Improved animal feed compositions and methods of use

Abstract

The invention provides an animal feed composition comprising microbial α-amylase, for example, an animal feed composition comprising transgenic plant material comprising a microbial α-amylase (e.g., a thermostable microbial α-amylase). The invention further provides methods of increasing animal performance and/or the efficiency of feed utilization by an animal (e.g., for milk or meat production), comprising feeding to the animal an animal feed composition of the present invention.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of increasing the efficiency of feed utilization for milk production by a dairy animal, the method comprising feeding to the dairy animal an animal feed comprising transgenic maize plant material, wherein the transgenic maize plant material comprises a polynucleotide encoding a recombinant α-amylase, and wherein the recombinant α-amylase has at least about 80% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the efficiency of feed utilization for milk production is increased by at least about 0.02 as compared with the efficiency of feed utilization for milk production by a control animal that is not provided the animal feed. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dairy animal is a cow. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dairy animal is a goat. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recombinant α-amylase has at least about 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and/or SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alpha amylase is a thermostable alpha amylase. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recombinant α-amylase is α-amylase 797GL3 or D45. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the maize plant material comprises maize event 3272. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recombinant α-amylase is targeted away from its substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recombinant α-amylase is targeted to the chloroplast, vacuole, cytoplasm, apoplast or endoplasmic reticulum. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recombinant α-amylase is targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide encoding the recombinant α-amylase is expressed in the kernel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal feed comprises pellets, grain, silage, dry-rolled kernels, steam flaked kernels, whole kernels, coarsely cracked kernels, high moisture corn, or any combination thereof, comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal feed comprises at least about 10% by weight on a dry matter basis of the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal feed is a total mixed ration comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal feed comprises silage comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal feed comprises dry-rolled kernels comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal feed comprises steam flaked kernels comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         23 . A method of increasing the efficiency of feed utilization for milk production by a dairy cow, the method comprising feeding to the dairy cow an animal feed comprising transgenic maize plant material, wherein the transgenic maize plant material comprises maize event 3272. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the efficiency of feed utilization for milk production is increased by at least about 0.02 as compared with the efficiency of feed utilization for milk production by a control animal that is not provided the animal feed. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the animal feed comprises pellets, grain, silage, dry-rolled kernels, steam flaked kernels, whole kernels, coarsely cracked kernels, high moisture corn, or any combination thereof, comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the animal feed comprises at least about 10% by weight on a dry matter basis of the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the animal feed is a total mixed ration comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the animal feed comprises silage comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the animal feed comprises dry-rolled kernels comprising the transgenic maize plant material. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the animal feed comprises steam flaked kernels comprising the transgenic maize plant material.