Technical field

The present invention relates to a feed additive with antioxidative properties, and also to an antioxidative additive to feedstuffs based on natural or nature-identical substances and a feed mixture, which contains the additive, and to a method of breeding domestic animals.

Technical background Since antibiotic and chemotherapeutic growth promoters have been phased out in domestic animal production in the EU, an acute need to find alternatives has arisen.

In recent years increasing attention has been directed to the fact that the widespread use of antibiotics and chemotherapeutical substances has resulted in problems. Larger and larger numbers of pathogenic microorganisms have developed resistance to the antibiotics concerned, which thus became less effective. Additionally, there is a risk of residues of antibiotics in meat products, so that antibiotics are also consumed by humans, and consequently, microorganisms that cause disease in humans may also become resistant. Similarly, there is a risk that microorganisms that are resistant to antibiotics may be eaten with meat products. Finally, there is a risk that antibiotics may be returned to the groundwater and watercourses.

It is now considered that the continued use of various antibiotics as growth promoters will among other things increase the risk that an epidemic may arise among animals and/or humans, which cannot be controlled with antibiotics. A considerable number of people have already developed allergies to specific antibiotics. In addition, one of the chemotherapeutical growth promoters used up to now has been shown to cause cancer.

Antibiotic growth promoters were therefore phased out in the EU by the end of 2005. The need for alternatives is increasing, since the ban on growth promoters has now led to an increasing use of antibiotics to treat various problems in domestic animal production.

Because of the factors described above, and in order to safeguard the economy and sustainability of breeding domestic animals, alternative methods are now being sought to ensure that domestic animals can be reared free from disease, without the use of antibiotics.

These measures can with advantage be based on natural or nature-identical active substances. Their effects on the animals' growth and exploitation of feed should also be equal to the classical growth promoters or better, to ensure that these new additives are accepted by the farmer on the one hand and by the animal feed industry on the other.

It is well known that many plants contain various functional and/or antibacterial substances, including saponins, flavonoids, tannins, hydroxycymenes and terpenes, and the use of such active substances from plant material in pharmaceutical products is also well known. A number of the positive properties of these active substances are due to their antioxidative properties. Antioxidants protect cells against breakdown and against harmful substances, reduce the risks of infection and have a special effect in periods of high production and stress.

The use of these natural substances as daily dietary supplements for animals has also been proposed. In many cases the claimed effects of such active plant components are not sufficiently documented, however, and many of these components are only present in small quantities in the plants concerned, while they are often too costly and/or difficult to obtain to be used daily for preventive purposes in animal feed.

It is well known that berries, and especially blackcurrants, blueberries and cranberries, have a high content of polyphenols with antioxidative capacity (Kahkonen et al., 2001 : Berry phenolics and their antioxidant activity. J. Agric. Food Chem 49, 4076-4082). Among other things, these berries contain anthocyanins, flavonol, rutin and catechin. Studies have shown the potential of berry fruits in preventing diseases like cancer and arteriosclerosis, and the mechanisms are assumed to be based on the way in which polyphenols counteract oxidative stress and inflammatory conditions (Neto, 2007: Cranberry and blueberry: Evidence for protective effects against cancer and vascular diseases. MoI. Nutr. Food Res. 51 , 652-664). Besides these, cranberries contain procyanidins, which are believed to exert an antibacterial effect by linking to bacteria and toxins, so they are thus beneficial against infections of the urinary tract and others (Duthie, 2007: Berry Fruits. MoI. Nutr. Food Res. 51 , 643). Elderberry has certain antiviral effect; it stimulates the immune system, and it has been suggested that it is effective against influenza (Wu et al. 2005: Aglycones and sugar moieties alter anthocyanin absorption and metabolism after berry consumption in weanling pigs. The Journal of Nutrition 135, 2417-2424).

Even though there is scientific evidence of the health-promoting effects of many different types of berry fruits, the extent to which berries are used in daily feed is very limited. As a component in animal feed for animals yielding marketable produce or for pets, berries are completely absent and unknown, and similarly, there have been no scientific or popular studies centered on the health-promoting effects of berries on the health and production of animals bred for marketing. A few published studies describe the effects of berries on the health of rats or the absorption of polyphenols in pigs, but the purposes of these studies have been to obtain knowledge with a view to use for humans, while the animals were simply used as models. No attention has been paid to the use of berries for animals yielding marketable produce, possibly owing to the high prices of berries, as a result of which the use of berries would not make sense economically in farming, where feeding costs must be kept to a minimum.

Various patents describe products and methods concerned with the health- promoting effects of berries on people. Very few patents refer to products containing berries for animals. The use of blackberry leaves and whole blackberries as a component in a feed mixture is described in a Polish patent (PL 173665). Here blackberries are included in a mixture of herbs and vegetables such as mint and fennel. This invention does not relate to a combination of several different berries with antioxidative properties. It is precisely the combination of different berries in this unique composition that produces the surprising effect on growth and exploitation of feed.

A German patent application (DE 102007001349) describes an additive for animals based on the residues from pressing various berries and from vines. However, these residues from pressing must be treated using a special enzyme- based method. Such methods are very costly. Thus there is a need for a cost- effective additive with antioxidative properties, which can be used for animals.

Surprisingly, it has now been shown that small quantities of a mixture of different parts of berries will have the effect of promoting growth and health when used as a cost-effective additive to feed and drinking water for domestic animals.

Brief description of the invention The present invention relates to a natural additive with antioxidative properties to be used as a supplement in feed for animals and/or to their drinking water, containing natural and/or nature-identical active substances, which contain antioxidative elements and which is obtained from one or several of the following berries: blackcurrants {Ribes nigrum), elderberries {Sambucus spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccus; V. microcarpum; V. macrocarpum), chokeberries (Aronia spp., especially Aronia arbutifolia; Aronia melanocarpa) and natural emulgators, especially Quillaja (quillaja saponaria), Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), tea {Camellia spp., such as C. oleifera and C. sinensis), as well as conventional supplementary substances and/or additives.

The invention also relates to a feed mix for domestic animals containing the additive together with a conventional feedstuff, and a procedure used in breeding domestic animals, by means of which the animals are fed with the feedstuff mix, also in the form of wet fodder or as top dressing, and when it is given to them in their drinking water.

Moreover, the additive can be based on one or several waste products, which at present have no other significant practical use, and thus the active component is very cheap and cost effective, while the production of the product is simplified.

The extent of the usefulness of the invention will be shown in the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are indicated, are given only for illustration, since various alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to a person skilled in the art based on the detailed description.

Detailed description of the invention

The components of the additive according to the invention are obtainable based on a by-product from the production of foods, especially jellies or juices and the like, obtained from the berries mentioned above or obtained from the actual berries or the leaves.

During the production of jelly or juice a by-product is produced, known as pomace. This pomace consists of the skins of berries, seeds, and sometimes fruit pulp. The antioxidant content of the pomace is high, and it is similarly high in the leaves of blackberry and cranberry bushes and elderberry trees.

The component can be exploited either as whole elements or as extracts of the whole elements or of the by-products. Extraction can be carried out with the aid of water, alcohol or a combination of these.

When the pomace products are exploited and the extracts are produced, the resulting fluid product can be reduced until its water content is not more than 8- 15%, normally to a maximum water content of 10% water; or it can be conserved, for instance by adding 3 to 10% by weight of NaCI or some other salt; and it can then be stored for drying later. To ensure the keeping qualities further, it is advantageous to add 0 to 5% of a type of acid that is acceptable in feed, such as citric acid, tartaric acid or lactic acid or a mixture of these, the addition of which will at the same time positively influence the effectiveness of the product. Similarly, it may be advantageous to add a preservative, such as sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate or calcium propionate.

The pomace products, extracts and dried and powdered plant parts can be further concentrated to the extent necessary by the removal of some of the water in the product. This can be done by filtration, extraction, centrifugation and other conventional methods.

The components in the additive according to the invention contain a number of active substances which are of interest. The most essential include substances, primarily polyphenols, with antioxidative properties and tannins. The additive according to the invention has the following advantageous effects among others:

1) An antioxidative effect in the animal

* protects against cell breakdown

* reduces the consumption of other antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium

3) It improves the animal's productivity and health because * it has antimicrobial and antiviral properties

* it hinders inflammatory conditions

^* It improves the balance between antioxidants and radicals in stress situations, thus has the effect of reducing oxidative stress

4) Effects on product quality

* reduction of liquid loss in meat (drip loss)

* improvement of the meat color * keeps fresh longer

The additive according to the invention can with great advantage be used for both monogastric animals and for ruminants, including cattle, pigs, poultry, calves, horses, fish, shellfish and social animals or pets, hereafter referred to as domestic animals.

Formulation of Commercial Products with the Additive According to the Invention Depending on the concentration in the raw product, and the variation of the concentration of the active substances relevant to the additive according to the invention, it may be necessary to mix the raw product with a suitable carrier, so that a final product appears which on the one hand is reasonably standardized, and on the other hand is not too concentrated to allow it to be mixed directly into the feed either on the premises of ready-feed manufacturers or by those who mix feed at home.

Suitable carriers in order to obtain the properties mentioned in the commercial feed additive are primarily mineral carriers in the form of clay minerals and zeoliths - especially sepiolite and clinoptilolite - and secondarily vegetable carriers such as wheat flour, wheat bran, ground soya husk, etc. Calcium carbonate may also be usable as a carrier, not so much because of its technical properties, but because of its low price. The same applies to grape seed flour, a known carrier that is frequently used in animal feed.

Vegetable matter and the pomace can to a greater or lesser extent be pre-ground before they are mixed with the carrier in question.

The additive according to the invention has proved to have a significant effect on domestic animals' intake of feed, their daily growth and exploitation of feed. The reasons for the effects referred to are not fully clarified, since there may be more than those discovered up to the present. The reasons already confirmed include the following.

The Additive according to the invention

^* reduces the consumption of other antioxidants such as vitamin E ₁ vitamin C and selenium in animals yielding marketable products and in pet animals

* reduces the negative effects of stress factors

The additive according to the invention can be added to any other desired feed product for any domestic animal as previously mentioned. The additive should preferably be added so that the quantity of additive intended for 1000kg feed contains 1 - 500Og of the antioxidative component, 100-500Og, 500-5000 g, 1000- 5000 g of the antioxidative component, calculated as dry matter. Those skilled in the art will immediately be able to adapt the quantity of additive to the specific type of feed that is appropriate for any given type of domestic animal.

Examples

A number of tests have been carried out to verify the additive.

To produce 1 kg of feed additive - formulated as a premix - the following materials must be mixed in the dry state, referred to in the following as "Quiponin B":

Blackcurrant pomace: 35 g

Elderberry pomace 15 g Ground and dried material from the bark of the soap bark tree (Quillaja): 50 g

Sepiolite: 450 g

Wheat flour: 450 g

To produce 1kg of feed additive - formulated as a premix - the following materials must be mixed in the dry state, referred to in the following as "Quiponin blackcurrant": Blackcurrant pomace: 50 g

Ground and dried material from the bark of the soap bark tree (Quillaja): 50 g Sepiolite: 450 g

Wheat flour: 450 g

To produce 1kg of feed additive - formulated as a premix - the following materials must be mixed in the dry state, referred to in the following as "Quiponin elderberry":

Elderberry pomace: 50 g

Ground and dried material from the bark of the soap bark tree (Quillaja): 50 g

Sepiolite: 450 g

Wheat flour: 450 g

To produce 1 kg of feed additive - formulated as a premix - the following materials must be mixed in the dry state, referred to in the following as "Quiponin B Concentrate":

Blackcurrant extract (water extract, spray dried): 7.5 g Elderberry extract (water extract, spray dried): 20.8 g

Ground and dried material from the bark of the soap bark tree (Quillaja): 50 g

Sepiolite: 460 g

Wheat flour: 461.7 g

Introduction

Five tests were carried out with newly weaned piglets at two different test locations. The tests comprised a control group and a test group with approx. thirty animals in each group for the tests of Quiponin Blackcurrant, Quiponin Elderberry, Quiponin B (2) and Quiponin Concentrate and 40 pigs per group for the test of Quiponin B (1). All the pigs were fed ad libitum with the same feed. 2000 ppm of the given test product were added to the feed of the test groups. The pigs were weighed at the start, after 10 days and after 21 days. Feed intake was measured on the same days, so that exploitation of the feed could be calculated.

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While the tests with Quiponin

Gόritrόϊ;HHy ^: :- ^' _: fc;Test ^: Blackcurrant, Quiponin Elderberry, Quiponin B (2) and Quiponin Concentrate were carried out at the Danish farm S, the test of Quiponin B (1) was carried out at the Czech Institute of Animal Production.

Results

The following tables show the results of a number of tests in which Quiponin products were tested on young pigs, and the effect on daily growth, feed intake (Fl) and feed conversion rate (FCR).

Table 1: Results, first test period (10 days), index shown as test/control (T/C)

able 2: Results, second test period ), index shown as test/control (T/C)

All variants of the test feed showed the greatest effect on daily growth in the first test period. Particularly conspicuous is the improvement of 43% in the test group that was given Quiponin Blackcurrant, and the extreme improvement of 167% in the pigs that were fed Quiponin B - although it should be noted, however, that there was very little growth generally in the latter test. Similarly, there was greater daily growth in the second test period in all the test groups fed with one of the four variants. The improvement in this period ranged from 3-20%.

The pigs' intake of feed was increased in four of the test groups compared with the control. The test products improved the exploitation of the feed by 3-11% in the total period. Since the product has now been described, it will become apparent that it can be varied in many ways. Such variations shall not be regarded as deviations from the scope of the invention, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that all such modifications should also be considered to be comprised in the scope of the claims that follow.