BE1019594A3 - PROCESS FOR INCREASING THE QUALITY OF PROTEINS AND / OR LIPIDS IN MILK OF A LACTATION RUMINANT - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for increasing the amount of protein and / or lipids supplied by a lactating ruminant via milk, comprising the step of providing the ruminant between 0.05 and 15 grams per kg of milk. body weight and per day of carbohydrates which are soluble, slowly fermentable in the stomach of the ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant. Said carbohydrates preferably contain isomaltulose and / or trehalulose.

Description

A method for increasing the amount of protein and / or lipid in the milk of a lactating ruminant The invention relates to a method for increasing the amount of protein and / or lipid provided by a lactating ruminant via milk.

Since lactating ruminants such as cows are kept and reared for milk production, processes have been sought to maximize the quantity and quality of milk that is supplied daily by the ruminant. It has long been established that it is not enough to provide more feed to the ruminant but that the composition of the food itself is an important factor.

A known method for increasing the amount of milk comprises the step of adding monopropylene glycol (MPG, chemical formula HO-CH 2 -CHOH-CH 3, also called PG, in the form of 1,2-propanediol, or a-propylene glycol) to feed for a ruminant, particularly a ruminant at the beginning of lactation (Nielsen and Ingvartsen, Animal Feed Science and Technology 115 (2004), pages 191-213).

A disadvantage of the known method is that, although MPG administration can lead to increased milk production per day in ruminants in early lactation, milk quality in terms of lipid concentration and / or Protein can decrease at the same time. In addition, giving MPG appears to have no significant effect on milk production in subsequent lactation phases; it is also known that MPG has a low palatability and leads to a severe test of the functioning of the liver of the ruminant.

An object of the present invention is to reduce or even eliminate the disadvantages mentioned above.

The object is achieved in that the method comprises the step of feeding the ruminant between 0.05 and 15 grams per kg of body weight per day of carbohydrates which are soluble and slowly fermentable in the diet. stomach of the ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant.

An advantage of the process according to the invention lies in the fact that the quality and / or the quantity of milk provided by a lactating ruminant can increase. Another advantage of the present invention is that side effects such as acidosis, associated with the consumption of many types of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates, are reduced or even largely or even completely absent. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it can help to avoid a strain on the functioning of the ruminant liver. . . .

WO-A-2010 015708 discloses a feed for milk-producing animals comprising extruded linseeds and a fat content of between 23% and 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the feed, characterized in that it also comprises at least one reducing sugar in the form of a disaccharide comprising at least one fructose unit, derivatives thereof, isomers thereof and mixtures thereof. The detailed composition of lipids in milk is discussed in WO-A-2010 015708; this especially discloses a relative increase of C18 fatty acids as calculated with respect to the total amount of lipids and a relative decrease of C4-C17 fatty acids as calculated with respect to the total amount of lipids. In addition, the known phenomenon of milk fat depression is mentioned in WO-A-2010 015708; it is a reduction in the lipid content of milk which has been shown to be related to the presence of lipids in the ruminant diet (see also Harvatine et al., J. Nutrition, Vol. 139 No. 5, pages 849-854, 2009).

WO-A-0078160 discloses a method for increasing ruminant milk production which comprises preparing food which contains sorbitol and at least one additional nutritional component and administering the feed to the ruminant orally, the ruminant ingesting about 100 grams or less of sorbitol per day.

WO-A-03 045401 discloses a method for improving the health and production of ruminant animals, the method comprising the step of orally administering to the animal an effective amount of an indigestible oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of oligosaccharides and isomalto-oligosaccharides.

As is known, the quality of the milk is judged, among other things, by the concentration of proteins, lipids (fat) and lactose in the milk. A general rule for proteins and lipids in particular is that higher concentrations are preferred; moreover, it is typical that the lactose concentration hardly varies according to the type of food that is given to the ruminant.

The determination of these concentrations is well known to those skilled in the art: the protein content is often derived from a nitrogen analysis (such as a Kjeldahl analysis) multiplied by a milk-specific factor.

The fat content is often determined by the so-called Gerber process according to which the milk fat material is separated from the proteins by adding sulfuric acid. Separation is facilitated by using amyl alcohol and centrifugation. The fat content is read directly via a specially calibrated butyrometer.

The lactose content is often determined by enzymatic reactions that cause a pH change directly proportional to the lactose content in a sample.

Alternatively, the amount of protein, lipid and lactose can be determined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis as practiced inter alia by Foss Electric of Denmark.

The method according to the invention relates to ruminants. As is known, a ruminant is a mammal of the order Artiodactyla that digests plant-based food by initially softening it in a first stomach chamber, then regurgitating it and chewing the semi-digested mass. Ruminant mammals include cattle (such as cattle, bos primigenius), goats, sheep, giraffes, bison, yaks, buffaloes, deer, camelids and others. The ruminant is preferably cattle (cow), goat, or sheep (Ον / 's aries), ideally a cow. A characteristic of ruminants is that intensive fermentation takes place in the stomach, especially carbohydrates and proteins. Thus, typically fermentable carbohydrates such as sucrose will be completely decomposed in the stomach and will lead to the formation of other compounds such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs). As used herein, the term stomach refers to the overall stomach system, i.e. including its compartments such as the rumen, recticulum, omasum or abomasum.

According to the invention, the ruminant should be a lactating ruminant. In practice, a distinction can be made between an early lactation phase, for example the first 60 to 80 days after the ruminant has calved, if the ruminant is a cow, and the subsequent lactation phases. The characteristics of the early lactation phase are, among other things, a natural tendency of the ruminant to provide as much milk as possible, therefore not to save his own reserves and therefore often to lack energy.

In one embodiment of the invention, the method is particularly suitable for ruminants in an early lactation phase, i.e., during the first 70 days after calving if the ruminant is a cow. While not wishing to be bound by the theory, it is believed that feeding a ruminant according to the present invention can provide a direct source of energy and help the ruminant cope with the pressure on his own energy balance in the first lactation period. .

In another embodiment of the invention, however, the method is particularly suitable for ruminants in a subsequent lactation phase, particularly starting after 70 days until the end of lactation which is typically for about one cow. 300 days after calving.

The method according to the invention comprises the step of giving the ruminant carbohydrates which are soluble, slowly fermentable in the stomach of the ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant.

As understood herein, the term carbohydrate does not include compounds that are obtained by hydrogenation of carbohydrates; these compounds are commonly referred to as polyols or sugar alcohols; Examples of these hydrogenated carbohydrates are sorbitol, maltitol and Tisonnait. Similarly, the term carbohydrate as used herein does not include compounds that are obtained by oxidation of carbohydrates; examples of oxidized carbohydrates are gluconic acid, maltobionic acid and lactobionic acid.

As understood herein, a soluble carbohydrate is a carbohydrate that has a solubility in water of at least 1 gram per liter, preferably at least 5, 10, 15 or even 20, 30 or 50 grams per liter, the carbohydrate being put in water which is at room temperature and has a neutral pH to determine the solubility. Without wishing to be bound by the theory, it is thought that the solubility of the carbohydrate significantly reduces its residence time in the stomach of the ruminant relative to non-soluble compounds. A reduced residence time can help to obtain a slow fermentability in the stomach.

As understood herein, a slowly fermentable carbohydrate is a carbohydrate that escapes at least part of the fermentation in the stomach; therefore, at least 10% by weight, preferably at least 15% by weight of the carbohydrate should escape (avoid) fermentation in the stomach and be available for digestion or eventual subsequent fermentation, for example occurring in the duodenum and / or in later sections of the ruminant intestines. More preferably, at least 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or even at least 50, 55, 60, 65, or 70% by weight of the carbohydrate escape fermentation in the stomach of the ruminant . The percentage by weight of the carbohydrate that escapes fermentation in the stomach is determined by a comparison with carbohydrates of sugarcane molasses by the method of Examples 1 and 2 and the comparative experiment. A, described below; determining the percentage by weight of the carbohydrates that escapes fermentation in the stomach is done by establishing the residual amount at the moment the carbohydrates of the cane molasses are reduced by 95%.

By escaping or avoiding fermentation in the stomach, the carbohydrate becomes available in the ruminant for other processes such as in particular direct intestinal digestion or intestinal fermentation. The carbohydrate as understood in the invention is digestible. As understood herein, the term digestible means that the ruminant is able to cause at least 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50% of the intestines %, 60%, 70%, 75%, or even essentially all the saccharide moieties of the carbohydrate that has entered the intestines become available as such, preferably by enzymatic hydrolysis, and can then be absorbed for systemic use.

In a main embodiment, the carbohydrate as understood in the invention is fermentable in the intestines. As understood herein, the term fermentable in the intestines means that at least 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, or even essentially all of the hydrate Carbon that has entered the intestines is fermented by microorganisms in the small intestine or in the large intestine of the ruminant.

In yet another main embodiment of the invention, the carbohydrate as understood in the invention is subjected in the intestines to both digestion and fermentation, so that at least 20 %, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, or even essentially all the carbohydrate that has entered the intestines is either digested or fermented in the intestines.

Measuring the percentage of combined digestion and fermentation of a carbohydrate in the intestines of a ruminant can be done by comparing measurements of the carbohydrate at entry into the intestines in the duodenum, as expected in the Example 4, with measurements in the excrements of the ruminant while taking into account transit times by the intestines.

As used herein, the terms "substantially", "consist essentially or substantially all" and their equivalents have, unless otherwise indicated, relative to a composition or a process, the usual meaning that deviations may occur in the composition or process but only to the extent that the essential characteristics and effects of the composition or process are not materially affected by those deviations.

Advantageously, the systemic availability of the saccharide moieties is achieved without the saccharide moieties being formed by an action, inter alia, of the ruminant liver. Since the carbohydrates suitable for use in the present invention will typically consist of more than one saccharide moiety bound to oligo or polysaccharides, the digestibility of these carbohydrates implies that the ruminant can separate, for example by enzymatic, at least a portion of the carbohydrate monosaccharide moieties. It is further preferred that the carbohydrate contain glucose and / or fructose moieties, since these moieties are efficiently absorbed and used by ruminants. Preferably, the carbohydrate contains at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, or even at least 80% of glucose and / or fructose moieties; Particularly preferred are carbohydrates which consist essentially of glucose and / or fructose moieties.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, carbohydrates which are soluble, slowly fermentable in the stomach of ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant contain isomaltulose, trehalulose, or a mixture thereof. isomaltulose and trehalulose. Surprisingly, these two isomers of sucrose are fermented at a very slow rate in the stomach of ruminants while being considered digestible and possibly fermentable in the intestinal regions beyond the stomach of ruminants such as cows. In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrates which are soluble, slowly fermentable in the ruminant stomach, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the ruminant intestines contain at least 25% by weight of isomaltulose and / or trehalulose; more preferably at least 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or even at least 60% by weight or essentially all of the carbohydrates which are soluble, slowly fermentable in the stomach of the ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant consist of isomaltulose and / or trehalulose.

A preferred example of a carbohydrate mixture of this embodiment is the Palatinose syrup which is a syrup containing isomaltulose (chemical name aD-Glucopyranosyl- (1-> 6) -D-fructofuranose) and trehalulose (chemically called -D-Glucopyranosyl- (1-> 1) -D-fructose), plus various sugars such as fructose and sucrose. More specifically, Palatinose syrup is understood to be a syrup containing: i. between 1% by weight and 25% by weight of fructose, preferably between 7 and 17% by weight; ii. between 1% by weight and 25% by weight of glucose, preferably between 5 and 15% by weight; iii. between 15% by weight and 60% by weight of isomaltulose, preferably between 20 and 45% by weight; and iv. between 10% by weight and 60% by weight of trehalulose, preferably between 15% by weight and 40% by weight; wherein the sum of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) is at least 60% by weight, preferably at least 70% by weight, and the percentages are expressed as percentages by weight dry matter of Palatinose syrup as a whole. Palatinose syrup is also known as molasses of Palatinose or molasses of isomaltulose; these three terms are considered synonymous in this document.

The method of the invention comprises the step of feeding the ruminant between 0.05 and 15 grams, per kg of body weight per day, of carbohydrates which are soluble, slowly fermentable in the stomach of the ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant.

Providing at least 0.05, preferably at least 0.1 grams per kilogram of body weight per day is advantageous in order to achieve the effects of the invention; preferably at least 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, or even at least 1.0 gram per kg of body weight per day is given to the ruminant. The amount is at most 15 grams per kg of body weight per day for reasons of economy; preferably, the amount is at most 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, or 5 grams per kg of body weight per day.

Therefore, in a main embodiment of the invention, a source of carbohydrates containing isomaltulose and / or trehalulose such as Palatinose syrup is given to a ruminant such as preferably a cow in a amount between 100 g and 2.5 kg per cow per day.

It has been found that according to the invention, the amount of lipids and / or proteins is increased. Preferably, the amount of lipids and / or proteins as expressed in amount per day and per ruminant and as measured by FTIR analysis increases by a percentage of between 1% and 30%, compared with ruminants in the same lactation phase which receive foods of the same composition, however without the carbohydrates according to the invention. Preferably, the amount of lipids and / or proteins increases by a percentage of between 2 and 28%, 3 and 25%, 4 and 23%, or between 5 and 20%.

It has further been found that not only can the amount of lipid or protein in the milk increase: the total amount of milk produced by a ruminant may also increase. In one embodiment of the invention, the average amount of milk produced by the ruminant per day increases by a percentage of between 1 and 15% by weight, preferably by at least 1.5, 2.0, 2 , 5, 3, 4, or 5% and at most 14, 13, 12, 11, or 10%.

In the figures: FIG. 1 illustrates the average daily total amount of lipids or proteins in the milk provided by the cows of Example 3, as a function of the number of days since the lactation of the cow. This figure shows the results of primiparous cows. This figure also shows reference data for primiparous cows from the entire Walloon region of Belgium, using data provided by the Belgian livestock breeding association AWE (Walloon Breeding Association) for cows that are not fed according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows the same type of data as shown in Figure 1, but now for multiparous cows.

The invention will be explained by means of the following examples, without the invention being limited to the scope of the examples.

Examples 1 - 2; Comparative Experience A

A series of in-vitro fermentation tests were performed using ruminal fluids from cows. Ruminal fluids were obtained by direct tube access to the rumen of a live cow. Ruminal fluids were combined with hay and then incubated with a carbohydrate. The objective of the trial was to examine the reduction of carbohydrates over time, as a result of the incubation time, as an indicator of rumen fermentability. The carbohydrates chosen were: cane molasses which, as is known, is rich in fructose, glucose and sucrose (comparative experiment A) of isomaltulose, purity> 98% (example 1), Palatinosis (Example 2)

The series of tests was carried out over variable periods of time up to 24 hours. During each test, a 40 ml sample of ruminal fluids was obtained, placed in a sealable bottle, mixed with phosphate / carbonate buffer in a 1/3 ratio and then combined with 300 mg of hay and 400 mg of carbohydrate that was tested. Any trace of 02 was expelled with CO2, after which the bottle was sealed. The temperature was maintained at a constant temperature level of 39 ° C during incubations of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 12 and 24 hours. When the desired incubation time was reached, the fermentation was stopped by immersing the bottles in ice water. Samples were then taken and kept frozen until analysis.

Table 1 shows the development of carbohydrate fermentation over time, expressed as a percentage of the initial value.

The results show that the cane molasses of Comparative Experiment A, which can be described as a mixture of soluble, fermentable and digestible carbohydrates, fermented very rapidly so that it can be expected that no carbohydrate is available for digestion. In contrast, the soluble carbohydrates of Examples 1 and 2 fermented significantly more slowly in the stomach so that these carbohydrates can be expected to be available for digestion and possibly for fermentation in the stomachs. intestines to a significant extent.

Example 3

An in-vivo test in which Palatinose syrup was incorporated into the diet of a group of 60 lactating cows was performed. The trial began when the cows were lactating for an average of 76 days (63 days for first lactation cows, that is, primiparous cows, and 89 days for multiparous cows). As it is well known that any changes to the feeding of a lactating cow should preferably be made gradually, the dosage of Palatinose syrup has been gradually increased over time. Food compositions at selected times in time are provided in Table 2; the numbers in the table represent kilos of ingredient supplied to the cow a day.

Table 2

During the test, milk production per individual cow was monitored as well as milk fat and protein content as determined by FTIR.

The results were compared to the averages for the entire Walloon region of Belgium, using data provided by the Belgian livestock breeding association AWE (Walloon Breeding Association); the results are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

From the results in the figures, it is clear that cows that are fed according to the invention provided significantly more protein and lipids via milk on a daily basis. The amount of protein and lipids increased, not only relative to the reference but also mostly on an absolute basis and coincided with an increase in the amount of Palatinose syrup that was given to the cows; this is contrary to the normal trend during lactation phases, namely that a decrease is normally observed - as reflected by the ref curves in the figures.

Example 4

A cow was equipped with a duodenal cannula. The cow received as a morning feed a mixture of 4.2 kg (dry matter) of green silage and 0.05 kg of a mixture of vitamins and minerals. Before giving the cow access to its morning feed, the cow was given 0.3 kg of isomaltulose; isomaltulose was supplied as an aqueous syrup and was poured directly into the cow's mouth.

One hour after feeding, a sample of duodenal chyme was removed via the cannula. The sample was analyzed for the presence and amount of glucose, fructose, sucrose and isomaltulose. The sample was found to contain 0.67% by weight (as a percentage of the total amount of chyme) of isomaltulose; none of the other carbohydrates were found. Considering that the solids content of the sample was 3.1% by weight, the sample contained 22% by weight of isomaltulose calculated on the dry matter.

This example shows in-vivo that the isomaltulose avoids at least partly the rumen.

Example 5

A part of the jejunum of a cow aged 28 months was obtained from a slaughterhouse (Mannheim). This part has been divided into equal sections. Each section was prepared analogously and mucosa was removed by scraping. For each section, the mucosa was homogenized and centrifuged. The supernatant was used for incubation experiments. It is known from the literature (eg Miyashige and Yahata 1980, Jap J Zootech Sei) that the supernatant fraction has almost all the activity of each disaccharidase of the homogenate as a whole. Therefore, the supernatant was considered to constitute the homogenate.

Homogenates were incubated for 6 h with isomaltulose or with trehalulose; then, a possible reduction of carbohydrate was measured. Sodium azide has been added to homogenates to rule out any bacterial fermentation.

The results were that on average, the amount of isomaltulose was reduced by 10.3% and the amount of trehalulose was reduced by 8.4%.

It can be concluded from these in-vitro results that the own intestinal enzymes of at least the cow's jejunum are capable of hydrolyzing isomaltulose and trehalulose, thus making the glucose and fructose monosaccharide moieties available, for example for absorption. systemic. The results suggest that isomaltulose and trehalulose are digestible in the intestines of ruminants such as cows.

Claims (12)

A method for increasing the amount of protein and / or lipid provided by a lactating ruminant by the milk, comprising the step of feeding the ruminant between 0.05 and 15 grams per kg of body weight per day of feeding. carbohydrates that are: • soluble, • slowly fermentable in the stomach of the ruminant, and • digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant. The method according to claim 1, wherein any fermentation of said carbohydrates in the stomach is such that in an in vitro incubation test of ruminal fluids, at least 20% by weight of the carbohydrate are still present at the moment in time when in a comparative experiment at least 95% of carbohydrates -melasse of sugarcane fermented. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the digestion of said carbohydrates in the intestines of the ruminant is such that at least 20% of the saccharide moieties of the carbohydrates that have entered the intestines become available in as such. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least 30% by weight of the amount of carbohydrates that have entered the intestines of the ruminant are digested or fermented in the intestines. A process according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the carbohydrates which are soluble, fermentable in the stomach of the ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the ruminant intestines are at least 10% glucose and / or fructose moieties. The method of claim 5, wherein the carbohydrates which are soluble, slowly fermentable in the stomach of the ruminant, and digestible and optionally fermentable in the intestines of the ruminant contain isomaltulose and / or trehalulose. The method of claim 6, wherein said carbohydrates consist essentially of isomaltulose and / or trehalulose. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the ruminant is a cow. The method of claim 8, wherein the cow receives an amount of between 0.1 and 2.5 kg of Palatinose syrup per day. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the ruminant is in the first 70 days of lactation. 11. A method according to any of claims 1-9, wherein the ruminant has been in lactation for more than 70 days. The method of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the average amount of milk produced by the ruminant per day increases by at least 1% by weight.