Animal feed compositions and feeding methods

Abstract

This invention relates to animal feed compositions. The invention also provides compositions comprising a compound of this invention and the use of such compositions in methods of increasing and optimizing feed efficiency in animals.

1 . A method for enhancing the desired performance of a ruminant animal comprising the oral administration of a rumen pH modulating amount of a hop acid to the ruminant animal; wherein the ruminant animal is administered an animal feed that is free from a polyether ionophore compound. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method for enhancing the desired performance of a ruminant animal that had been administered a polyether ionophore or macrolide antibiotic containing an animal feed, comprising the step of discontinuing administration of a polyether ionophore or macrolide antibiotic feed, and administering a hop acid containing animal feed. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the oral administration of hop acids in a ruminant's diet includes a feed composition, feed supplement, feed ration, water ration, mineral lick, and/or bolus. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the hop acid is derived from a hop or hop source, or is produced synthetically. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the hop acid is a hop β-acid. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the hop β-acid is lupulone, colupulone, adlupulone, hexahydro-lupulone, hexahydro-colupulone, hexahydro-adlupulone, or hulupone. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the hop acid is a hop α-acid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hop α-acid is humulone, cohumulone, adhumulone, isohumulone, isocohumulone, isoadhumulone, dihydro-isohumulone, dihydro-isocohumulone, dihydro-isoadhumulone, tetrahydro-isohumulone, tetrahydro-isocohumulone, tetrahydro-isoadhumulone, hexahydro-isohumulone, hexahydro-isocohumulone, or hexahydro-isoadhumulone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the amount of hop acid administered to the ruminant animal is between 0.1-1000 mg/animal/day. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hop acid is administered in an effective amount, including but not limited to, as part of a formulation, compounded mixture, salt, hydrate, solvate, and/or polymorph. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pH of a rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample from the time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is maintained in a range from about 5 to 8. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pH of rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample from the time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is maintained in the preferable range from about 5.2 to 7. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is enhanced by an increase in total volatile fatty acid content in the rumen fluid or intestinal digesta. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is an enhanced feed efficiency. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the enhanced feed efficiency results in enhanced weight gain or enhanced milk production. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is decreased methane production. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is increased rumen ammonia production. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein ammonia concentration of a rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 2 to 8 mM. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is enhanced by an increase in acetate concentration, and the concentration of acetate in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 30 to 50 mM. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is increased rumen propionate production, and the concentration of propionate, in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 20 to 45 mM. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is enhanced by an increase in acetate to propionate concentration, and the acetate to propionate concentration ratio in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is maintained in a range from about 0.75 to 2.95. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is enhanced by a decrease in butyrate concentration, and the concentration of butyrate in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 6 to 13 mM. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is enhanced by an increase in isobutyrate concentration, and the concentration of isobutyrate in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 0.5 to 1.1 mM. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is enhanced by an increase in valerate concentration, and the concentration of valerate in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 2 to 4 mM. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is enhanced by an increase in isovalerate concentration, and the isovalerate concentration in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 1.5 to 2.5 mM. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired performance of a ruminant animal is a maintenance of lactate concentration in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample, and the lactate concentration is maintained in a range to minimize effects of dysfunctional ruminal metabolism. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the lactate concentration in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample is within a desired range to prevent acidosis, subclinical acidosis and/or bloat. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the lactate concentration in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample at any time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding is in the range from about 0 to 2 mM. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the polyether ionophore compound is monensin. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the animal does not suffer from acidosis. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pH of an animal rumen is higher in the ruminant animal administered a hop acid containing animal feed than the pH of an animal rumen that is administered an animal feed treated with a polyether ionophore compound in the absence of hop acids. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the concentration in rumen fluid or intestinal digesta sample from the time immediately upon initiation of feeding to 24 hours post-feeding of the following is:
 acetate is maintained in a range from about 30 to 50 mM;   propionate is maintained in a range from about 20 to 45 mM;   butyrate is maintained in a range from about 6 to 13 mM;   isobutyrate is maintained in a range from about 0.5 to 1.1 mM;   valerate is maintained in a range from about 2 to 4 mM;   isovalerate is maintained in a range from about 1.5 to 2.5 mM;   acetate:propionate concentration ratio is maintained in a range from about 0.75:2.95;   total volatile fatty acid (VFA) is maintained in a range from about 70 to 110 mM;   ammonia is maintained in a range from about 2 to 8 mM; and   lactate concentration is maintained in a range from about 0 to 2 mM.