Protein-rich feedstuff with resistance to lowered digestibility due to heat damage

Abstract

Protein-rich feedstuffs which contain at least one protein feed material and either betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine are resistant to reduction of digestibility as a result of heat damage during drying.

1 . A protein-rich feedstuff, comprising:
 (a) at least one protein feed material; and   (b) betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine;   wherein:   the protein-rich feedstuff comprises the betaine in an amount of not less than 3.5 grams of betaine per 100 grams protein in the protein feed material; and   the protein-rich feedstuff comprises at least 20 wt. % protein on a dry matter basis.   
     
     
         2 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one protein feed material is distillers grains or any fraction of grains resulting from industrial production of ethanol. 
     
     
         3 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 2 , wherein the grains are grains resulting from industrial production of ethanol from corn, wheat, milo, sorghum, rice or barley. 
     
     
         4 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one protein feed material comprises corn distillers grains. 
     
     
         5 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one protein feed material comprises corn distillers grains plus solubles. 
     
     
         6 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one protein feed material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of soybean meal, soy-protein flour, soy-protein isolate, canola meal, corn gluten meal, peanut meal, and cottonseed meal. 
     
     
         7 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine is any one of betaine, amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles, molasses containing betaine, condensed separator byproduct, condensed molasses solubles, vinasse, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one feed product which contains betaine is selected from the group consisting of a condensed, extracted glutamic acid fermentation product, amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production lysine, amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production threonine, and amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production tryptophan. 
     
     
         9 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one feed product which contains betaine comprises a condensed, extracted glutamic acid fermentation product. 
     
     
         10 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one feed product which contains betaine is amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production lysine. 
     
     
         11 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said protein feed material has a moisture content between 10 and 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of said protein feed material. 
     
     
         12 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said protein-rich feedstuff has a moisture content between 0 and 20 wt. %, based on the total weight of said protein-rich feedstuff. 
     
     
         13 . The protein-rich feedstuff of  claim 1 , wherein said betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine has a moisture content between 0 and 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of said betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine. 
     
     
         14 . A process of making a protein-rich feedstuff, said process comprising:
 (i) mixing (a) at least one protein feed material with (b) betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine, to obtain a mixture; and   (ii) drying said mixture, to obtain said protein-rich feedstuff,   wherein:   the protein-rich feedstuff comprises the betaine in an amount of not less than 3.5 grams of betaine per 100 grams protein in the protein feed material; and   the protein-rich feedstuff comprises at least 20 wt. % protein on a dry matter basis.   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one protein feed material is distillers grains or any fraction of grains resulting from industrial production of ethanol. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the grains are grains resulting from industrial production of ethanol from corn, wheat, milo, sorghum, rice or barley. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one protein feed material comprises corn distillers grains. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one protein feed material comprises corn distillers grains plus solubles. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one protein feed material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of soybean meal, soy-protein flour, soy-protein isolate, canola meal, corn gluten meal, peanut meal, and cottonseed meal. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine is any one of betaine, amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles, molasses containing betaine, condensed separator byproduct, condensed molasses solubles, vinasse, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one feed product which contains betaine is selected from the group consisting of a condensed, extracted glutamic acid fermentation product, amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production lysine, amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production threonine, and amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production tryptophan. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one feed product which contains betaine comprises a condensed, extracted glutamic acid fermentation product. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one feed product which contains betaine is amino acid fermentation byproduct solubles from the fermentative production lysine. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said protein feed material has a moisture content between 10 and 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of said protein feed material. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said protein-rich feedstuff has a moisture content between 0 and 20 wt. %, based on the total weight of said protein-rich feedstuff. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine has a moisture content between 0 and 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of said betaine or at least one feed product which contains betaine. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said drying comprises exposing said mixture to an atmosphere having a temperature of 80 to 600° C. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said drying comprises exposing said mixture to an atmosphere having a temperature of 80 to 600° C. for a time of 1 to 60 minutes. 
     
     
         29 . A protein-rich feedstuff, which is obtainable by the process of claim  claim 14 . 
     
     
         30 . A process for raising livestock, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         31 . A process for raising livestock, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 .   
     
     
         32 . A process for making meat, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 ; and   harvesting meat from said livestock.   
     
     
         33 . A process for making meat, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 ; and   harvesting meat from said livestock.   
     
     
         34 . A process for making milk, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 ; and   harvesting milk from said livestock.   
     
     
         35 . A process for making milk, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 ; and   harvesting milk from said livestock.   
     
     
         36 . A process for making a dairy product, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 ;   harvesting milk from said livestock; and   converting said milk into said dairy product.   
     
     
         37 . A process for making a dairy product, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 ;   harvesting milk from said livestock; and   converting said milk into said dairy product.   
     
     
         38 . A process for making eggs or an egg product, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 ; and   harvesting eggs from said livestock.   
     
     
         39 . A process for making eggs or an egg product, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 ; and   harvesting eggs from said livestock.   
     
     
         40 . A process for making wool, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 ; and   harvesting wool from said livestock.   
     
     
         41 . A process for making wool, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 ; and   harvesting wool from said livestock.   
     
     
         42 . A process for making fur, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 ; and   harvesting fur from said livestock.   
     
     
         43 . A process for making fur, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 ; and   harvesting fur from said livestock.   
     
     
         44 . A process for making leather, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 1 ;   harvesting skin from said livestock; and   converting said skin into said leather.   
     
     
         45 . A process for making leather, comprising:
 feeding livestock a protein-rich feedstuff according to  claim 29 ;   harvesting skin from said livestock; and   converting said skin into said leather.