Combination of bioavailable methionine with at least one essential oil

Abstract

A method of improving livestock performance that includes administering a synergistic composition including a bioavailable methionine compound and at least one essential oil, as a feed additive to livestock. Improved livestock performance includes improved livestock growth, viability, homogeneity, production efficiency, or any combination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of improving livestock performance comprising:
 administering a synergistic composition comprising:   a) a bioavailable methionine compound, and   b) at least one essential oil as a feed additive to livestock.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein improved livestock performance comprises improved livestock growth, improved livestock viability, improved livestock homogeneity, improved livestock production efficiency, or any combination thereof when compared to livestock that have not been administered the synergistic composition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the bioavailable methionine compound (i) is present at a concentration of 15 wt % to 85 wt % in the synergistic composition and (ii) has a general formula (I):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which 
       R represents H or an isopropyl group and 
       R′ represents —OH or —NH 2 ; and
 the at least one essential oil is present at a concentration of 15 wt % to 85 wt % in the synergistic composition. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the synergistic composition further comprises:
 c) at least one other compound.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one other compound comprises an emulsifier or gelatin. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the synergistic composition consists of:
 a) from 20 wt % to 80 wt % of the bioavailable methionine compound, and   b) from 20 wt % to 80 wt % of the at least one essential oil.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bioavailable methionine compound is 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the bioavailable methionine compound is 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the bioavailable methionine compound is in solution form and the essential oil is in solution form, and the bioavailable methionine compound in solution form and the essential oil in solution form are pre-mixed to form a pre-mixed solution prior to administration to the livestock. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the bioavailable methionine compound is in solution form and the essential oil is in solution form, and the bioavailable methionine compound in solution form and the essential oil in solution form are pre-mixed to form a pre-mixed solution, and the pre-mixed solution is added to a livestock feed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 improving livestock performance in livestock having been administered the synergistic composition by reducing livestock gas production produced by livestock intestinal microflora by at least p<0.05 in livestock having been administered the synergistic composition when compared to at least one control and measured by a Fisher PLSD test.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 improving livestock performance in livestock having been administered the synergistic composition by reducing livestock gas production produced by livestock intestinal microflora by at least p<0.05 in livestock having been administered the synergistic composition when compared to at least one control and measured by a Fisher PLSD test.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the livestock intestinal microflora comprise  Campylobacter jejuni.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the livestock intestinal microflora comprise  Campylobacter jejuni.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the synergistic composition consists of the bioavailable methionine oil and the at least one essential oil. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feed additive is present in a livestock feed, and the feed additive comprises less than 2 wt % of the overall weight of the livestock feed.