CA2475739A1

CA2475739A1 - Rumen bypass composition and a method of making the rumen bypass composition

Info

Publication number: CA2475739A1
Application number: CA002475739A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Bill L. Miller; Gary Hines; Robert Charles Musser; John H. Lee
Original assignee: Land O'lakes Farmland Feed Llc; Bill L. Miller; Gary Hines; Robert Charles Musser; John H. Lee; Land O'lakes Purina Feed Llc
Current assignee: Land OLakes Purina Feed LLC
Priority date: 2003-07-25
Filing date: 2004-07-23
Publication date: 2005-01-25
Also published as: MXPA04007166A

Abstract

A rumen bypass composition containing free fatty acid that non-covalently interacts with protein and a method of making the rumen bypass composition by blending protein material and lipid material to form an intermediate composition, and heating the intermediate composition to a temperature greater than 50°C.

Description

RUMEN BYPASS PRODUCT AND A METHOD OF MAKING THE
RUMEN BYPASS PRODUCT
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S): None BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a rumen bypass product and to a method of making the rumen bypass product. More specifically, the present invention relates to a rumen bypass product that includes a lipid component and a proteinaceous component in non-covalent interaction with each other and to a method of preparing the rumen bypass product.
Mature ruminants, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and deer have a complex three- or four-chambered stomach and characteristically regurgitate and rechew previously swallowed feed materials. Typically, mature ruminants experience periods when high energy intake is critical for metabolic activity.
As an example, dairy cattle generally have high energy requirements during about the last couple of months of pregnancy and during early lactation. During these periods, conventional cattle feeds, such as corn and alfalfa feeds, typically do not provide energy sufficient to support desired milk production rates coupled with desired butter fat concentrations in the produced milk. Therefore, reduced yields of milk and butter fat concentrations in produced milk, along with a loss in body weight generally occur, absent feeding and assimilation of an appropriate source of energy during these periods of high energy requirements.
To meet critical high energy demands for ruminants during these periods, extra lipids have been added to the ruminant diet in an attempt to beneficially supplement conventional cattle feed nutrition and enhance the chances of maintaining desired milk production rates coupled with desired butter fat concentrations in the produced milk. Supplemental lipids have been chosen for this task since lipids are known to be an excellent and reasonably priced source of energy. Proponents believe successful supplemental lipid feeding would support ,,

2 desired production rates of milk with a desired butter fat concentration while minimizing body weight loss by pregnant and/or lactating ruminants, assuming adequate consumption and subsequent digestion of lipids occurs.
Unfortunately, unprotected lipids or lipids that are freely and immediately available for degradation in the stomach of a ruminant exert a negative effect on microorganism populations in the ruminant stomach if the lipids are ingested at daily rates greater than about two weight percent of the ruminant feed, based on the total weight of the ruminant feed. It is believed the unprotected lipids may coat fibrous portions of the feed furnished as part of the ruminant diet.
This lipid coating of fibrous material apparently prevents microbial attachment and subsequent digestion by limiting microorganism access to the fibrous portions of the feed. Additionally, unprotected lipids may reduce the growth rate of, or even kill, certain microorganisms that digest fiber and thereby may lower fiber digestibility in ruminants. Although decreased fiber digestion may be offset by greater fiber digestion elsewhere in the stomach of the ruminant, such delayed or relocated fiber digestion typically alters the blend of fatty acids ordinarily produced upon ruminant fiber digestion. Such an altered blend of fatty acids may be less suited to ruminant metabolism and may therefore hinder ruminant digestion, rather than solving the initial delayed or relocated fiber digestion problem.
Although lipids containing unsaturated fatty acids are believed to offer a variety of benefits, such as increased levels of unsaturated fatty acids in milk fat of produced milk and in body fat of produced meat, lipids containing unsaturated fatty acids, as compared to saturated fatty acids, are more challenging for ruminants to assimilate. The rumen typically contains microorganisms that are able to break down proteins and lipids, while also hydrogenating unsaturated fatty acids. Thus, a significant portion of unsaturated fatty acids present in ruminant feed is typically hydrogenated in the rumen and subsequently assimilated by the ruminant as saturated fatty acids. Increasing the unsaturated fatty acid load on the

3 rumen microorganisms beyond the capacity of the rumen microorganisms would be expected to result in escape of excess unsaturated fatty acids downstream of the rumen to portions of the rumen stomach unable to adequately assimilate the excess unsaturated fatty acids.
Ingestion of high levels of unprotected lipids may also produce severe gastric upset in ruminants. As an example, feeding ruminants large quantities of unprotected lipids greater than about four weight percent of the ruminant feed, based on the total weight of the ruminant feed, typically creates digestive disturbances since ruminants tend to reduce feed consumption to match lipid digestion rates in the rumen. As a result, ruminant consumption of total feed intake is generally reduced, which results in insufficient caloric intake. To compensate for reduced ruminant feed consumption, animal body mass may be metabolized and thereby further increase body weight losses. Additionally, animal body mass metabolism sometimes causes metabolic ketosis disorders that further reduce milk yields and milk fat concentrations in produced milk.
To avoid this road block created by limitations on microbial assimilation of lipids in the rumen and the described problems created by lipid coating of fiber, some people have attempted to devise a lipid system that is capable of bypassing the rumen while not coating fiber to be digested in the rumen.
One previous attempt to create a lipids system that avoids lipid degradation in the rumen entails encapsulating the lipid material within denatured protein to form a rumen bypass composition. Encapsulation of lipid material within the denatured proteinaceous material is thought to inhibit release of lipids in the rumen following consumption of the encapsulated mass by ruminants.
Such encapsulated rumen bypass products typically include lipids derived from industrial tallow and oilseed byproduct sources while the proteinaceous material may be derived from solutions of blood solids.
Denaturation of the protein network is commonly accomplished by chemical means.

i,

4 Formaldehyde is one chemical used to denature protein derived from blood solids and form the network of denatured protein that encapsulates the lipid material.
Unfortunately, chemical denaturation may create highly indigestible protein such that the chemically-denatured protein may actually inhibit release of the encapsulated lipid material. Thus, the lipid material of the encapsulated rumen bypass product may be over protected and the value of the lipid material as a feed additive may consequently be greatly reduced, even though the encapsulated rumen bypass product reduces interference with rumen function.
Furthermore, most lipid encapsulation techniques involve several complicated manufacturing steps that may include addition of strong bases or acids.
Strong bases or acids rapidly produce a very strong gel of the proteinaceous material that minimizes and inhibits dispersion of the lipid materials within the denatured protein. Inadequate dispersion of lipid material in such rumen bypass compositions results in poor encapsulation of the lipid material with a consequent reduction in rumen protection of lipids.
Additionally, commercially available lipid materials are generally animal fats and/or oilseed byproducts that include mixtures of long chain fatty acids or glycerides, or a combination of fatty acids and glyceride mixtures.
Commercially available lipid materials are typically darkened or highly colored and have an unpleasant rancid odor caused by malodorous carbonyl compounds like ketones and aldehydes. As a result, commercially available lipid materials suffer from a limited shelf-life and often require addition of exorbitant amounts of anti-oxidants that may affect price, palatability and ruminant consumption of the resulting lipid systems.
Thus, various rumen bypass products have been proposed and/or practiced over the years. These rumen bypass products have enhanced the overall knowledge base with respect to delivering lipid materials for purposes of minimizing critical energy shortages in ruminants. However, existing rumen bypass products, as well as, feeding techniques that employ these existing rumen bypass products, have not yet fully identified, addressed, or optimized options for maintaining ruminant caloric needs during critical energy shortages, while minimizing weight loss or even causing weight gain, increasing consumption of lipid materials without deleteriously affecting the delicate balance of microflora in the digestive system of the ruminant, and /or minimizing detrimental alteration of lipid materials fed to ruminants for purposes of enhancing or at least maintaining, milk, milk fat, and/or meat production. Thus, dairy farmers and ranchers alike are still in need of an improved rumen bypass product that permits feeding of lipid material to ruminants and enhances, or at least maintains, production rates of milk, milk fat, and/or meat, minimizes weight loss or even increases weight gain, and maintains good ruminant health.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a rumen bypass composition containing free fatty acid that non-covalently interacts with protein.
Furthermore, the present invention includes a method of making the rumen bypass composition by blending protein material and lipid material to form an intermediate composition, and heating the intermediate composition to a temperature greater than 50°C.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The Figure is a schematic of a process for forming a rumen bypass product that incorporates a lipid component and a proteinaceous component in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention generally relates to a rumen bypass product and to a method of making the rumen bypass product. More specifically, the v present invention relates to a rumen bypass product that includes a lipid component and a proteinaceous component that non-covalent interact with each other and to a method of preparing the rumen bypass product.
The present inventors have discovered that heating a mixture of ( 1 ) a lipid material that contains free fatty acid molecules and (2) a proteinaceous material that contains protein molecules forms a product in which the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules reversibly interact with each other via non-covalent interaction. More specifically, in this product, it is believed the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules exists as charge-charge interaction. Still more specifically, in this product, it is believed the charge-charge interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules exists as ionic interaction.
The non-covalent interaction at least substantially prevents release of lipids from the product when the product is exposed to a pH in the range typically existing in the rumen of a ruminant, such as a pH ranging from as low as about

5.5 to as high as about 8. Thus, the non-covalent interaction allows the product of the present invention to serve as a rumen bypass product. As a result, at least most, if not all, of the lipid present in the rumen bypass product of the present invention, after being orally ingested by a ruminant, is able to pass through the rumen of the ruminant without deleterious alteration or degradation. Consequently, any gastric disturbances or digestive complications ordinarily caused by consumption of lipids at a rate greater than the lipid tolerance of the rumen may be avoided by including such excess lipid amounts as part of the rumen bypass product of the present invention.
Beneficially, the rumen bypass product of the present invention may be, and preferably is, formed in the absence of any pH modification, and consequently without any addition of strong acids or strong bases. Indeed, the method disclosed herein for forming the rumen bypass product of the present i invention preferably excludes any pH modification steps and preferably does not employ any pH modification agents. Additionally, the rumen bypass product of the present invention is formed in the absence of any added aldehydes, such as formaldehyde. Furthermore, the rumen bypass product of the present invention may be, and preferably is, formed without chemically denaturing any proteinaceous materials, including protein molecules, that are incorporated in the method of the present invention for forming the rumen bypass product.
As used herein, the term "ruminant" means an even-toed hoofed animal that has a complex 3- or 4- chamber stomach, where the animal typically rechews previously swallowed feed material. Some non-exhaustive examples of ruminants include cattle, sheep, goats, oxen, musk ox, llamas, alpacas, guanicos, deer, bison, antelopes, camels, and giraffes.
The rumen bypass product of the present invention may be prepared using a process 10, as best depicted in the Figure. In the process 10, a lipid material 12 and a proteinaceous material 14 may be blended together in a mixing apparatus 16. In addition to the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14, an optional anti-oxidant component 18 and optional additives) 20 may also be added to the mixing apparatus 16. After homogeneously mixing the lipid material 12, proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component 18, and any included optional additives) 20, an intermediate composition 22 may be transferred from the mixing apparatus 16 to a mixing apparatus 24.
In the mixing apparatus 24, the temperature of the intermediate composition 22 is increased, while still mixing the intermediate composition 22, to complex the lipid material 12 with the proteinaceous material 14. This complexing entails chemical reaction of free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 with protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 that is generally characterized herein as non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. The non-covalent interaction is reversible, initiates formation of a lipid/protein matrix, and is believed to arise from charge-charge interaction between negatively-charged carboxyl groups of the free fatty acid molecules present in the lipid material 12 and positively-charged amino groups present in protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14.
A significant amount of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 should be non-denatured protein molecules that exhibit good protein functionality. As used herein, the term "non-denatured protein molecules"
means protein molecules that are native and have not been denatured. Native protein molecules are typically soluble in aqueous solution. Proteins molecules that have been denatured are typically insoluble in solvents, such as water, in which the protein molecules, prior to denaturing, were originally soluble. Use of non-denatured protein molecules as the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 supports enhanced non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. Preferably, the majority of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14, more preferably substantially all of the protein molecules (such as at least about 75 weight percent of the protein molecules), and till more preferably all, or essentially all, of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 are non-denatured protein molecules.
The lipid material 12 may, and preferably does, contain a significant amount of glyceride-containing lipids, such as mono-glycerides, di-glycerides, tri-glycerides, or mixtures of mono-glycerides, di-glycerides and/or tri-glycerides. The lipid material 12 may also contain free glycerol or even a significant amount of free glycerol. The present inventors surprisingly discovered that use of lipid material 12 with a significant content of glyceride-containing lipids and even a significant glycerol content does not significantly interfere with achieving beneficial properties in the rumen bypass product of the present invention. Lipid material that contains a significant amount of glyceride-containing lipids and/or a significant amount of free glycerol is generally less expensive than lipid materials that contain only insignificant amounts or less of glyceride-containing lipids and/or glycerol.
Therefore, including lipid material 12 that contains a significant amount of glyceride-containing lipids and/or glycerol reduces the cost of practicing the present invention, while not significantly interfere with achieving beneficial properties in the rumen bypass product of the present invention. Furthermore, the lipid material 12 (and components of the lipid material 12) may generally have any Iodine Value.
However, the lipid material 12 preferably has an Iodine Value greater than about 20 and more preferably has an Iodine Value of about 40, or more, since many of the suitable, less expensive, lipid components of the lipid material 12 have Iodine Values of about 40, or more.
The non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules is accompanied by coagulation of the protein molecules that completes formation of the lipid/protein matrix. Such coagulation is evidenced by thickening of the intermediate composition 22 that yields a moist cake 28.
Preferably, development of the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules is substantially complete prior to any significant coagulation of the protein molecules of the matrix. It is thought that excessive coagulation of the protein molecules of the matrix prior to substantially complete non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules may impede progress of non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules. The non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules coupled with coagulation of the protein molecules of the matrix accomplishes physical entrapment of lipid molecules other than free fatty acid molecules (hereinafter "non-free fatty acid molecules°) within the lipid/protein.

The moist cake 28 is preferably transferred directly from the mixing apparatus 24 to a drying apparatus 30, such as an air swept tubular dryer 32.
However, the moist cake 28 may optionally be transferred from the mixing apparatus 24 to a holding apparatus (not shown) for additional holding time before being transferred to the drying apparatus 30; the optional additional holding time allows time for additional alignment of non-covalently interacting free fatty acid and protein molecules prior to the heat application in the drying apparatus 30. Care is preferably taken to avoid disturbing the lipid/protein matrix of the cake 28 during transfer of the cake 28 to the drying apparatus 30. Rough handling of the cake 28 or inadvertent additional mixing of the cake 28 may disrupt the organization and alignment of fatty acid molecules and protein molecules in the lipid/protein matrix of the cake 28.
Heat application in the drying apparatus 30 drives off water from the lipid/protein matrix of the moist cake 28 and acts to fix the alignment of non-covalently interacting free fatty acid and protein molecules in the lipid/protein matrix. Upon moisture removal in the drying apparatus 30, the moist cake 28 is transformed into a rumen bypass product 34 that may have a granular form.
As yet another alternative, the intermediate composition 22 may permissibly be heated in the mixing apparatus 16 to form the cake 28 that is then preferably transferred directly to the drying apparatus 30. The heating that may permissibly occur in the mixing apparatus 16 is the same, or essentially the same, as the heating that may permissibly occur in the mixing apparatus 24. This last alternative simplifies operations and reduces expenses by optionally dispensing with the mixing apparatus 24.
The mixing apparatus 16 that accepts the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 may be any conventional apparatus that is capable of homogeneously mixing liquids that may possibly include a relatively low concentration of dispersed or dissolved solids. Specifically, the mixing apparatus 16 should be capable of uniformly and homogeneously blending the lipid material 12, the proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component 18, and any included additives) 20. Consequently, the mixing apparatus 16 may be any batch mixing apparatus, such as (1) a tank or other vessel equipped with a mixer, like a paddle-type mixer, or (2) a ribbon mixer that is configured for batch mixing.
Indeed, the mixing apparatus 16 may even be a relatively small vessel that is equipped with a hand-held mixer of some type. On the other hand, the mixing apparatus 16 may be a continuous mixer, such as a ribbon mixer that is configured for continuous mixing.
The mixing apparatus 16 is preferably jacketed to allow use of a heat transfer medium that will maintain the mixture of the lipid material 12, proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component 18, and any included additives) 20 at a desired temperature. Also, the mixing apparatus 16 should be capable of optionally increasing or decreasing the mixture of the lipid material 12, proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component 18, and any included additives) 20 to a desired temperature. Prior to placement in the mixing apparatus 16, the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 are preferably pre-heated, such as in a tube-in-shell type heat exchanger (not shown), to facilitate homogeneous mixing in the mixing apparatus 16.
The lipid material 12 is preferably pre-heated to a temperature adequate to maintain the lipid material 12 in liquid form, but preferably cool enough to prevent any premature coagulation of the proteinaceous material 14 prior to adequate complexing of the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 with the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. The proteinaceous material 14 is preferably pre-heated to a temperature adequate to minimize, and preferably prevent, the temperature of the proteinaceous material 14 from causing crystallization of the lipid material 12 upon initial mixing of the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14, but preferably cool enough to prevent any premature coagulation of the proteinaceous material 14 prior to adequate complexing of the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 with the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14.
The particular pre-heat temperatures selected for the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 will depend on the particular lipid components) serving as the lipid material 12, the particular proteinaceous components) serving as the proteinaceous material 14, and the relative ratio of the lipid material 12 to the proteinaceous material 14. Generally, the pre-heat temperature selected for the lipid material 12 may be expected to range from about 65 °F to about 100°F, and the pre-heat temperature selected for the proteinaceous material 14 may be expected to range from about 80°F to about 120°F.
The lipid material 12 may be added to the proteinaceous material 14 in the mixing apparatus 16 or the proteinaceous material 14 may be added to the lipid material 12 in the mixing apparatus 16. While the order of adding the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 to the mixing apparatus 16 is not critical to the present invention, so long as the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 are homogeneously blended in the mixing apparatus 16 in the course of forming the intermediate composition 22.
The temperature of the intermediate composition 22 in the mixing apparatus 16 may generally range from about 75 °F to about 120 °F during the initial mixing of the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14. Preferably, the temperature of the intermediate composition 22 in the mixing apparatus 16 ranges from about the melting point of the lipid material 12 to about ten degrees Fahrenheit above the melting point of the lipid material 12. Typically, the temperature of the intermediate composition 22 in the mixing apparatus 16 will range from about 105 °F to about 120 °F during mixing of the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14. Mixing times in the mixing apparatus 16 on the order of about five to ten minutes, such as about seven minutes, are typically required to homogeneously blend the mixture of the lipid material 12, proteinaceous material 14, anti-oxidant component 18, and optional additives) 20.
The intermediate composition 22 may be transferred from the mixing apparatus 16 to a mixing apparatus 24. As another alternative, it is again noted that the intermediate composition 22 may optionally be heated in the mixing apparatus 16 to form the moist cake 28 that is then preferably transferred directly to the drying apparatus 30. The heating that may permissibly occur in the mixing apparatus 16 occurs at the same, or essentially the same, conditions as the heating that may instead occur in the mixing apparatus 24.
One non-exhaustive example of the mixing apparatus 24 is a coagulating mixer 26. The coagulating mixer 26 may be, for example, a Model paddle/ribbon mixer of about one hundred cubic feet capacity coupled with a Model 488 live bottom feeder of about one hundred cubic feet capacity that are each available from Scott Equipment Co. of New Prague, Minnesota.
The intermediate composition 22 is both mixed and heated in the mixing apparatus 24. The mixing apparatus 24 may be jacketed to support heating of the intermediate composition 22. Preferably, however, dry steam is injected directly into the mixing apparatus 24, such as the coagulating mixer 26, while the intermediate composition 22 is being mixed. The steam that may be injected in the mixing apparatus 24 is preferably superheated to minimize water addition and may have any appropriate pressure, such as a pressure of about 10 psig (pounds per square inch gauge) to about 40 psig.
The heating (such as steam injection) and mixing continues in the mixing apparatus 24 until the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 with the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 is substantially complete, more preferably predominantly complete, and still more preferably fully complete. The heating and mixing allows reversible chemical (i.e. non-covalent) interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. When non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 with the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 is complete or substantially complete, coagulation of the proteinaceous material may proceed, and the intermediate composition 22 will develop an increasingly shiny appearance as coagulation of the proteinaceous material increases.
Generally, the temperature in the mixing apparatus 24 is preferably greater than 50°C (122°F) to initiate meaningful non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. After starting at the initial temperature of greater than 50 ° C ( 122 ° F), the temperature of the intermediate composition 22 is preferably increased gradually, while constantly mixing the intermediate composition 22, until reaction (non-covalent interaction) of the free fatty acid molecules with the protein molecules is substantially complete.
Substantial completion of the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules should occur prior to initiation of any more than a minor, and preferably prior to initiation of any more than a de minimis amount of proteinaceous material 14 coagulation. Again, a good indication that more than a minor amount of proteinaceous material 14 coagulation is occurring is when the intermediate composition 22 begins to develop an increasingly shiny appearance. Substantial completion of the non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules will typically occur by the time the temperature of the intermediate composition 22 approaches about 60°C (140°F), and may occur somewhat prior to reaching about 60°C (140°F), and will typically occur during a heating period of about three to about ten minutes.
After development of non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules is substantially complete, the temperature of the intermediate composition 22 is further increased to support protein molecule coagulation, entrapment of the non-free fatty acids within the lipid/protein matrix, and formation of the moist cake 28. The final temperature in the mixing apparatus 24 where adequate coagulation of the protein molecules, adequate entrapment of the non-free fatty acids within the lipid/protein matrix, and completion of the moist cake 28 occurs will typically be at least about 60°C (140°F), or more, such as a temperature in the range of about 60 ° C ( 140 °F) to about 93 ° C (200 °F). Again, the intermediate composition 22 will develop an increasingly shiny appearance as coagulation of the proteinaceous material 14 proceeds. The total heating period from the time when heating of the intermediate composition 22 begins to the time when the moist cake 28 is complete will typically range from about five to about thirty minutes.
As noted, the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 is believed to entail charge-charge interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules. The mixing imparted by the mixing apparatus 24 keeps the non-free fatty acid molecules homogeneously mixed with the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and with the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. As a result, upon coagulation of the proteinaceous material 14, the non-free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 become physically entrapped within the lipid/protein matrix of the cake 28.
Consequently, the fat molecules of the lipid material 12 (both the free fatty acid molecules and the non-free fatty acid molecules) are immobilized by virtue of the lipid/protein matrix that continues to exist in the rumen-bypass product 34 until the rumen-bypass product 34 encounters conditions that disrupt the chemical interaction (i.e.
non-covalent interaction, such as charge-charge interaction) between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules.
The moist cake 28 is preferably transferred directly from the mixing apparatus 24 to the drying apparatus 30, such as the air swept tubular dryer 32, that uses a turbulent current of hot air to rapidly and efficiently remove moisture from the moist cake 28 and yield the rumen bypass product 34 of the present invention.
The drying apparatus 30 should be effective to remove moisture from the moist cake 28, which may have a significant moisture content of even as high as about 50 weight percent or more, based on the total weight of the moist cake 28, to yield the rumen bypass product 34 with a moisture content of less than about 5 weight percent, and preferably about 3 weight percent, based on the total weight of the rumen bypass product 34. Besides the air swept tubular dryer 32, any other conventional drying apparatus, such as a vibrating bed dryer or even an extruder, that is capable of drying the moist cake 28 to yield the rumen bypass product with the specified moisture content may be employed as the drying apparatus 30.
One suitable example of the air swept tubular dryer 32 is the Model 2010 AST
dryer that may be obtained from Scott Equipment Company of New Prague, Minnesota.
Any hot air that is incorporated in the course of drying the moist cake 28 preferably enters the air swept tubular dryer 32 at a temperature of about 550°F or less, such as in a range of about 300°F to about 550°F, to minimize any opportunities for burning or blackening any components in the rumen bypass product 34, such as brown grease, that are susceptible to burning. The heat applied to the moist cake 28 in the drying apparatus 30, such as the air swept tubular dryer 32, heat denatures the protein molecules of the moist cake 28 that were originally present in the proteinaceous material 14. Heat denaturation of these protein molecules renders the protein portion of the rumen bypass product 34 substantially, and preferably fully, rumen inert, such that passage of the rumen bypass product 34 through the rumen causes little, and preferably no, deleterious structural alteration of the protein portion of the rumen bypass product 34.
The drying apparatus 30 is preferably capable of transforming the cake-like moist cake 28 into a granular form of the rumen bypass product 34, since granular forms of the rumen bypass product 34 are readily transformable into several other forms of the rumen bypass product 34, as desired, that may readily be incorporated into animal feeds. The drying apparatus 30 may accomplish this granularization using any conventional particle formation approach, such as incorporation of turbulent airflow within the drying apparatus 30 or via mechanical vibratory or agitative action that is imparted as the moist cake 28 is rapidly dried.
The drying apparatus 30 is preferably capable of forming granules of the rumen bypass product 34 with a mean cross-sectional measurement in the range of about 175 microns to about 250 microns, since granules of the rumen bypass product 34 within this size range are thought to be particularly resistant to attack in the rumen of ruminants. More preferably, the granules of the rumen bypass product 34 have a mean cross-sectional measurement in the range of about 210 microns to about 225 microns. Still more preferably, the granules of the rumen bypass product 34 have a mean cross-sectional measurement of about 217 microns.
The rumen bypass product 34, such as granules or particles of the rumen bypass product 34, exists as a substantially homogenous, and preferably as a homogeneous mixture, of protein molecules derived from the proteinaceous material 14 and lipid molecules derived from the lipid material 12. The lipid molecules exist as the free fatty acid molecules and the non-free fatty acid molecules in the rumen bypass product 34. Free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules non-covalently interact with each other in the rumen bypass product as the lipid/protein matrix. The heat-denatured (i.e. coagulated) form of the protein molecules in the rumen bypass product 34 supports physical entrapment of non-free fatty acid molecules within the lipid/protein matrix of the rumen bypass product 34.
Due to the homogeneous, or substantially homogenous mixture of protein molecules and lipid molecules in the rumen bypass product 34, free fatty acids, non-free fatty acids, and protein molecules are distributed throughout each granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34 and there is no concentrated core . CA 02475739 2004-10-22 1g of the rumen bypass product 34 that is solely free fatty acids, non-free fatty acids, or protein molecules. Furthermore, the outer surface of any particular granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34 includes exposed free fatty acid molecules and exposed protein molecules that non-covalently interact with each other and often extend inwardly toward interior portions of the particular granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34. Additionally, the outer surface of any particular granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34 will typically include exposed non-free fatty acid molecules that often extend inwardly toward interior portions of the particular granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34, though the exposed non-free fatty acid molecules are physically entrapped within the lipid/protein matrix of the rumen bypass product 34. Thus, rather than including a continuous lipid coating or protein coating, outer exposed surfaces of each granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34 will included a discontinuous, though substantially uniform, pattern of exposed free fatty acid molecules, exposed non-free fatty acid molecules, and exposed protein molecules.
After discharge from the drying apparatus 30, the rumen bypass product 34 may be treated with an optional anti-oxidant 36. The optional anti-oxidant may be a single anti-oxidant or may be a combination of two or more different anti-oxidants. The anti-oxidant 36 is preferably capable of assuring the rumen bypass product 34 is stable against oxidation for a period of at least six months at a temperature of about 100°F. The anti-oxidant 36 preferably also minimizes, and more preferably eliminates, color changes in the rumen bypass product 34 by enhancing the stability of the rumen bypass product 34.
Furthermore, the anti-oxidant 36, in combination with the low moisture content of the rumen bypass product 34, preferably minimizes most, and more preferably all, clumping of the rumen bypass product 34 to maintain the free flowing characteristics of the rumen bypass product 34.

The rumen bypass product 34 may be provided as-is as a fat/protein component or supplement to ruminants and other animals for immediate consumption. Alternatively, the rumen bypass product 34 may be stored for future use, due to the good oxidative stability of the product 34, or may be further processed. For example, the rumen bypass product may be combined with other feed components in an animal feed that is formed into any shape, such as logs, nuggets, pellets, or flakes, of any desired size using any conventional feed formation equipment. Some examples of conventional animal feed formation equipment include extrusion equipment and pressing and flaking equipment.
The lipid material 12 may consist of a single lipid component or a combination of two or more different lipid components. Alternatively, the lipid material 12 may be supplied in various prepared mixtures of two or more lipid components that are subsequently combined to form the lipid material 12. As noted above, the lipid material 12 may, and preferably does, contain a significant amount of glyceride-containing lipids, such as mono-glycerides, di-glycerides, tri-glycerides, or mixtures of mono-glycerides, di-glycerides and/or tri-glycerides and may even contain free glycerol. Furthermore, the lipid material 12 (and components of the lipid material 12) may generally have any Iodine Value, but preferably has an Iodine Value greater than about 20, and more preferably has an Iodine Value of about 40, or more.
Some non-exhaustive examples of suitable lipid components that may be included as part of the lipid material 12 include animal fat, such as lard, beef tallow, butter, chicken fat, milk fat, sheep fat, yellow grease, brown grease, and/or deer fat; vegetable fat, such as soybean oil, safflower oil, oil of evening primrose, marine oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, rice oil, coconut oil, and/or castor oil; any mono-, di- and/or tri-glycerides and/or any free fatty acid, such as linolenic, gamma linolenic, vernolic, elaidic, vaccenic, linoleic, conjugated linoleic, alpha-linolenic, caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, pentadecanoic, pentadecenoic, heptadecanoic, eicosanoic, heineicosanoic, docosanoic, myristoleic, eicosanoic, docosanoic, arachidonic, behenic, lignoceric, cerotic, palmitoleic, oleic, petroselinic, ricinoleic, vernolic, sterculic, gadoleic, cetoleic, erucic, nervanic, ximenic, lumequie, tariric, isonic, hydrocarpic, chaulmoogric, margaric, garlic, hiragonic, elcoostearic, licanic, parinaric, strearidonic, arachidic, shibic, and/or any other monoenoic, dienoic, trienoic, tetraenoic, pentaenoic, or hexanoic fatty acid; any unsaturated fatty acid having two, three, four, five, six or more double and/or triple bonds; any saturated fatty acid; or any of these in any combination, provided the highest melting lipid component of the lipid material 12 is preferably fully melted at a temperature of about 110°F, or less, more preferably is fully melted at a temperature of about 105°F, or less, and still more preferably is fully melted at a temperature of about 100°F, or less.
Some non-exhaustive examples of the lipid material 12 (or of lipid components of the lipid material 12) include choice white grease, yellow grease, and brown grease that are each available (1) from Feed Energy Company of Des Moines, Iowa, (2) from North Central Companies of Minnetonka, Minnesota, (3) from Liberty Commodities Corporation of Minnetonka, Minnesota, and (4) from National By-Products, Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa. Choice white grease, yellow grease, and brown grease may be derived from a number of different sources as diverse as meat packing plants and commercial cooking operations. Choice white grease, yellow grease, and brown grease may generally be either solid or liquid in form and are primarily composed of fats, oils, and greases of vegetable or animal origin. The greases (i.e. choice white, yellow, and brown) are typically graded by color (i.e. white, yellow, or brown) and free fatty acid content.
Choice white grease typically has a free fatty acid content of about 4 weight percent, or less, based on the total weight of fat in the choice white grease.
Yellow grease typically has a free fatty acid content greater than about 4 weight percent, based on the total weight of fat in the yellow grease. Brown grease = CA 02475739 2004-10-22 typically has a free fatty acid content in the range of about 35 weight percent to about 70 weight percent, or higher, based on the total weight of fat in the brown grease, though some literature references cite brown greases with free fatty acid contents below this typical range, such as on the order of about 20 weigh percent or so, based on the total weight of fat in the brown grease.
Choice white and yellow greases may be obtained from meat packing plants and, when obtained from such sources, commonly contain only hog fat. Brown grease, when obtained from meat packing plants, includes fat caught in catch basins within the meat packing plants and therefore includes other animal fats, such as beef fat and mutton fat, in addition to hog fat. When obtained from meat packing plants, choice white grease and yellow grease will generally exclude added water, whereas brown grease will typically include added water.
Choice white grease, yellow grease, and brown grease may also be obtained from cooking operations and may include animal and/or vegetable fats.
Choice white grease and yellow grease from cooking operations is generally obtained from cooking vessels, such as pots, pans, grills, and deep fryers, and typically exclude added water. Brown grease from cooking operations is typically obtained from grease traps and is generated from cleaning of cooking equipment and utensils used in the food preparation and serving. Consequently, brown grease from cooking operations typically includes added water.
Besides choice white grease, yellow grease, and brown grease, another non-exhaustive example of the lipid material 12 (or of lipid components of the lipid material 12) is the AV4000 product, a vegetable fat product containing about 94 weight percent free fatty acids based on the total fat content of the AV4000 product, that is also available from Feed Energy Company of Des Moines, Iowa. As yet another example, the lipid material 12 may include or consist of conjugated linoleic acid (also referred to herein as CLA) that typically consists of about 99.8 weight percent free fatty acid, based on the total fat weight in the CLA.

The lipid material 12 preferably consists predominantly or entirely of brown grease, yellow grease, or a mixture of brown grease and yellow grease, since brown and yellow grease are relatively inexpensive and perform very well in the intermediate composition 22, in the moist cake 28, and in the rumen bypass product 34.
As used herein, the term "fatty acid" means any organic acid made up of at least one molecule that contains at least one carboxyl group (oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen), where the carboxyl group is attached at the end of a hydrocarbon chain of the organic acid, and where the hydrocarbon chain contains at least one carbon atom (in addition to the carbon of the carbonyl group). It is to be understood the carboxyl group of different fatty acids may be neutral or negatively charged when included as part of the lipid material 12. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "free fatty acid" means any fatty acid that includes a negatively charged carboxyl group.
The lipid material 12 may generally contain from about 5 weight percent to about 100 weight percent free fatty acids, based on the total weight of the lipid material 12. As a general observation, the weight percent of free fatty acid in the lipid material 12 will typically need to increase as the weight percent of total fat in the intermediate composition 22 increases. This increase in the weight ratio of free fatty acid to total fat is typically necessary to insure the non-covalent interaction of free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules in the intermediate composition 22 developed sufficiently to support maximum physically entrapment of non-free fatty acid upon coagulation of the protein molecules and minimize the opportunity for non-free fatty acid escape from the rumen bypass product 34 as the rumen bypass product 34 passes through the rumen. Thus, the weight ratio of free fatty acid in the lipid material 12 to total fat in the intermediate composition 22 may be varied to enhance the amount of non-free fatty acid physically entrapped within the lipid/protein matrix of the rumen bypass product 34.

For example, when the concentration of total fat in the intermediate composition 22 is 20 weight percent, the concentration of free fatty acid in the lipid material 12 is preferably at least about 20 weight percent. As another example, when the concentration of total fat in the intermediate composite 22 is 40 weight percent, the concentration of free fatty acid in the lipid material 12 is preferably at least about 40 weight percent. As yet another example, when the concentration of total fat in the intermediate composition 22 is 50 weight percent, the concentration of free fatty acid in the lipid material 12 is preferably at least about 50 weight percent. Though the concentration of total fat is stated in terms of the intermediate composition 22 above, the source of the all, or essentially all, of the total fat of the intermediate composition 22 will typically be the lipid material 12 The proteinaceous material 14 may be supplied as one or more individual protein components. Alternatively, the proteinaceous material 14 may be supplied in various prepared mixtures of two or more protein components that are subsequently combined to form the proteinaceous material 14. The proteinaceous material 14 included as part of the rumen bypass product 34 may be genetically engineered; may be derived from any animal source(s), any plant source(s), or any combination of any animal sources) and any plant source(s); or may be any combination of genetically engineered proteins) and any proteins) derived from any animal sources) and/or any plant source(s).
As noted above, a significant amount of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 should be non-denatured protein molecules that exhibit good protein functionality. Use of non-denatured protein molecules as the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 supports enhanced non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. Preferably, the majority of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14, more preferably substantially all of the protein molecules (such as at least about 75 weight percent of the protein molecules), and till more preferably all, or essentially all, of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 are non-denatured protein molecules.
Some non-exhaustive examples of suitable animal-derived proteinaceous components that may be incorporated in the proteinaceous material 14 include dairy materials such as whey, whey protein, whey protein concentrate, de-lactosed whey, casein, and dried milk protein; marine materials, such as fish meal, fish solubles, fish protein solids, and fish protein meal; animal fluids, such as whole animal blood, defibrinated animal blood, blood meal, blood solids, components of blood like collagen, and subfractions of blood, such as red blood cells, plasma, white blood cells, albumin; microbial biomass, such as single cell protein; cell cream; liquid or powdered egg; and any of these in any combination.
Some non-exhaustive examples of suitable plant-derived proteinaceous components) that may be incorporated in the proteinaceous material 14 include any protein flours) and/or any protein-enriched flours) derived from any grains) and/or any oilseeds) such as soybeans, rapeseed, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, wheat, and peanuts; protein flours derived from vegetables, such as potatoes; dehydrated alfalfa; wheat proteins; soy proteins; and any of these in any combination. Additionally, blends of amino acids isolated from any source, such as an animal source and/or a plant source, may be incorporated into the proteinaceous material 14 to achieve a protein profile in the rumen bypass product 34 effective to meet the nutritional and health requirements of ruminants.
The proteinaceous material 14, as indicated above, should be fluid upon placement in the mixing apparatus 16. The proteinaceous material 14, in r addition to proteinaceous components, may therefore optionally also include any solvent, such as water, that does not substantially interfere with formation of the intermediate composition 22, the moist cake 28, and the rumen bypass product 34, and does not mask the functionality of either the fatty acids of the lipid material 12 or the proteins of the proteinaceous material 14.

Preferably, an animal blood component is included as part of, and more preferably all of, the proteinaceous material 14 when practicing the present invention. Animal blood is typically collected in large quantities during killing operations in meat packing plants, slaughter houses and the like. Animal blood obtained directly from the animal generally contains from about 28 weight percent blood solids to about 30 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the animal blood. On the other hand, animal blood obtained directly from the slaughter house has often been diluted with wash water and therefore typically contains only about 16 weight percent to about 20 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the animal blood, in addition to containing plasma.
Furthermore, about 16 weight percent of the slaughterhouse animal blood, or about 90 weight percent of the blood solids in the slaughterhouse animal blood, is typically crude protein.
As used herein, the term "blood solids" refers to any solid material present in animal blood, no matter the source and handling of the animal blood.
Consequently, the term "blood solids," as used herein, in addition to encompassing any red blood cells, heme, hemoglobin, blood proteins, salt and other minerals, and cellular constituents present in blood obtained directly from the animal, is to be understood as also encompassing any contaminants, such as traces of tissue and ash typically present in animal blood obtained during killing operations.
Animal blood usable in accordance with the present invention may be obtained from any ruminant, such as cattle, sheep, and goats; from any monogastric animal, such as swine (pigs and hogs) and horses; any poultry, such as chickens and turkeys; and any of these in any combination. Preferably, the animal blood component included in the proteinaceous material 14 contains non-denatured blood protein. As used herein, the term "non-denatured blood protein" means blood proteins that are native and have not been denatured. Native blood proteins are typically soluble in aqueous solution. Blood proteins that have been denatured are typically insoluble in solvents, such as water, in which the blood proteins, prior to denaturing, were originally soluble.
Also, the animal blood component included as part, and more preferably all, of the proteinaceous material 14 preferably includes one or more red blood cell component(s). As used herein, the term "red blood cell component"
means a portion of the blood solids from animal blood that contains erythrocyte, heme, hemoglobin, or any of these in any combination.
The proteinaceous material 14 preferably contains, and more preferably includes only, a concentrated red blood cell component that contains at least about 18 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the concentrated red blood cell component, where the protein content of the concentrated red blood cell component is predominantly, and more preferably only, native and non-denatured protein. More preferably, the proteinaceous material contains, and most preferably includes only, a concentrated red blood cell component that contains at least about 24 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the concentrated red blood cell component, where the protein content of the concentrated red blood cell component is predominantly, and more preferably only native and non-denatured protein. Still more preferably, the proteinaceous material 14 contains, and most preferably includes only, a concentrated red blood cell component that contains more than about 30 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the concentrated red blood cell component, where the protein content of the concentrated red blood cell component is predominantly, and more preferably only native and non-denatured protein.
As used herein, the term "concentrated red blood cell component"
means the blood component remaining after animal blood is processed to remove at least a majority of the plasma originally present in the animal blood and at least a majority of any water added prior to collection of the animal blood. While blood obtained directly from animals typically contains about 28 to about 30 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the animal blood, animal blood obtained from slaughter house operations has often been diluted with wash water and therefore typically contains only about 16 weight percent to about 20 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the animal blood. To obtain the concentrated red blood cell component, animal blood, no matter whether obtained directly from the animal or from slaughter house operations, may be centrifuged to remove plasma and other diluents and concentrate the blood solids, including the red blood cells.
When processing animal blood obtained directly from animals through blood component separation equipment, such as a centrifuge or similar equipment, the animal blood will typically be split into a plasma component that constitutes approximately 52 weight percent of the animal blood, based on the total weight of the animal blood, and a red blood cell component that constitutes approximately 48 weight percent of the animal, based on the total weight of the animal blood. The blood solids content of the red blood cell component thus obtained will typically range from about 37.5 weight percent to about 38.5 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the red blood cell component. On the other hand, the blood solids content of the plasma component will typically only be about 16 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the plasma component.
Surprisingly, the present inventors have discovered that use of the concentrated red blood cell component that contains more than about 30 weight percent blood solids as the proteinaceous material 14 allows development of non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the proteins of the proteinaceous material 14 to readily occur without any pH
modification, and consequently without any addition of strong acids or strong bases.
Previous attempts to prepare rumen bypass products that include protein, such as blood protein, typically included addition of strong acids or strong bases that chemically denatured the incorporated protein. Thus, use of the concentrated red blood cell component with a solids content of at more than about 30 weight percent, based on the total weight of the red blood cell component, avoids the complication of adding strong acids or bases.
Additionally, when the proteinaceous material 14 is the preferred, concentrated red blood cell component that includes more than about 30 weight percent blood solids, the desired reversible chemical (non-covalent) interaction of the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein of the proteinaceous material 14 readily occurs at higher temperatures, such as at temperatures greater than 50°C (122°F). While not being bound by theory, it is believed temperatures greater than 50°C (122°F) are required to initiate development of a meaningful amount of non-covalent interaction (such as charge-charge interaction) between free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules when using the preferred, concentrated red blood cell component that preferably contains more than about 30 weight percent blood solids. These temperatures greater than 50°C (122°F) are believed to be required since a substantial amount of plasma is removed from animal blood, especially animal blood obtained from slaughterhouse operations, to make the concentrated red blood cell component with a blood solids content of more than about 30 weight percent. Indeed, red blood cell components with a blood solids content greater than about 25 weight percent blood solids that are derived from animal blood obtained from slaughterhouse operations are generally characterized as being essentially free of plasma.
The ratio of the total fat of the lipid material 12 to the total protein of the proteinaceous material 14, on a dry weight basis, may generally range from about 70:30 to about 30:70. However to enhance development of non-covalent interaction between free fatty acids and protein and take advantage of enhanced non-free fatty acid holding capacity of the resulting cake 28 of free fatty acid and protein, the ratio of the total fat of the lipid material 12 to the total protein of the proteinaceous material 14, on a dry weight basis, preferably ranges from about 70:30 to about 50:50.
As one example, if the concentrated red blood cell component containing about 30 weight percent blood solids and the lipid material 12 containing about 94 weight percent fat are used to prepare the rumen bypass product 34 that contains a final fat content of about 60 weight percent and less than about 5 weight percent moisture, about 1.94 parts by weight of the red blood cell component to about one part by weight of the lipid material 12 will be added to form the intermediate composition 22 in preparation for later forming the rumen bypass product 34 that will have a final fat content of about 60 weight percent.
Similarly, if a concentrated liquid red blood cell component containing about weight percent blood solids and the lipid material 12 based on brown grease containing about 94 weight percent fat are used to prepare the rumen bypass product 24 containing about 50 weight percent fat, about 2.88 parts by weight of the liquid red blood cell component to about one part by weight of the lipid material 12 that is based on brown grease will be added to form the intermediate composition 22 in preparation for later forming the rumen bypass product 34 that will have a final fat content of about 50 weight percent.
Any optional anti-oxidant component 18 included in the intermediate composition 22 should be compatible with, and should not deleteriously interfere with, homogeneous mixing of the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 and should be compatible with, and should not deleteriously interfere with, the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules in the course of preparing the moist cake 28.
Additionally, any anti-oxidant component 18 that is used should have a vapor pressure low enough to prevent evaporation or loss of the anti-oxidant component 18 upon heating to form the intermediate composition 22, the moist cake 28, and the rumen bypass product 34.

Some suitable, non-exhaustive examples of the anti-oxidant component 18 include chelating agents, such as ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and metals salts of EDTA, that tie up metals and thereby inhibit participation of the metals in oxidation reactions. Some non-exhaustive examples of suitable metal salts of EDTA include ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid calcium disodium chelate, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid trisodium salt, and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid dipotassium salt dehydrate. EDTA and salts thereof are also believed to have an anticoagulant function, at least with respect to animal blood components included as part or all of the proteinaceous material 14.
Other non-exhaustive examples of the anti-oxidant component 18 include any individual feed-grade anti-oxidant or mixture of different feed-grade anti-oxidants. Some additional non-exhaustive examples of suitable feed-grade anti-oxidants beyond EDTA and metals salts of EDTA include sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, propionic acid, alpha-hydroxybutyric acid, and the like; ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), naturally occurring tocopherols, phosphoric acid, citric acid, phosphate salts, citrate salts, nitrate salts, nitrite salts, tertiarybutylhydroquinone, propyl gallate; and any combination of any of these.
As an example, the RENDOX° AEQ anti-oxidant product that is available from Kemin Industries, Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa may be employed as the anti-oxidant component 18 or as part of the anti-oxidant component 18. The RENDOX° AEQ anti-oxidant product, when employed at a concentration of about 5,500 parts per million (weight basis, based on the total weight of the intermediate composition 22) has been found to help stabilize the rumen bypass product 34 against oxidation for a period of at least six months at a storage temperature of about 100°F.

,- CA 02475739 2004-10-22 As noted above, EDTA and salts thereof are believed to have an anticoagulant function. Besides or in addition to EDTA and salts thereof, other substances that function as an anticoagulant may permissibly be, and preferably are, included in the intermediate composition 22 to enhance beneficial aspects of the present invention. One beneficial aspect of including a substance with an anticoagulant function arises when the proteinaceous material 14 contains the animal blood component. As noted, the animal blood component included in the proteinaceous material 14 preferably contains non-denatured protein. The non-denatured form of the protein in the animal blood component is believed to facilitate the charge-charge interaction between negatively-charged carboxyl groups of the free fatty acid molecules present in the lipid material 12 and positively-charged amino groups present in protein molecules of the animal blood component by assuring the amino groups are accessible for charge-charge interaction with the negatively-charged carboxyl groups of the free fatty acid. Animal blood that is collected from slaughterhouse operations is subject to natural bio-degradation that may cause the blood proteins to denature. Therefore, the animal blood component included in the proteinaceous material 14 preferably is treated with an anticoagulant to inhibit biodegradation (and denaturization) of blood proteins prior to processing of the proteinaceous material 14 to form the intermediate composition 22.
One measure of the amount of anticoagulant present in the animal blood component that is included in the proteinaceous material 14 is the ash concentration of the animal blood component. Addition of the anticoagulant adds to the ash content of the animal blood component. The ash content of the animal blood component, whether derived from animal blood collected directly from the animal or from blood collected from slaughterhouse operations, is typically negligible or even undetectable. Therefore, the vast majority of the ash content of the animal blood component may be considered as contributed by any anticoagulant content of the animal blood component.

The amount of anticoagulant included in the animal blood component should be sufficient to increase the ash concentration of the animal blood component to at least about one weight percent, based on the total weight of the animal blood component. Preferably, the amount of anticoagulant included in the animal blood component is sufficient to increase the ash concentration of the animal blood component to at least about 1.5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the animal blood component. More preferably, the amount of anticoagulant included in the animal blood component is sufficient to increase the ash concentration of the animal blood component to at least about 2.0 weight percent, based on the total weight of the animal blood component. Still more preferably, the amount of anticoagulant included in the animal blood component is sufficient to increase the ash concentration of the animal blood component to at least about 2.5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the animal blood component to enhance inhibition of blood protein degradation (denaturization) and help give the complexed lipid/protein product (i.e. the cake 28) produced in accordance with the present invention a firmer, less fluid form. A suitable test method for determining the ash content of the animal blood component may be found below in the PROPERTYDETERMINATIONAND CHARACTERIZATION
TECHNIQUES section of this document.
Another beneficial aspect of including a substance with an anticoagulant function concerns the inter-relationship of 1) the non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 and (2) the coagulation of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 in accordance with the present invention. The anticoagulant function of the substance is believed to help delay coagulation of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14, and therefore allow enhanced non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 prior to the onset of more than minor coagulation of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. Thus, the concentration of anticoagulant included in the proteinaceous material 14 (and thus in the intermediate composition 22) may be varied to enhance the amount of non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules at a select time versus the amount of protein coagulation at the select time.
This enhanced non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 prior to the onset of more than minor coagulation of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 is believed to support enhanced chemical (non-covalent) interaction development between the free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 along with enhanced physical entrapment of non-free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 within the cake 28 upon protein coagulation. This enhanced chemical (non-covalent) interaction development between the free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 along with enhanced physical entrapment of non-free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 within the cake 28 is believed to render the complexed lipid/protein product (i.e. the cake 28) produced in accordance with the present invention firmer and less fluid, as compared to the complexed lipid/protein product (i.e. the cake 28) produced when the substance with the anticoagulant function is excluded from the proteinaceous material 14 and from the intermediate composition 22.
When the intermediate composition 22 includes EDTA, or salts of EDTA, as part of the anti-oxidant component 18, the concentration of the EDTA, or salts thereof, is generally less than about 10,000 parts by weight per million parts by weight of the intermediate composition 22. Preferably, the anti-oxidant component 18 is included in the mixing vessel 16 at a concentration of about 5000 parts by weight per million parts by weight of the intermediate composition, though concentrations of the anti-oxidant component 18 outside of this range are permissible.
Any optional additive 20 may be included along with the lipid material 12, the proteinaceous material 14, and any added anti-oxidant component 18, so long as the particular optional additive 20 is compatible with, and will not deleteriously interfere with, homogeneous mixing of the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 or with the non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules in the course of preparing the moist cake 28. Additionally, any optional additive 20 that is used should have a vapor pressure low enough to prevent evaporation or loss of the optional additive 20 upon heating to form the intermediate composition 22, the moist cake 28, and the rumen bypass product 34. The concentration of each optional additive 20, as a percentage of the total weight of mixture of the lipid material 12, the proteinaceous material 14, any added anti-oxidant component 18, and the optional additives) 20, may generally range from about 0.1 weight percent to about 1 weight percent.
Some non-exhaustive examples of the optional additive 20 include vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, inositol, choline chloride, calcium pantothenate, biotin, folic acid, ascorbic acid, vitamin B~2, p-aminobenzoic acid, vitamin A acetate, vitamin K, vitamin D, vitamin E, and the like; minerals, such as cobalt, copper, manganese, iron, zinc, tin, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, iodine, chlorine, silicon, vanadium, selenium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium; sugars and complex carbohydrates, including both water-soluble and water-insoluble monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides;
suspension stabilizing agents, such as nonionic surfactants, hydrocolloids, cellulose ethers, gum arabic, carob bean gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, ammonium alginates, sodium alginates, potassium alginates, calcium alginates, glycol alginates, potato agar, alkyl cellulose, hydroxy alkylcellulose, and carboxy alkylcellulose; flavoring additives, such as anethole, benzaldehyde, bergamot oil, acetoin, carvol, cinnamaldehyde, citral, ethylvanillin, vanillin, thymol, methyl salicylate, coumarin, anise, cinnamon, ginger, clove, lemon oil, 1-undecanol, dodecalactone, eugenol, geraniol, geranyl acetate, guaiacol, limonene, linalool, piperonal, 2-acetyl-5-methylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3-methoxypyrazine, 5-methylquinoxaline, 2-methyl-6-propylpyrazine, 2-methylbenzofuran, 2,2'-dithienylmethane, benzyl hexyl carbinol, furfuryl phenyl ether, difurfuryl ether, benzofuran-2-aldehyde, benzothiophene-2-aldehyde, 1-butylpyrrole-2-aldehyde, methyl decyl ketone, dipropyl ketone, ethyl benzyl ketone, 2,6-diacetyl pyridine, heptane-3,4-dione, methyl thiophene-2-carboxylate, 2-hydroxyacetophenone, 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, 2-oxobutan-1-ol; and any combination of any of these.
Any individual feed-grade anti-oxidant 36, or mixture of different feed-grade anti-oxidants 36, may optionally be applied to the rumen bypass product 34 to further enhance properties of the rumen bypass product 34. Some suitable, non-exhaustive examples of the anti-oxidant 36 include sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, propionic acid, alpha-hydroxybutyric acid, and the like;
ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), naturally occurring tocopherols, phosphoric acid, citric acid, phosphate salts, citrate salts, nitrate salts, nitrite salts, tertiarybutylhydroquinone, propyl gallate; and any combination of any of these.
As an example, about 5500 parts per million (weight basis, based on the total weight of the rumen bypass product 34) of the RENDOX~ AEQ anti-oxidant product may be added to the rumen bypass product 34 after the rumen bypass product 34 exits the drying apparatus 30. The RENDOX~ AEQ anti-oxidant has been found to help stabilize the rumen bypass product 34 against oxidation for a period of at least six months at a storage temperature of about 100°F.
RENDOX°
AEQ anti-oxidant also helps stabilize the color of the rumen bypass product 34 by maintaining the as-produced reddish brown color of the rumen bypass product 34 and preventing a change of the as-produced reddish brown color of the rumen bypass product 34 to a less desirable mottled, lighter brown color.
Alternatively, as indicated above, the RENDOX~ AEQ anti-oxidant product may be employed as the anti-oxidant component 18, or as part of the anti-oxidant component 18, of the intermediate composition 22.
As noted herein, the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules of the rumen bypass product 34 (and of the cake 28) is highly resistant to breakage at the more typical rumen pH
range of about 5.8 to about 6.2, and are only slightly less resistant to breakage at less typical rumen pHs ranging from about 5.5 to less than about 5.8 and from greater than about 6.2 to about 8Ø Consequently, the non-covalently interacting free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules within the rumen bypass product 34 (and within the cake 28) and the non-free fatty acids that are physically entrapped within the lipid/protein matrix are ruminally-protected. As used herein, the term "ruminally-protected" means protected from structural alternation during passage through the rumen.
Preferably, the rumen bypass product 34 (and the cake 28), when orally fed to a ruminant, are ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 75 weight percent of the free fatty acid molecules, at least about weight percent of the protein molecules, and/or at least about 75 weight percent the non-free fatty acids contained in the rumen bypass product 34 (and in the cake 28) to enter the rumen and exit the rumen (i.e. pass through the rumen) without structural alteration. Still more preferably, the rumen bypass product 34 (and the cake 28), when orally fed to a ruminant, are ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the free fatty acid molecules, at least about 90 weight percent of the protein molecules, and/or at least about 90 weight percent the non-free fatty acids contained in the rumen bypass product (and in the cake 28) to enter the rumen and exit the rumen (i.e. pass through the rumen) without structural alteration. Most preferably, the rumen bypass product 34 (and the cake 28), when orally fed to a ruminant, are ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow all of the free fatty acid molecules, all of the protein molecules, andlor all of the non-free fatty acids contained in the rumen bypass product 34 (and in the cake 28) to enter the rumen and exit the rumen (i.e.
pass through the rumen) without structural alteration.
For purposes of gauging the degree to which the free fatty acid molecules, the protein molecules, and the non-free fatty acids of a particular sample of the rumen bypass product 34 (or of the cake 28) are ruminally protected, a technique that is a standard method of the dairy industry may be employed.
This technique is an in situ method wherein a sample of the rumen bypass product 34 (or of the cake 28) containing the free fatty acid molecules, the protein molecules, and the non-free fatty acids of interest is suspended in a polyester fiber bag in the rumen of a ruminant. The polyester fiber bag is periodically retrieved from the rumen of the ruminant and tested to determine the change, if any, in the quantity of the free fatty acid molecules, the protein molecules, and the non-free fatty acids in question over time, taking into account any loss of particles of the rumen bypass product 34 (or of the cake 28) through the pores of the polyester fiber bag. The polyester fiber of one suitable polyester fiber bag is made of a condensation polymer that is distributed under the trademark DACRON and that is obtained from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.
Suitable test methods for determining the weight of free fatty acid molecules, protein molecules, and non-free fatty acids present in the DACRON
polyester fiber bag at any particular time may be found below in the PROPERTY
DETERMINATION AND CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES section of this document. When using this technique, the DACRON polyester fiber bag should have a pore size that permits passage of bacteria from the rumen and into the DACRON polyester fiber bag, while not allowing particles of the rumen bypass product 34 larger than the bacteria to escape from the bag and into the rumen.
The particles of the rumen bypass product 34 being tested are preferably formulated to assure the physical form of the particles of the rumen bypass product 34 is larger than the pore size of the DACRON polyester fiber bag to minimize any loss of particles of the rumen bypass product 34 through the pores of the DACRON
polyester fiber bag. If this step is not taken, the technique will need to include a factor to account for loss of particles of the rumen bypass product 34 through the pores of the DACRON polyester fiber bag, as opposed to degradation of particles of the rumen bypass product 34 by bacteria within the DACRON polyester fiber bag.
The rumen bypass product 34 of the present invention yields a number of surprising and desirable benefits. First, the non-covalent interaction (i.e.
charge-charge interaction) that is achieved between the free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules initiates creation of the lipid/protein matrix that physical entraps non-free fatty acid molecules. The pH in the rumen of a ruminant, such as a cow, typically ranges from about 5.8 to about 6.2, but may range from as low as about 5.5 to as high as about 8.0, depending on such factors as the health and diet of the ruminant. The non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules of the rumen bypass product 34 is highly resistant to disruption at the more typical rumen pH range of about 5.8 to about 6.2, and is only slightly less resistant to disruption at less typical rumen pHs ranging from about 5.5 to less than about 5.8 and from greater than about 6.2 to about 8Ø
Consequently, the matrix of free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules, including the physically entrapped non-free fatty acid molecules, is highly protected from action by rumen microbes during passage of the network of the rumen bypass product 34 through the rumen that is within the typical rumen pH
range of about 5.8 to about 6.2. Furthermore, the matrix of free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules, including the physically entrapped non-free fatty acid molecules, is only slightly less protected from action by rumen microbes during passage of the network of the rumen bypass product 34 through the rumen that is at less typical rumen pHs ranging from about 5.5 to less than about 5.8 and from greater than about 6.2 to about 8Ø Furthermore, the denatured state of the non-covalently interacting protein molecules within the lipid/protein matrix of the rumen bypass product 34 further helps protect the protein molecules of the rumen bypass product from attack by rumen microbes during passage of the network of the rumen bypass product 34 through the rumen.
Thus, the rumen bypass product 34 of the present invention provides a consistent and reliable approach for passing lipids of all types and proteins through the rumen to other portions of the ruminant stomach downstream of the rumen where the typical post-rumen pH is sufficiently low to disrupt the non-covalent network of the rumen bypass product 34 and liberate the free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules and physically entrapped non-free fatty acid molecules that may then be digested and assimilated in portions of the ruminant stomach downstream of the rumen. Consequently, the rumen bypass product 34 provides a consistent, reliable, and straightforward approach to providing supplemental fatty acid (both saturated and unsaturated) and protein nutrition to ruminants that would otherwise be fully, or at least substantially, incapable of reaching portions of the ruminant stomach downstream of the rumen or would potentially cause detrimental nutritional imbalances in the ruminant.
Additional benefits of the rumen bypass product 34 exist. For example, the rumen bypass product 34 is stable against oxidation and release of lipid and protein components and does not undergo changes to the color, taste, smell or texture even after storage at elevated temperatures, such as about 100°F, for longer storage periods of about six months, or longer. As one example, the oxidative stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is evidenced by the stable color of the rumen bypass product 34 that does not visibly change, even after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about one month. Still further, the oxidative stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is evidenced by the stable color of the rumen bypass product 34 that does not visibly change, even after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about three months. Even further, the oxidative stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is evidenced by the stable color of the rumen bypass product 34 that does not visibly change, even after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about six months.
As explained below, the color of the rumen bypass product 34 may be characterized in terms of L* (lightness/darkness), a*(redness/greenness), and b*
(yellowness/blueness) values in the CIELAB colorspace. Also as explained below, color differences between two samples of a particular stream or between samples of different streams may be determined using the following equation:
OE*ab = f(OL*)z + (0a*)2 + (fib*)2 ~o.s The numerical value for DE*ab indicates the size of the color difference between the two samples. When OE*ab is about 5 or less, the difference in color between the two samples being compared is typically unable to be visually recognized by people with good eyesight. Preferably, the DE*ab that is determined between (1) a first sample of the rumen bypass product 34 that is characterized for color shortly (a few minutes) after manufacture and (2) a second sample of the rumen bypass product that is characterized for color after storage of the second sample in a controlled environment at 100°F for about six months is about 5 or less, which indicates that no, or essentially no, visually perceptible color change occurred following storage of the rumen bypass product 34, despite storage at 100°F for about six months. In this stability demonstration, the first sample of the rumen bypass product 34 and the second sample of the rumen bypass product 34 should be identical, except for the fact the second sample of the rumen bypass product 34 is stored at 100°F for about six months following manufacture.
As another example, the stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is also evidenced by the fact that an aqueous suspension of the rumen bypass product 34 releases little, if any, lipid, even after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about six months. Using the Fat Separation Determination procedure provided below, an aqueous suspension of the rumen bypass product 34 (after storage of the product 34 in a controlled environment at 100°F for about six months) in water (prepared in a 0.5:1 weight ratio) preferably exhibits about five volume percent fat separation or less, more preferably about three volume percent fat separation or less, and still more preferably about one volume percent fat separation or less after a resting period of about 60 minutes, when tested at a temperature of about 80°F using water with a pH ranging from about 6 to about 8.
Likewise, using the Fat Separation Determination procedure provided below, an aqueous suspension of the rumen bypass product 34 after storage of the product in a controlled environment at 100°F for about six months) in water (prepared in a 0.5:1 weight ratio) preferably exhibits about five volume percent fat separation or less, more preferably about three volume percent fat separation or less, and still more preferably about one volume fat separation percent or less, after a resting period of about 60 minutes, when tested at a temperature of about 100°F
using water with a pH ranging from about 6 to about 8.
As another approach, the stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is additionally evidenced by the observation that a 100 gram sample of the rumen bypass product 34 that is placed on a four layer thick stack of paper towels preferably releases no visible lipids ( i.e. no lipid grease-out) onto the paper towel stack after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 on, and in contact with, the paper towel stack at 80°F for about one month, more preferably for about three months, and still more preferably for about six months. The stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is further evidenced by the fact that a 100 gram sample of the rumen bypass product 34 placed on a four layer thick stack of paper towels preferably releases no visible lipids ( i.e. no lipid grease-out) onto the paper towel stack after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 on, and in contact with, the paper towel . CA 02475739 2004-10-22 stack at 100°F for about one month, more preferably for about three months, and still more preferably for about six months.
The stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is also evidenced by the observation that a granular sample of the rumen bypass product 34 preferably remains free flowing and without clumps after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about one month, more preferably for about three months, and still more preferably for about six months. Additional, the rumen bypass product 34 offers excellent operational flexibilities. For example, the rumen bypass product 34 may be combined with other animal feed components to form a nutritionally-complete ruminant feed that may be formed into any shape, such as logs, nuggets, pellets, or flakes, of any desired size using any conventional feed formation equipment.
PROPERTY DETERMINATION AND CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES
Various analytical techniques and calculation techniques are employed herein. An explanation of these techniques and calculations follows.
All determinations are on a wet basis, without drying the sample, unless otherwise specified below.
Total Solids Determination The actual weight of total solids (dry matter weight) of a particular sample may be determined by analyzing the sample in accordance with Method #925.23 (33.2.09) of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) ( 16th Ed.,1995). The weight percent total solids, wet basis, in the sample may the then be calculated by dividing the actual weight of total solids by the actual weight of the sample. The concentration of moisture in the sample may be calculated by subtracting the weight of the dried sample from the weight of the original sample to determine the weight of moisture in the original sample.
Then, the concentration of moisture in the original sample is determined by dividing the weight of moisture in the original sample by the weight of the original sample.

~

Total (Crude) Protein Determination To determine the percent of total protein (crude protein), wet basis, in a sample, the actual weight of total protein is determined in accordance with Method #991.20 (33.2.11) of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) ( 16th Ed.,1995). The value determined by the above method yields "total Kjeldahl nitrogen," which is equivalent to "total protein" since the above method incorporates a factor that accounts for the average amount of nitrogen in protein. Since any and all total Kjeldahl nitrogen determinations presented herein are based on the above method, the terms "total Kjeldahl nitrogen"
and "total protein" are used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that the term "total Kjeldahl nitrogen" is generally used in the art to mean "total protein" with the understanding that the factor has been applied.
The weight percent total protein, wet basis, is calculated by dividing the actual weight of total protein by the actual weight of the sample.
Total Fat Determination To determine the weight percent total fat, wet basis, in a sample, the actual weight of fat in the sample is determined in accordance with Method #974.09 (33.7.18) of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) ( 16th Ed., 1995). The weight percent total fat, wet basis, is then calculated by dividing the actual weight of total fat in the sample by the actual weight of the sample.
Free Fatty Acid Determination The free fatty acid (FFA) concentration in a particular sample may be determined using AOCS (American Oil Chemists' Society) Method Ca Sa-40 ( 1997).
AOCS Method Ca Sa-40 ( 1997) identifies the free fatty acids existing in sample and is applicable to all crude and refined vegetable oils, marine oils and animal fats. A
copy of AOCS Method Ca Sa-40 (1997) may be obtained from the American Oil Chemists' Society; P.O. Box 3489; Champaign, IL 61826-3489. The concentration of fatty acids other than free fatty acids (i.e. non-free fatty acids) may be determined by subtracting the free fatty acid concentration of the sample determined in accordance with this procedure from the total fat concentration determined in accordance with the Total Fat Determination procedure provided above.
Reflectance Spectra The color of any stream present in the process 10 of the present invention, such as the color of the rumen bypass product 34, may be characterized in terms of L* (lightness/darkness), a*(redness/greenness), and b*
(yellowness/blueness) values in the CIELAB colorspace. Increasing L* values (L* moves toward +100) correlate to increasing lightness (increasing "whiteness"); increasing a*
values (a*
moves toward +60 and thereby becomes either more positive or less negative) correlate to increasing redness; and increasing b* values (b* moves toward +60 and thereby becomes either more positive or less negative) correlate to increasing yellowness. Correspondingly, decreasing L* values (L* moves toward 0) correlate to decreasing lightness (increasing "blackness"); decreasing a* values (a* moves toward -60 and thereby becomes either less positive or more negative) correlate to increasing greenness (decreasing "redness"); and decreasing b* values (b* moves toward -60 and thereby becomes either less positive or more negative) correlate to increasing blueness (decreasing "yellowness").
Color differences between two samples of a particular stream or between samples of different streams may be determined using the following equation:
0E*ab = f(OL*)2 + (Da*)2 + (0b*)2 ~~.s, The numerical value found by calculating OE*ab indicates the size of the color difference between the two samples, but does not characterize how the colors of the two samples are different. When DE*ab is about 5 or less, the differences in color between the two samples being compared are typically unable to be visually recognized by people with good eyesight.

,' ,' CA 02475739 2004-10-22 Unless otherwise indicated, all reflectance spectra recited herein were determined in accordance with or are based upon the following procedure that relies on a commercially available reflectometer, the Hunter LabScan II
Colorimeter, that is available from Hunter Associates Laboratory, Inc ("Hunter") of Reston, Virginia. A white calibration standard, part number 11-010850, and a black calibration standard, part number 11-005030, each available from Hunter, are used to calibrate the Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter. Spectral data obtained by the Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter are converted by the Colorimeter into various spectral values, including the CIELAB colorspace variables: L* (lightness), a*(redness/greenness), and b* (yellowness/blueness).
Before the reflectance spectra are evaluated for a particular sample, the Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter is calibrated to the appropriate calibration standards supplied by Hunter. First, the Colorimeter takes a reading after being placed against the white calibration standard (part number 11-010850) supplied by Hunter. Then, the Colorimeter takes another reading after being placed against the black calibration standard (part number 11-005030) supplied by Hunter. The Colorimeter software then evaluates the two readings and makes any necessary calibration adjustments before reflectance spectra of samples are measured.
The reflectance spectrum of a particular dried sample (containing less than 5% moisture, by weight) is evaluated by placing a powder cup (filled about 1 to 2 centimeters high with the sample) on the Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter measurement window. A suitable powder cup may be obtained from Agtron Instruments, a division of Magnuson Engineers, Inc., of San Jose, California.
The Colorimeter is programed to characterize spectral data in terms of L*, a*, and b*.
Determination of the L*, a*, and b* values for a particular dried sample entails five separate measurements of spectral data. Thus, the L*, a* and b* values for each dried sample are based on an average of five separate spectral measurements.

Fat Separation Determination To determine the volume percent of fat separation upon placement of a particular sample of the rumen bypass product 34 in water of a select pH at a select temperature for a select period of time, the following procedure may be used.
First, 100 grams of the rumen bypass product 34 (preferably in granular form and containing less than 5% moisture, by weight), 0.05 gram of sudan red dye, and grams of water at the select pH are weighed, combined in a tall, slim graduated beaker of sufficient volume, and whisked together for about 30 seconds. Sudan red dye is a lipid soluble dye that stains lipids red and thereby serves as a visual aid to gauge the amount, if any, of fat separation. The graduated beaker may be placed in a bucket of water that is at about the select temperature to help maintain the select temperature of the testing medium during this determination.
Then, after a predetermined time interval, such as about 15 minutes or longer, has passed, the amount of any separated fat is documented by measuring the height of the red-dyed portion of the graduated cylinder contents. The red-dyed portion, if any, constitutes separated fat, since the sudan red dye is lipid-soluble.
Dividing the height of the red-dyed portion of the graduated cylinder contents by the total height of the fluid in the graduated cylinder is an accurate representation of the volume fraction of separated fat in the total volume of the fat separation determination sample because (1) the sudan red-dye is lipid-soluble and therefore stains only fat, if any, that separates as a distinct phase from the rumen bypass product and (2) the internal diameter of the graduated cylinder is constant from the top to the bottom of the graduated cylinder. The volume percent of fat separation from the rumen bypass product 34 is calculated by dividing the height of the red-dyed portion of the graduated cylinder contents by the total height of the fluid in the graduated cylinder and multiplying this result by 100.

. ~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22 Ash Determination The actual weight of total ash (dry matter weight) of a particular sample may be determined by analyzing the sample in accordance with Method #920.39 of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) ( 15th Ed., 1994). This method entails incinerating the sample at 600°C for four hours.
pH Deternadnation Unless otherwise indicated, all pH determinations recited or specified herein are based upon use of the Model No. 059-43-00 Digital Benchtop pH/mV Meter that is available from Cole-Parmer Instrument Co. of Vernon Hills, Illinois using the procedure set forth in the instructions accompanying the Model No. 059-43-00 Digital Benchtop pH/mV Meter. All pH values recited herein were determined at or are based upon a sample temperature of about 25 °C.
EXAMPLES
The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples which are intended as illustrations only since numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This example demonstrates the technique of preparing a rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention. In this example, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was employed as the lipid material 12, and an aqueous solution of red blood cells was employed as the proteinaceous material 14.
The CLA contained about 99.8 weight percent free fatty acid, based on the total weight of the CLA. The aqueous solution of red blood cells was prepared from ,' CA 02475739 2004-10-22 whole animal blood by centrifuging the whole animal blood to remove plasma and other diluents and thereby concentrate the blood solids, including the red blood cells, in the aqueous solution of red blood cells. After being collected from the animal and prior to being centrifuged, the whole animal blood was treated with a conventional anticoagulant to inhibit biodegradation of the whole animal blood and denaturation of the red blood cells contained in the whole animal blood. The aqueous solution of red blood cells contained about 30 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution.
Initially, about 318 grams of the CLA were added to about 455 grams of the aqueous solution of red blood cells to form a lipid/blood protein mixture. The lipid/blood protein mixture was vigorously mixed and, at the same time, gradually heated to a temperature of about 190°F to allow non-covalent interaction development between the CLA and the red blood cells, followed by coagulation of the red blood cells. The lipid/blood protein mixture was held at the temperature of about 190°F for about five to about ten minutes to complete formation of a complexed red blood cell-fat product. The complexed red blood cell-fat product was transferred to a turbulent air dryer operating at a temperature of about 221 °F and was dried for about two hours to form a powdered rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention.
The powdered rumen bypass product was flowable, did not clump, and had a dark, red color. The powdered rumen bypass product contained about 65.6 weight percent total fat, based on the total weight of the powdered rumen bypass product. The powdered rumen bypass product was characterized as stable, since a 100 gram sample of the powdered rumen bypass product, when placed on a four layer thick stack of paper towels, released no visible lipids ( i.e. no lipid grease-out) onto the paper towel stack after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 on, and in contact with, the paper towel stack at 80°F for about one month.

,' ,.~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22 This example further demonstrates the technique of preparing a rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention. In this example, the rumen bypass product, after drying, contained about 50 weight percent total fat and about 45 weight percent total protein, based on the total weight of the rumen bypass product. In this example, brown grease obtained from Feed Energy Company of Des Moines, Iowa, was employed as the lipid material 12, and an aqueous solution of red blood cells was employed as the proteinaceous material 14.
The brown grease contained about 94.5 weight percent fat, based on the total weight of the brown grease. About 50 weight percent of the fat content of the brown grease was in the form of free fatty acids.
The aqueous solution of red blood cells was prepared from whole animal blood by centrifuging the whole animal blood to remove plasma and other diluents and thereby concentrate the blood solids, including the red blood cells, in the aqueous solution of red blood cells. After being collected from the animal and prior to being centrifuged, the whole animal blood was treated with a conventional anticoagulant to inhibit biodegradation of the whole animal blood and denaturation of the red blood cells contained in the whole animal blood. The aqueous solution of red blood cells contained about 27.07 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution.
About 454 grams of the brown grease was warmed to about 80°F.
About 8.75 grams of powdered disodium EDTA (a metal salt of EDTA) was mixed into the warm brown grease. The powdered disodium EDTA was observed to go into solution with the warm brown grease very well. About 1310 grams of the aqueous solution of red blood cells were warmed to about 80°F and were then added to the brown grease/disodium EDTA mixture to form a lipid/blood protein mixture. The warm lipid/blood protein mixture, at a temperature of about 78°F, was then vigorously agitated for about five minutes.

,' .' CA 02475739 2004-10-22 After agitation, the warm lipid/blood protein mixture was placed in a water bath and the temperature of the warm lipid/blood protein mixture was slowly raised to about 170°F to allow non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acids of the brown grease and the proteinaceous red blood cells, followed by coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells. It was observed that the lipid/blood protein mixture was substantially coagulated, as evidenced by an increasingly shiny appearance, by the time the temperature of the lipid/blood protein mixture reached about 150°F. Complete coagulation of the lipid/blood protein mixture and transformation into a complexed red blood cell-fat product occurred by the time the temperature of the lipid/blood protein mixture reached about 160°F. There was no indication of any fat release from the lipid/blood protein mixture as the lipid/blood protein mixture was warmed, coagulation proceeded, and the complexed red blood cell-fat product was formed.
After reaching a temperature of about 170°F, the complexed red blood cell-fat product was removed from the water bath and placed in a wire mesh cylinder for drying. Drying of the complexed red blood cell-fat product transformed the complexed red blood cell-fat product into reddish brown rumen bypass powder with a very fine texture. There was no indication of any fat release from the complexed red blood cell-fat product as the complexed red blood cell-fat product was dried and the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was formed.
Analytical testing of the complexed red blood cell-fat product revealed the complexed red blood cell-fat product had a moisture content of about 49.96 weight percent, based on the total weight of the complexed red blood cell-fat product, prior to drying in the wire mesh cylinder. Analytical testing of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder revealed that the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 2.66 weight percent moisture, based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder. Furthermore, the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 48.53 weight percent total fat, about 2.16 weight percent ash, and about 45.11 weight percent total (crude) protein, based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder.

This example further demonstrates the technique of preparing a rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention. In this example, the rumen bypass product, after drying, contained about 55 weight percent total fat and about 48 weight percent total protein, based on the total weight of the rumen bypass product. In this example, the same brown grease used in Example 2 and obtained from Feed Energy Company of Des Moines, Iowa, was employed as the lipid material 12, and the aqueous solution of red blood cells prepared as described in Example 2 was employed as the proteinaceous material 14. The brown grease contained about 94.5 weight percent fat, based on the total weight of the brown grease. About 50 weight percent of the fat content of the brown grease was in the form of free fatty acids. The aqueous solution of red blood cells contained about 28 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution.
About 116 pounds of the brown grease was warmed 105 °F-120°F in a kettle. About 334 pounds of the aqueous solution of red blood cells were warmed to about 65 °F to prevent premature crystallization of the brown grease upon addition of the aqueous solution of red blood cells to the warm brown grease.
The warm aqueous solution of red blood cells was then added to the warm brown grease to form about 450 pounds of a lipid/blood protein mixture. The warm lipid/blood protein mixture was transferred to a ribbon mixer using a mixer feeder and mixed for about five minutes at a temperature of about 75°F to 80°F.
The ribbon mixer was a Model 488 paddle/ribbon mixer of about one hundred cubic feet capacity that was coupled with a Model 488 live bottom feeder of about one hundred cubic feet capacity. Both the Model 488 paddle/ribbon mixer and the Model 488 live bottom feeder are available from Scott Equipment Co. of New Prague, Minnesota.

About 2.25 pounds of powdered disodium EDTA (a metal salt of EDTA) were combined with the 450 pounds of the uniformly mixed, warm lipid/blood protein mixture. Thus, the concentration of the powdered disodium EDTA in the warm lipid/blood protein mixture was about 5000 parts (by weight) per million parts (ppm) (weight basis), based on the total weight of the warm lipid/blood protein mixture. Also, about 52.6 grams of the RendoX AEQ
antioxidant product available from Kemin Industries, Inc of Des Moines, Iowa were combined with the warm lipid/blood protein mixture. Thus, the concentration of the Rendox° AEQ antioxidant product in the warm lipid/blood protein mixture was about 1000 parts (by weight) per million parts (ppm) (weight basis), based on the total weight of the warm lipid/blood protein mixture. The mixture of the EDTA
metal salt, the Rendox° AEQ antioxidant product, and the warm lipid/blood protein mixture (hereinafter the "warm lipid/blood protein/additive mixture") was homogeneously blended for about five minutes and was then transferred back into the Model 488 paddle/ribbon mixer using the Model 488 live bottom feeder.
Super heated steam was passed through a jacketed portion of the paddle/ribbon mixer to gradually increase the temperature of the warm lipid/blood protein/additive mixture to about 130°F during mixing. The mixing was allowed to continue for about eight minutes to allow non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acids of the brown grease and the red blood cells and support subsequent initiation of coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells.
Once coagulation of the of the proteinaceous red blood cells was initiated, the temperature of the warm lipid/blood protein/additive mixture in the paddle/ribbon mixer was increased to about 165 °F by passing additional superheated steam through the jacketed portion of the paddle/ribbon mixer. The warm lipid/blood protein/additive mixture was mixed for an additional seventeen minutes at this temperature of about 165 °F in the paddle/ribbon mixer to complete transformation of the warm lipid/blood protein/additive mixture into a complexed red blood cell-fat product.

The complexed red blood cell-fat product was then transferred into an air swept tubular dryer operated with an inlet air temperature of about 450 °F and an outlet air temperature of about 210°F. The air swept tubular dryer used in this example was a Model 2010 AST dryer that may be obtained from Scott Equipment Company of New Prague, Minnesota. The average temperature of the complexed red blood cell-fat product during drying was about 148°F. The complexed red blood cell-fat product was introduced into the air swept tubular dryer at a rate of about ten pounds of the complexed red blood cell-fat product per minute. The dryer transformed the moist, complexed red blood cell-fat product into reddish brown rumen bypass powder with a very fine texture. After mixing, the anti-oxidant treated, reddish brown rumen bypass powder was placed into plastic (polypropylene) lined bags. Care was taken to minimize incorporation of air during bagging of the rumen bypass powder.
Analytical testing of the complexed red blood cell-fat product revealed the complexed red blood cell-fat product had a moisture content of about 55.8 weight percent, based on the total weight of the complexed red blood cell-fat product, prior to drying in the air swept tubular dryer. Analytical testing of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder revealed that the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 2.7 wight percent to about 2.8 weight percent moisture, based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder.
Furthermore, the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 54.71 weight percent total fat and about 47.24 weight percent total (crude) protein, based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder. About 46.85 weight percent of the total fat content of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was determined to be free fatty acid, based on the total weight of total fat in the reddish brown rumen bypass powder. Thus, about 85.6 percent of the total fat present in the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was existed as free fatty acid.

' ~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22 This example further demonstrates the technique of preparing a rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention. The component and processing details of this example are the same as those presented in Example 3, with the following exceptions. First, in this example, 123 pounds of the brown grease were employed, and about 354 pounds of the aqueous solution of red blood cells were employed. Next, in this example, after formation of the lipid/blood protein mixture in the paddle/ribbon mixer, none of the powdered disodium EDTA
was added to the lipid/blood protein mixture, in contrast to the addition of the powdered disodium EDTA to the lipid/blood protein mixture that occurred in Example 3. Instead, in this example, the combination of the Rendox°
AEQ
antioxidant product and the warm lipid/blood protein mixture lipid/blood protein mixture (as opposed to the combination of the EDTA metal salt, the Rendox° AEQ
antioxidant product, and the warm lipid/blood protein mixture in Example 3) was heated (using super heated steam) and mixed in the paddle/ribbon mixer.
Furthermore, in this example, the lipid/blood protein/additive mixture was heated to about 134°F (as opposed to about 130°F in Example 3) and mixing continued for about five and a half minutes (as opposed to about eight minutes in Example 3). Then, after raising the temperature of the lipid/blood protein/additive mixture to about 127 °F (as opposed to about 165 °F in Example 3), the lipid/blood protein/additive mixture was mixed for an additional thirteen minutes (as opposed to about seventeen minutes in Example 3) at this elevated temperature in the paddle/ribbon mixer to complete transformation of the lipid/blood protein/additive mixture into the complexed red blood cell-fat product.
Furthermore, in this example, the inlet air temperature of the air swept tubular dryer was about 470°F (as opposed to about 450°F in Example 3) and the outlet air temperature from the air swept tubular dryer was about 215 °F (as opposed to about 210°F in Example 3).

~
' ~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22 Analytical testing of the complexed red blood cell-fat product revealed the complexed red blood cell-fat product had a moisture content of about 55.2 weight percent, based on the total weight of the complexed red blood cell-fat product, prior to drying in the air swept tubular dryer. Analytical testing of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder revealed that the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 1.5 weight percent to about 2.9 weight percent moisture, based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder.
Furthermore, the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 54.50 weight percent total fat and about 46.86 weight percent total (crude) protein, based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder. About 47.63 weight percent of the total fat content of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was determined to be free fatty acid, based on the total weight of total fat in the reddish brown rumen bypass powder. Thus, about 87.4 percent of the total fat present in the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was existed as free fatty acid.
One important observation is that the complexed red blood cell-fat product produced in accordance with this example was observed to have a runnier, more fluid consistency, as compared to the complexed red blood cell-fat product produced in accordance with Example 3. This difference is believed due to the addition of the powdered disodium EDTA to the lipid/blood protein mixture that occurred in Example 3, which did not occur in this example. The powdered disodium EDTA is thought to exhibit an anticoagulant function. This anticoagulant function of the powdered disodium EDTA is believed to help delay coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells, and therefore allow enhanced non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acids of the brown grease and the red blood cells prior to the onset of more than minor coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells.
This enhanced non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acids of the brown grease and the red blood cells prior to the onset of any ~

more than minor coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells is believed to support enhanced chemical (non-covalent) interaction between the free fatty acids of the brown grease. The enhanced chemical (non-covalent) interaction between the free fatty acids of the brown grease coupled with coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells is believed to support subsequent enhanced physical entrapment of non-free fatty acids within the lipid/protein matrix. This enhanced chemical (non-covalent) interaction between the free fatty acids of the brown grease and the red blood cells along with the enhanced physical entrapment of non-free fatty acids within the lipid/protein matrix is believed to render the complexed red blood cell-fat product produced in accordance with Example 3 firmer and less fluid, as compared to the complexed red blood cell-fat product produced in accordance with this Example.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of forming an animal feed component, the method comprising:
combining protein molecules and free fatty acid molecules to form an intermediate composition; and processing the intermediate composition to create non-covalently interaction between the protein molecules and free fatty acid molecules.

2. A method of forming an animal feed component, the method comprising:
blending a proteinaceous material and a lipid material to form an intermediate composition, the proteinaceous material comprising protein that is non-denatured or the lipid material comprising a significant concentration of glyceride-containing lipid; and heating the intermediate composition to a temperature greater than 50°C
to form the animal feed component.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the method is effective to form the animal feed component in the absence of any pH-modification.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component comprises free fatty acid and protein in non-covalent interaction.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the animal feed component comprises ruminally-protected material.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein:
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the protein content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein:
the lipid material comprises non-free fatty acid; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the non-free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the method is effective to form the ruminally-protected material in the absence of incorporating any aldehyde in the method.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein:
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the method is effective to form the ruminally-protected material without chemically denaturing the protein.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component comprises free fatty acid and protein, reversible chemical interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the method is effective to form the animal feed component in the absence of any pH-modification

13. The method of claim 2 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component comprises free fatty acid and protein, non-covalent interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the non-covalent interaction comprises charge-charge interaction.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the lipid material comprises non-free fatty acid;
the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein forms a matrix, the non-free fatty acid physically entrapped within the matrix.

16. The method of claim 2 wherein the animal feed component, after storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months, exhibits about five volume percent fat separation or less, after being mixed with water for about five minutes to form a suspension containing a 0.5:1 weight ratio of the animal feed component (dry basis) to water where the water has a pH in the range of 6 to 8 standard pH units and where the suspension has a temperature of about 100°F.

17. The method of claim 2 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no color degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

18. The method of claim 2 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no flavor degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

19. The method of claim 2 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no lipid grease-out during storage of the animal feed component at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

20. A method of forming an animal feed component, the method comprising:
blending a proteinaceous material and a lipid material to form an intermediate composition, the proteinaceous material comprising an anticoagulant; and processing the intermediate composition to form the animal feed component, the concentration of the anticoagulant in the proteinaceous material effective to prevent biodegradation of protein contained in the proteinaceous material prior to formation of the animal feed.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the method is effective to form the animal feed component in the absence of any pH-modification.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the method is effective to form the animal feed component in the absence of incorporating any aldehyde in the method.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein processing the intermediate composition comprises heating the intermediate composition.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein processing the intermediate composition comprises heating the intermediate composition to a temperature greater than 50°C.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the method is effective to form the animal feed component in the absence of incorporating any aldehyde in the method.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component comprises free fatty acid and protein, non-covalent interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the animal feed component comprises ruminally-protected material.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the protein content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the lipid material comprises non-free fatty acid; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the non-free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the method is effective to form the ruminally-protected material in the absence of incorporating any aldehyde in the method.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the method is effective to form the ruminally-protected material without chemically denaturing the protein.

33. The method of claim 20 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component comprises free fatty acid and protein, reversible non-covalent interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the method is effective to form the animal feed component in the absence of any pH-modification

35. The method of claim 20 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component comprises free fatty acid and protein, non-covalent interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the method is effective to form the animal feed component in the absence of any pH-modification

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the non-covalent interaction comprises charge-charge interaction.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the lipid material comprises non-free fatty acid;
the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein forms a matrix, the non-free fatty acid physically entrapped within the matrix.

39. The method of claim 20 wherein the animal feed component, after storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months, exhibits about five volume percent fat separation or less, after being mixed with water for about five minutes to form a suspension containing a 0.5:1 ratio of the animal feed component to water, where the water has a pH in the range of 6 to 8 standard pH
units and where the suspension has a temperature of about 100°F.

40. The method of claim 20 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no color degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

41. The method of claim 20 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no flavor degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

42. The method of claim 20 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no lipid grease-out during storage of the animal feed component at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

43. A method of forming an animal feed component, the method comprising:
blending a blood component and a lipid material to form an intermediate composition; and heating the intermediate composition to a temperature greater than 50°C
to form the animal feed component.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the blood component comprises blood protein; and the animal feed component comprises free fatty acid and blood protein, non-covalent interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the animal feed component comprises ruminally-protected material.

46. A method of forming an animal feed component, the method comprising:
blending a proteinaceous material and a lipid material to form an intermediate composition, wherein:
the proteinaceous material comprises protein;
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid and non-free fatty acid;
processing the intermediate composition to form a matrix, the free fatty acid and the protein chemically interacting with each other in the matrix and the non-free fatty acid physically entrapped within the matrix; and varying the weight ratio of free fatty acid in the lipid material to total fat in the intermediate composition to enhance the amount of non-free fatty acid physically entrapped within the matrix.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the chemical interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein comprises non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the non-covalent interaction comprises charge-charge interaction.

49. A method of forming an animal feed component, the method comprising:
blending a proteinaceous material, a lipid material, and an anticoagulant to form an intermediate composition, wherein:
the proteinaceous material comprises protein;
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;

processing the intermediate composition to create chemical interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein; and processing the intermediate composition to coagulate the protein; and varying the concentration of anticoagulant included in the intermediate composition to enhance the amount of chemical interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein at a select time versus the amount of protein coagulation at the select time.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the chemical interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein comprises non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid and the protein.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the non-covalent interaction comprises charge-charge interaction.

52. An animal feed component, the animal feed component comprising:
free fatty acid; and protein, the free fatty acid and protein, non-covalent interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

53. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the non-covalent interaction comprises charge-charge interaction.

54 The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

55. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the protein content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

56. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein:
the lipid material comprises non-free fatty acid; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the non-free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

57. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the animal feed component is free of aldehyde.

58. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the protein is free of any chemical denaturing.

59. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein:
the animal feed component comprises non-free fatty acid;
the non-covalent interaction of the free fatty acid and protein supports a matrix of the free fatty acid and protein, the non-free fatty acid physically entrapped within the matrix.

60. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the animal feed component, after storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months, exhibits about five volume percent fat separation or less, after being mixed with water for about five minutes to form a suspension containing a 0.5:1 ratio of the animal feed component to water, where the water has a pH in the range of 6 to standard pH units and where the suspension has a temperature of about 100°F.

61. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no color degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

62. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no flavor degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

63. The animal feed component of claim 52 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no lipid grease-out during storage of the animal feed component at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

64. An animal feed component, the animal feed component comprising:
a proteinaceous material;
a lipid material; and an anticoagulant, the concentration of the anticoagulant in the proteinaceous material effective to selectively prevent biodegradation of protein contained in the proteinaceous material.

65. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein the animal feed component is free of aldehyde.

66. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid;
the proteinaceous material comprises protein, non-covalent interaction existing between the free fatty acid and the protein.

67. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein:
the lipid material comprises free fatty acid; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

68. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein:
the proteinaceous material comprises protein; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the protein content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

69. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein:
the lipid material comprises non-free fatty acid; and the animal feed component, when orally fed to a ruminant with a rumen, is ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the non-free fatty acid content of the animal feed component to pass through the rumen without structural alteration.

70. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein the animal feed component is free of aldehyde.

71. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein the protein the proteinaceous material is free of any chemical denaturing.

72. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein the animal feed component, after storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months, exhibits about five volume percent fat separation or less, after being mixed with water for about five minutes to form a suspension containing a 0.5:1 ratio of the animal feed component to water, where the water has a pH in the range of 6 to standard pH units and where the suspension has a temperature of about 100°F.

73. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no color degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

74. The animal feed component of claim 64 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no flavor degradation during storage at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.

75. The method of animal feed component of claim 64 wherein the animal feed component exhibits no lipid grease-out during storage of the animal feed component at a temperature of at least about 100°F for at least about six months.