
         69 . The method of claim  68 , wherein the acidifier is selected from the group consisting of propionic acid, acetic acid, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         70 . The method of claim  68  wherein the emulsified pancreas is acidified to a pH of about 6.0 to about 4.5.  
     
     
         71 . The method of claim  68 , further comprising the step of blending the stabilized pancreas product with a fiber source or byproduct thereof.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the fiber source or byproduct thereof is soy hulls.  
     
     
         73 . A method of making a stabilized pancreas product comprising the steps of: 
 mixing emulsified pancreas with a carrier; and    extruding the mixture, thereby obtaining a stabilized pancreas product.    
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of a fiber source or byproduct thereof, a grain or byproduct thereof, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of soy hulls, corn, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 73 , further comprising the step of drying the stabilized pancreas product in at least one apparatus selected from the group consisting of a cooler and an evaporation conveyer.  
     
     
         77 . A method of making a stabilized pancreas product comprising the steps of: 
 atomizing emulsified pancreas in a drying chamber; and    collecting the atomized pancreas, thereby obtaining a stabilized pancreas product.    
     
     
         78 . A method of making a feed ration comprising the steps of: 
 providing a range of dietary ingredients; and    mixing the ingredients with a stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , thereby obtaining a feed ration comprising a stabilized pancreas product.    
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78 , further comprising the step of forming the feed ration into pellets.  
     
     
         80 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , comprising trypsin in its zymogen form.  
     
     
         81 . The stabilized pancreas product of  claim 41 , comprising chymotrypsin in its zymogen form.