Methods of making and using a ruminant gas reduction composition

Abstract

A method comprising administering an oligosaccharide composition to an organism having a gastrointestinal system to affect the production of GHG produced by the organism allowing for a reduction of the GHG produced by the organism while optimizing the health, feed intake, and protein synthesis of the organism so that management of the organism may realize the synergistic effects of maximizing both typical organism commodity-type concerns (e.g., size and production metrics) and atypical organism commodity-type concerns (e.g., carbon credit trading/monetization). A gas-reducing composition comprising soluble extractable material from a lignocellulosic source. A method of producing a composition, comprising providing a lignocellulosic source; extracting soluble materials from the lignocellulosic source to produce soluble extractable material; and processing the soluble extractable material to yield a gas-reducing composition, wherein the gas-reducing composition comprises hemicellulose and exhibits gas-reducing activity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ruminal gas reducing composition comprising soluble extractable material from a lignocellulosic source. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble extractable material comprises galactoglucomannans, xylans, fructans, arabinoxylans, glucomannans, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble extractable material comprises galactoglucomannans. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the galactoglucomannans comprise glucose units, galactose units, and mannose units in a ratio of about 3 to about 1 to about 6. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lignocellulosic source comprises a member of the order Pinales, the family Pinaceae, a member of the family Fagaceae, a member of the order Saxifragales, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the lignocellulosic source comprises a member of the genus  Pinus.    
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a composition, comprising:
 providing a lignocellulosic source;   extracting soluble materials from the lignocellulosic source to produce soluble extractable material; and   processing the soluble extractable material to yield a gas-reducing composition, wherein the gas-reducing composition comprises hemicellulose and exhibits gas-reducing activity.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein extracting soluble materials comprises softening the lignocellulosic source by autohydrolysis, pulping, steam explosion, steam extrusion, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the hemicellulose comprises galactoglucomannans, xylans, fructans, arabinoxylans, glucomannans, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the soluble extractable materials comprise monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides composed of glucose, galactose, and mannose units in a ratio of about 3 to about 1 to about 6. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising hydrolyzing the soluble extractable materials to produce a hydrolyzed composition. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hydrolyzed composition comprises polysaccharides having a degree of polymerization of from about 2 to about 20. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising dehydrating the soluble extractable materials. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising administering the gas-reducing composition of  claim 1  to an organism having a gastrointestinal system including an organism that has a rumen in its gastrointestinal tract. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein administration of the gas-reducing composition results in a decrease in the methane production of the organism when compared to an otherwise similar organism not administered the gas-reducing composition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein administration of the gas-reducing composition results in an increase in the dry matter digestibility when compared to an otherwise similar organism not administered the gas-reducing composition. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein administration of the gas-reducing composition results in an change in volatile fatty acid production, a change in pH, and an decreased acetate:propionate ratio as compared to an otherwise similar organism not administered the gas-reducing composition. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein administration of the gas-reducing composition results in an increase in hexose and/or pentose fermentation within the organism when compared to an otherwise similar organism not administered the gas-reducing composition. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein administration of the composition improves production of an organism-derived commodity, a biological function, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the biological function comprises nutrient uptake, muscle growth, muscle development, weight gain, coat growth, survival, or combinations thereof.