CA2947246A1 - Selecting, producing, and feeding whole algae as a feed supplement for cattle and bison to produce meat high in omega 3's for human health - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for creating and using algae as a food supplement for cattle and buffalo thereby providing a desirable food supplement for cattle and buffalo wherein the meat and fat produced has increased specific Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for a product, which imparts a healthier cardiovascular or healthier central nervous system.

Description

SELECTING, PRODUCING) AND FEEDING WHOLE ALGAE
AS A FEED WI' PLEMENT FOR CATTLE AND 13ISON:
TO PRODUCE MEAT IGH IN OMEGA. 31$ FOR IIIIMANBEALTH
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fight of the. InNention In general, the -present invention is a composition, system and method of creating and using Whole algae as a tbod supplorrient for animals. The -algae are high in omega. 3s and or EPA (and other .constimer.its) in relation to total fats, and are .fot cattle and bison's .digenti.ve system. The resulting meat with high DIM. and EPA provides a superior beef with heart healthy properties and other healthy properties .for the. con'sumer.
.2, 0001.0tion of the Prior .Art = ihere .a current recognition of the diverse benefits of algae as a nutritional suPPlernent, apoternial Waite', and with some technologies %i growing as a means to e:aptp.;:e cxoss or unwanted (..!():: The tield of tape growth, harvesting and processing =i burgeoningand hundred.
.Of 'millions of dollars .are being invested into this indutry,.imosttly.
aimed at idemilying themost promising strains of algae for biofuel and developing prototype cultivation facilities for their 2rowth, Additionally, Tnore recently, algae. growers are Reusing on growing 'algae high in Omega 3's and to process the algae into its constituents,. with the. Omega rs:, being of very high 'Value and then produCingbiofuel With the. remainiug fins, and having a.residual for other .Qonstituents inc.:I'M:1'41g a byproduct animal reed high in .protein.
Algae may someday .achieve the gamechanging ability to convert renewable sunlight into transixraition fuel_ Sustainable transportation. fuel WaS the 'lupe underlying corn. based ethanol bra the reality is that energy yields from corn are WO low, while the Use of prime eroptandto grow ethane' 'feedstock has crowded our agricultural system.
Algae s nature.8 .most bask photosynthesis organism. Some algae Consume..wa ter, sunlight and (arbon.dioxick, CO)( to produee sugars, Those Sugars and reduced high-energy eotnpOunds eventually produce the lipids,. which .ean be readily prOc;essed into biotttel that tan be tweed in place of diesel atel.. COM. grown.en America's best .thnniand can yield less that 200.
gallons per -acre of blotthanol. Experts .agree that algae :can yield more than 2$ times the energy density of corn-derived biefuel; algae grown on an acre of wasteland requiring only decent sunlight) .can: yield anywhere between 2000, and 7,000 gallons of bi duel per year. Algae may be a biofuel Cornberiti.ve with diesel oil.priced at $2.00 to. $3.00 per gallon if algae can he found or.
lila& to grow faster. or the algae can .be modified genetically to refine.fucl such as gasoline.
which is then excreted through the cell wall of the: algae so it does not have w be. processed.
Howevek: algae. which is hetetotrophle, can use Organic carbon.
5ourees..i4.the water, such as .sugarunder fermentation, or glucose,, as a .substitute for sunlight, or in addition to sunlight. This.
.13 pateut focusses on the groNO.b.of such heteratrOphie algae t'Or use :IS. an animal feed supplement, because there are now available techniques for growing such .algae that ava much less expensive than .former methods. While this arowing.teehnique does not directly .use CO2 from power plant .and ethanol .plant emissions, there is CO2 removed from, the atmosphere by the plant, sugar eane which uses the CO2 (from power plant or ethanol .plant emissions) in the phOlosynthetie process.
"The beterothophic algae also kzoponotily have. silica cell walls Making less likely to break. in.the rumen; and leave the ornega.3's intact when released in the snriall intestine, 'I'llexe...atv. two groups of essential 'flirty acids, 0tnegar3 fatty acids and OrnegatS fatty' t).rnega-1 fatty acids are -found naturally in the. oil of old-water-fish, Such :as mok.crel.,

2 salmon, sardines, anehovies.and tuna, or as extracted oll .front.plants, Such as flaxseed, canoki (raneseed)õ or soybean. E.xaMptos of OrnegtO fatty 'acid's.
ineindodOC.OStilletentrie 4C14.(")TfA), .eicosaperiteaoic:. acid (EPA) and alpha linolenic seid (ALA). Of keyinrportanee, the Omega 3.'s EPA. and Di IA. are found in large amounts drily In e6-water fish, and not to land 'animals or seeds, Hence, to obtain large 'amounts of EPA and D.11A,.hamans need oat oily fish or take oil supplements, Which are made from fish or from the algae that form the base of the food chain for fish. ALA. in contrast, is found abundantly in seeds .such as flax. Omena.-3 tbuy acids. are linked to a wide variety of beneficial health effeets in documented intervention studies as:
essential conStituents.of cells,.especially brain .celIs. nerve: cells, retina, adrenal glands, and.
.reproductive cells. Long chain Omega-.3 polynnsattitates (P1.11Ws) such as:
INIA8tEPA, are thought to have health benefits for the:heart, skin, and immune systemt and help reolate inflammatory .diseases. attention dot:lei t..iiisorders and infant dove lopnwrit. There are, also noniber of net.v studies underway that suggest benelits In preventing Alzheirnercs., dementia, colorectal cancers, and redwing deaths due to heart disease.
i here have :been .a num krt. of patents granted outlining the benefits from speak Omega.
fatty .acids 1.-}resent in food and/or suppitnnents. Several patents have also been granted -fir the enrichment of foodti that are normally low or deficient in Ornega73.,(6 and PUFA's. For thmpiC, . IL&
5,932,257 (Wright et at) relates' to IN IA being.produced in eow'S milk through tht.
ft:edi4 of cold-water fishmeal to cows, using a feather meal based teed .supplertient. The feather ijx=at, v.sed according to thisptior art reference is used as an inhibitor oil-pie:17.61W. degradation of MIA in the rumen of the dairy cattle, U.S. Pat. Nbs.:4,91.1,944.and 5,190,573 also disclose the.
useof feed sup.plementS cOniaiaing fishmeal combined with animal hy-produtris e.g. Feather

3 rit;!al, bone meat and the like. A number or patenta.hae also been granted, for theõ.clevation of Omega.-3. in eggs µ.t.sing flax meal or algae/IN-LA, feed supplements:inehickens, in terms of algae, (DHA fermented. coneeritmtes), these feed and food mixes are;
produced. via genetic :rmotnhination teelmolouõ which has limit0 consumer tac, or in most maitets. Prior art feed formtdas have a number of deficientia on. a pr4ctiol basi& Tior example., ashh mealifbather meal feed .sopplements are leery unparatable and on be a .feedinge, det4trent to lireac.4. such as cows,: and only limited .amouats ofillisVcan be aehieVed in th milk. Also, the use of animal by-..produetsõ
blood meal/feather .meat, have been bamettin most countr.ies to.
prevent the spread a :ill fectm. diS'eW;eg..
0 There is a need in the art for feed supploTierits..eapahle of elevating the amount of =Otrico-3 flay acids in beef The Above discussed limitations in. thoprior art is not intended to be eghawtive. The current invention ptovides a solutioa not currently found in the known. am

4 .SUMMARY OF. THE INVENTION:
In view of the .foregoing disadvantages inhermil in the known typestif 41.gae food .suppiernents: the.presentinVentionptovides'a new and improved effective algae based.Tood .supplement for beef cattle and or buffalo where th prior art fails, A3 'SUCI1,: the. getiCral purpose $ of present invention, which will be .deii;cribedstibsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new-ahd improved method of creating an algae based food supplement and means to reduce .CO2 which has all the advantages of :the prior.art.andnone of disadvantages.
To attain this., the present invention essentially comprises a system .and method for taking .commonly available Carbohydrates such ns sugar, which Consume CO2 in the atmosphere; And.
1 0 .i:otding ii. to eve The invention also cultivates algae for a specific use, and feeds it to cattle improving the eardiovascular health .of the 'beef coustniter by increasing :specific. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (Rif:AO in the:muscle tissue of beef It is further contemplated the invention may he utilized fht the general feeding ofnther animals, such as but not limited to buffalo. it is contemplated that balkilb may be used a livestock tor meat.
There -4. thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the .detailed description thereof tharibliews may be better understood and in order that the present .contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Them are, o:f:coorse, additional features:of theinvention that will be described hereinafter and which will term the 20: subject matter Of the claims appended hereto.
in this respect, before :explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail is to be understood. that the. invention 1.110t.linlited in this application to the details of cons nu; Lion, arrangement of the components,. and i.tii.otints thereof .Set 11.-mh in the fZillOwing description. The invention is capable of .Other embocliments and of. beii.4..t: practiced and f:::AiTied out in various ways. ALSO, kis to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are ibr the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. AS such, those Skilled in the art c0i, appreciatellw.the conception .upon.w.hich.this disclogure: is hased.;(ngyrIy Laized

5. as a biitsis an: the designing .oroth.er compositions, methods, and systems fOr carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is int:portant, thoefore, that the claim he regarded.
as inelnding such t:.qpiyatent constructions lasofar:as they. do not depatt :the spirit and seope.
of the present invention:.
Further, the purpose of' the foregoing abstract is to enable-the 1i.S. Patent and Tradenla.rk Office .and ate public .gtmerally, .and especially the engineers and practitioners in the art who are.
not familiar with patent or legal .terins or phraseology, to detCiinitIC
quickly from a cursory:
inspection the nature and essence of the teahni cal diselosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention. of the application, 'Whit% is measured by the claims, nor is It intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any *ay.
z It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved Method and system to :create .and.. use :an algae based food supplement for but notiimit.ed to beef cattle..
Still another object: of the present invention is to:provide a new and irniiroVed algae food :supplement 'w Wit pi:Ovid:es...ail of the advantages ofthe prior an. while Simultaneously overcoming some Qf the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Yet another :object of the present invention is ,to provide-a new and improved, method and:
gystem for now and impmved..algaa and algaetOod supplement that is eommereially available such that public :awareness is garnered and .enviromnental improvement is:
created: .in regards to C,702 reduction, =

6 An even further object of the present invention is. to provide a new and MTh-wed lbod sttpplement that provides the benefit of Omega-3 to the consumer with the ability to eat red meat which is far healthier 011in:42o-riven:dot:la! red meat having a moderate or high degree of marbling, because heart healthy omega 3'8 counteract the. negative:health con$equenees Of .;4.t.itratcci. its present in the meat.
Still an even.:farther object Of the present :inA?ontion.is to pt6viae an optimal yield rate of.
algae .grci`of.th, approximately 25% or more of Omega -a DHA and pr .EPA
composition in harvc.'Sted 'algae, approximately 50% of total .fats in the algae, a consistent feedlot Weight gain: Of.
3 IlisAlay per 'animal meeting industry standards, an increase of 10 to 20 times the healthy Omega-3 MIA. and EPA in 'beef ready for market, and a possibly do case of saturated fats in beef ready for market.
It ia stillfarther an object of the pt'esent invention to provide a. new and itaproved'reethoe and s:;,stem to 0,0ato and use An algae based food Supplement for O.Wtit= and buffalo for producing 4 better heart healthy food product :from the cattle and buffalo or to generally feed and nourish .caide and buffalo.
It is fiirther contemplated. the invention may bc.utiliAtd. fen: the gerientl feeding of other animals. such as but not Limited to buffalo. it.4t contemplated that buffalo may be used a livestock lr meat.
it is a farther invention of this produce to modifts,, the traditional modem feedlot composition substantially by reducing rolled t:.-orn and substituting, wheat or bafley with much lower fat ebraent to Than allow much higher Amounts of algae to be 'fed the cattle without sum/vas-it% the total feed intake of the cattle due to too much fat. in addition, reducing corn

7 iowers Omega 6, whith is believed to be too high 'lathe Ted tneat diet itsultipla in arterial inflammation and illness These, together with other Dbjnts of the inventionõ along with The various features Of novelty, whicki characterize The invention, .are pointgd.ont. with paxticularity in the diailriS
ax d to.and forrairig a pan ot this di se [ORIN.. for a :better widerstarading of the. invention its, opeTating advaritage., atid the pecifie objects attained: by its uses, reference should be had .to the accompanying descriptive Matter in 'which there are illustrated preferred embediinetits of the.
invention,

8 :BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTORIAL II,11,1sTRATIONS, GRAPHS, DRAWINGS, AND APPENDICES
The itrim1tioT1. will be bettor understood and object ligr than: thost. set iota) above -will bttomv. apparent whet cOnsideratiOn giveintO 1.17g deteilf5d. dekriplion thoreof, Such daeription makes refe.rence to the annexed pictodW illustrations, graphs:, drawitlg, awl Appendic:o,i.
FigureI i tmeratly a graphical repmsentatiop or oolicentration of fatty acids per gran tissue.,

9 DETAILED DESCRIPTION' In a preferred embodiment,. the yomposition &ilk:tatty tomprises algae as a food supplement for Animals Snell as but not limited to beef cattle. It is a father object attic present invention to provide a new and improved method .and 4stern.- to create and.
an algae based .5 food supplement"for.aninials such as but pOt. buffaloõcattle,. and other twat smimes for human eon.surimtion that is more heart heathy as further described helow.
It is understood .that. the following description of said =i'.Ø111150:11011lit is not limited to exact percentages, go.antities. or ingredients and that it is Understood equivalent ingrgionS known in the. art may be substituted or added. The current invention : contemplates 4 unique algae-based cattle Iced production system that will result in the commercial production of cattle feed. with healthier fat content that may a!5.40 include the capture and disposable. of CO; from power tteneration.
õ. .
There are more than 30,000 etatiVars identifieti anti catalogued to date. The current invention may t.itilite some specific ctilti:yars of algae that readily produce high level's of DHA
1$ hpids, DmOsahmaconic .Add (PHA) a 'n-1 Polyunsiumato4 Fatty Aedd (TE..k) ha S been aSsociateewith decreasing levels Of cardlovascUlar disease. atherosclerosis, inflammation, arrityihnnit, and circulating triglyceride levels white increasing neural development and visth.,i!
acufty Nytionzil u.i.ndemy of Sciences, 2002; Knapp et at.. 2003). These lipids can be either extracted from. the harvestt..kd algae. or the harvested algae can be condensed into a slurry or can 2.0 be dried and can be :f41 whole, directly to :cattle. The specifieatgae.
culti Vat' chosen beC.Orliefian ingredient in. the total feeding prooss for the eattle. and it will result in The dew:toy:neat:of increased DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA, polyunSaturated fats in:the finished beer.

Thecurrtnt .invention May utilize (1) a Quid var that produces high lectis of DFIA..and or EPA; and .(2) 4 growing .environment (algae thrmibiore.actor) thifi includes reeding the algae with a carbon. spume 15 ..W"bOhydriitC. (such as sugar..) This algae growth: kystem thaximizesac growth and the production of the ontega.3in the 11100 mum amounts, and 1,:v..ows it at. relat,tyely.
S row cost.
This Invention does not include the technology for growing the algae.
it.t3elf, That .tech.401Øgy is developed and patented by others. This invention chose the.
algae to be grown in the aloe growing system:esPecially ler its ability both to produce high omega Vs and also to have a tough. cell wall which=will allow-the alone to protect the omega 3's as the algae transits TO be iltrnett into the small intestine. Also this iTivention= employs the whole.algae in a feeding protocol which maximizes the Intake Of omega 3s. While it does, not suppress the total feed 'intake: and does not -reduce the cOntrum:idiy ideal average daily e.,ain of .the cattle. in the ftOd yard.
= Itis contemplated that it is .desirablelo-iathieve not oaly sufficient growth rates and high .15 levels ofrecoveratile fat content in the algae "crop.÷. but relatively high norcentages of polyunsaturated :fats: in relation to total this. =:11.1e saturated fats are not useful in producing Oint3's in cattle. but reduce the total feed intake &total fats reach s.pprosimately 8%.of lhe total feed.intake. A goal is to feed large amounts of algae containing large amounts of-D1.1.A.
i:ind or EPA. c.vithout redueing food intake. to maintain indttstry qatidards of daily weight gain in -;.t) the: cattle of about 3..5 ibsidity ?hew, success factors depend in .turn .upon the seleetion of the best algae Of vhicb there are thott$iinds e.s.isting candidates and More being genetically engineered and-the pertbrindow of the algal growth With a biotetw tor environment:

U is contemplated that the currant invention may utilize algae $trairIS
fi.IUTId in the current .art. it is 'also contemplated that the. current invention may ntilizenew-and non,prior. art algae strains with the desired characteristics. It still father contemplated the.
current invention use whole, not plOcessed, algae as a feed for cattle and bison, as feWing Oinega-.1's directly, that is without ,the protection of theOmega-- 3's by the cell wall while. in th;t. rumen, is not .suitahle for the digestive system of cattle which otherwise destroys the p.olyunsalul.ated flits, rendering them tal-useful for absorption in the smalL intestine and depositing Omega 3's. in the marbling. of the meat.
One embodiment may &water theralgae to about 18% and .deliver the whole unprocessed -algae immediately to. a nearby feed yard tbr mixing With the .tnodified traditional. feed ration.
Whole al gaQ.may al So be dried and fed directly to cattle .for a-source-of protein., carbohydrate;
.and lipids.
tt.is also contemplated: yowing a very particular kind of algae with appropriate enyironmental growing conditions including nutrition and .stress Timt(icols that enhaneethe 1:5 existing but rderutu1ired genetic proclivity of the ale,:ac strain to maximize high value. ITT,' ipolyunsaturated.:fatty aeids)tontaining the Omega-3 fatty ids .DR and. EPA, These PUFA
algae can he used whole/dried and or wet and. inked directly with the cattle feed:. Peed with such shows the ability of cattle to ingest and incorporate the and. EPA into the marblin rat .of the. meat, or iritc) the .muFs'elecc Iwails, or itilo the interior nf the untsc.:ie cl1s itnan-stbrining the .beefinto a. new inn of ',healthy beer, which may improve the heart health and central nervous system or the consumer. it is contemplated the current invention may utilize di tlbrent. dosages, of feed, duration, deposition rates arid deposition po.sition ch is contemplated to utllie an algae having a cal tivat with high Omega-3's:
and.
appropriate cell wall. The cell wallsof micro .algae can nanArally be compoSed of very different In:Aerials and having -very different degrees of digestibility in the ri Anal rumen of Cattle, which.
is highly ficidic, and the small. intestine, which is highly. basic. It is'oontemplated to utilize an algae svhich prodtices.a .eell wall that is not digestible in the rumen, where the Omega, 3's inside are protected front hydrogenation during digestion, 'but the. cell wall does break in the small =Ura:','StiTIO; releasing the Omega- 3s.. In effect, the appropriate cell.
wall behaves like a time release. capsule.
Now referrim generally to the figures and more in particular tc.Figure the graph 0 generally shows the increase of EPA. and iDI-IA with.three alternate feed rations of no algae, modest riigne, and rich algae, The data was obtained withiltd detnuristratiOns at Oklahoma -State UMversi.ty The demonstraiona 'used a comma:61111y avaiiiable product, Matta. GOLD, whickis partictthirly high in MIA and not .high in EPA.: The demonStrations generally udliad rnix of dry algae to modified tnui-es of typical cattle feed rations and provided a .suceessful tonelusion of the high depositions of EPA and IAJA into the muscle and fat within the. Inusele of beef cattle.
It is also contemplated that the current invention may provide algae feed rations withOnt c,,=.;improtaising the average daily 'weight gain of the cattle,..-as the daily gain of cattle must be as good as with non-algae rations, to produce The desired outcome of notsignificantly increasing the total coat of the fully fed steer, lt is known in the industry to provide algae for some other:end produets.ligh valuealoe.
particularly containing high EtinoOpts of URA aLg.aellave been corn tnerciali zed by Martek.
Biosciences based in lialtitnom M1). The Martek algae contain the right cell wall and the right araouni:s of IMA but. arc hetemtrophic, meaning they are fed sugar, and the growing and containment system is :expensive, making the product very expensiw. Their pruductS are mark4ted to egg production and infant baby forinalas and: many other prixhiels. it is contemplate the Current invention may be utilized with hetcrotrophic production systems which are much lower in coq than Marta es system Whiie. the current price of betc.rotrophielMartek algae is $19,000 per ton, it =i;: expecte.d that other systems may produce thercquisite algae .for $1,000 to $4000:per'ton The Value of algae F;;Ir heet'is much,:o=trcater than for biodiei5eli.rendering.this use algae .more economical in the near term..
Docoaiithexaeorde Acid .(DIElA), ann-3-1?oiyunsaturated Fatty Add (PUPA) has been assc)elated with decreasing levels of cardiovascular iliseme, athero5clerosi4.1õ infikunmati on, arrhythmia, arid circulating triglyetride levels while increasing. neural dQvelo`pinex.n ;'.u.:1(1\qsual.
acuity (National Academy of õSciences, 2002; Knapp or al, 200;3). Until now.,DH.A has been sourced from fish Oil, .fiShtueal, freith fish and algae, hi is come:Mph:tied that the enrrent invention 5 may Ilse various feeds forcattte to increase the proportion of healthy to unhealthy flu ln their Incre4sed levels oi.DHA in tattle feeds has been shown to additionally increase the levels of conjugated lineleic and vaccenic acids in ruminant fat; unsaturated ratty acids are also implicated in enhanced human health benefits The market for .algae as. cattle :feed is Ri=eµt) potentially iae It.would take the daily production of 200,000 pounds- to :supply the feedlot cattle for the "natural Bee' market (;Mthoirt hormonal or antibiotic chemicals, Another .400,000 oounds per day would supply algae to cattle destined for the white tablecloth market. And 20,000,000 pounds per day would be needed to supply the more than-L0.000,000 cattle in U.S:. feed yards in the Corn Belt from the Texas. Panhandle to 'South Dakota.
The current.invention contemplates the utilization of a system. wherein the .10Catirtit Of.
algae growth fiteility, and or cattle are optimized with a preferred embodiment !maxi:no:he Wgae:
growth facility, and feedlot for the cattle in such a manner htao process.ingor ctrYil!g is needed.
and. or Thtte transportation is needed between: same.
Uis (mineraplated to produce Omega-1 rit-t algae feed for beef tattle which in turn.
results in a potentially healthier meat :product containing, higher levels .of protective fats and lower krVeig of unhealthy saturated 'tins than the. market standard.
In a preferred embodiment an array of algae growing facilities will: be located clime. to the roctm.<6L The close location will both minimize transportation expenses and allow lso.r the algal slurry, erintaininiz, a 20f80 algee-water mixture, to be delivered directly to feed cattle without drying itlina. II& arrangement may serve as an efficient design model, for the commercial algae-fed cattle Industry- It is MO eonmpiated the algae will be .dewaterml to a ratio of 18% algae by 'veight for easy pumping and cost-etTecti ve. trucking to a ied :yard far the tattle. his contediplaWd that avoiding the Q0st of drying the algae will reduce coSts and .processing time. The algae/water Mixture may he sprayed on the priinaty .cattle teed in the 'bunk'' as a top dressing, or it may be mixed, as is customary, in the feed track 'itself to provide a unifiltrn algacifeed mixture.
hi a preferred embodiment of the invention, whole algae may be added immediately to '20 typical but adjusted cattle feed. Anions to optimize the average daUv aaio Nile cattle at show 3.
pciond$ per day. The concept of .feeding algae to cattle only for it$ calorie food value to the cattle itself or to. improve the health of the cattle itself is net unique.
However, the concept of feeding algae to cattle to shift the marbling fat from. saturated tlat to polyunsaturated fats or to prdduce more polyunsaturated fats in the muscle tisslan is taliqUe.
1,-)resentli.v.fi)od-.grade algaeõ high in Oinega,3.1D114, is expensive ($1.9,00() per ton) and thus not practical to feed animals in large quattitios. The ettiTelit invention contemplates.
producing algae containing DIIA and 1..:1>A Omega;õ3's. at$3,00.0 per ton, 'This will d iow a S unique cattle cding program resulting in gubstantlaily reduced saturated fats and an increase in healthy polyunsaturated With algae fed beef, the current invention contemplates ton times ormore Of Omega-3's and a:suhstantial reduction of saturated fats, It is. Anther ettntemplated the health benefits of mducing saturated fats and increasing unsaturated. fats with Omega-3s, will attract consumers to I 0 the .product who will pay a premium, winch is not expected to be more than 10 percent a:1)(We artdard beef and is .less expensive than beef with no lultibiatic and no hormonal implants. or than organic bee I he price of existing niche beef. which is sold azt:"healthy beef', is z:ts much. as Cwiee the price of regular commercial beef:This very kti.0 'price is likely due to the .very low sales .Volumes and inefficiencies of the produeeis. Al this time, the price of beef free of chetnic.al !:; residuals from antibiotics. or .hormonal implentS is .$5.00 higher tharieoinparahle beef. The cost of algae supplement. is predicted to add about $.40 to the .miholes* post of ..beef.
A eaule feeding demonstration has proven. the concept that algae can befed to cattle and the meat can contain high amounts of'Omt..,ga,3 DEA and =EPA, such as are available otherwise in sal t.-water white fish. Alga.e was utilized from the Martek. Corporation thathad.high Oinega-3, 20 The Omega-3 of Marla is about 56% lipids (fA) of which about half or 24%
Of the algae weight.
Is MA, and 7134 is EPA.
his noteworthy that Omega-3's cannot be fed to cattle.directly, such as from fish oil in high quantities, but can be led. the Omega-3's hi algae. in previous feeding trials by others. It. was determined that feeding cattle fish oil cornaining Omega-3's depressed rumen function..
MierootTariisms. in the cattle's .ntmer bydmitenalt the Omega-Ts polyunsaturated :fatty aQids into .saturated fats So that the fish oil could not: supply unsaturated fats in the small intestine where they eatild be absorbed. In contrast, the.ourrent invention utillges filgs.e that have a cell will that has anatural advantage.. The cell wall is not as readily and as rapidfkbroken down in:the rtanett Mote of the ttlgw- cell is transmitted to the duodenum intact s,Vltereihe.pH chang.tt and digestive.enzyines break down the algae releasing the Orne4.0-3's to be absorbed ifi.tht;: small Intestine. The valuable Omega-3's need to be Mier()encapsulated in order 16 bk; absorbed intact.
The algal cultivars of the current 03.i1NXiirrh.1111,'Sql :feed to cattle llaw.the Omega-3's 0 raierooneapsulated naturally. Herier., the. algae provide a WM:Mil fiiod :supplement TO improve the ItEtalthirie!:1s of beel.
IS l is also contemlated to utilize different types. Of cultivar w.lecti on program$
to develop' MOM ciii ent..Itud. effective 'seeds" for use in teeding cattle. A variety ci species.from multiplo algal visions, classes. order, families., genera and. species may: he lized. 00flial culture:
pattms may uR.: a variety of potential cullivars *led for their growth ntes, nutritiOn profiles, or production of unique secondary metabolites. Initial lab efforts by a DOE
funded. project in .20 Arizona result...1 in the down-saection of a few potential cultivars that:were subsequently grown in large 0111d66r etIllivators, A summary of those strains investigated. and potential for use are astrated it below.

Atspe. Species Nortnodikervi4' 660 SATIMirlIM 22.7 fa&
Culturirtz Pelled (d) I 206 40. 230 .................................... , , wth Rute(W3112,31).
Ave U 17 22 ...................................... = ..................... : ..
ro.w t h RaWsg=41)2?d) : MaNirne.3 26 29 icM Vol orne HarVested 0 vet Period (1..) 122,500 18,700 135,900 ' =
Cture re (e) 10-25 I = =
. - ¨
It coPtemPlWed10 utilize 01pi cultivar based on selection criteria that extend beYond biological parameters and may include its.ability to be harvested, :transported, and pn)cessed, Although these characteristics tnay be. secondary to utilizint. a .culti var :1111 grows tapidly, prodtieing algae that can be filtered easily or settle naturally may greatly reduce barveging operational. expenses, vdtiCh can have a aignificant effect on the adtivar selection process.
Potential Cultivar candidate:4 characteristics may include high prOuoti on:
rates:, accumulates significant amounts. csf oil under the correct conditions and can partially settle without any energy or chemical input and are no 8d1.101.it.41.4 thodiried or enhanced, In a preferred embodinwut spceics:may consist of 2-3% lipids with. the utidermading ()Thu culturing eondi tions. the larv-scale culturing Systems may accumulate apto at least .40% of the biomasa. as extrs.tetable lipid. A. prefivred embodiment ntay grow nannochloropsis with 39% lipids of which was.
EPA. Other preferred embodiment may be Kohello aottoica a eqrYhtiline 0-'3 5 'mt) and eutythermal.(0-60".o.0 alwt,kkhieh thrive in low-light cOnditions.
.Additionally Chiordlq.v.eKvhariphila -represents; another potential winter species. Although a.
.
global .genua,..many aicitlict are found in waters of 40 F (night) to 65 F.
(day). Some Chlorella varieties have a hip.,h Otnega-3 1.41.ty acids and astaxanthin (Pigment) content..
The current invention -contemplates utilizing angak,t. such-f.ts a particular schizoehytrium.
with similar constituents to :DHA GOLD TM from MARTEK also known a5MA.RTEK
GOLD.
Getwrally, the total fat may be .56% and the percentaa.e of fat that is DPIA
and EPA may generally be42.1%: It IS understoOd that IM-IA GOLD I M is a fennentation prodikt, and due to the csharacieristies of the producing organism., SLOW ..var1abillty in thenutritional .be observed frotn-lor to lot The basic components (0001 may be but. isnot timited to moisture 2,03; protein 6:66, crude fiber 4,5,,.aSh 8;81, crude 5557, and carbohydrates (by subb'n) 15 1143. The minerals in the algae (g/10) may be but is nalimited to calcium 0.0, sodium 2.21, potassium Ø5.1õ in a gnesim 0,11, and phosphorus 0.13..
The fatty acid prafile (%ITA).may be but is nor. limited to:
12:0 --Laurie 0.3 14:0--20 :1µ,Tyris1ic. 8..5 15;0 ¨Pentadecauole 0.3 16:0 Pahnitic 23.2 18:0Stearie 0.8 240 Lig1100friC.: 0,9 I S.3116 ¨ ti&snotellic 0.4 I SAO Oetadecatetranoaie 0.4 20: Hornogailunallaolde 20A111 Eicpsatardnoic 0.9 22:5116 OPA 17.7 22:60 ¨DI-TA 42.3 Ibearnino attiti profile (gil 00g) may be but is not limited to:
Tm)tophori 0.16 Asprtic Acid 1.25 ThreOrsiriC 0,46 Sctine: 0.49 Glytardic Acid 3,86 ProliM 0,50 Slycine 0.60 0.70 Cystine: 0.15 Valine 0,74 0:27 1s6teucino 0.37 15 Leticinc 0,66 Tyrusinc 0.29 rhertylalanine 042 kthtidine 0.22 Lysine (OW) 0.42 20 Atginine 1 AS

The vitatnin content may be but is not limited to:.
Biabl .038 haE/1.00.g.
2.20 litig)1 00a n1W1. 00g Niacin .5õ7.56. Ingn 00g.
Vitamin A. true:re:tine' <440 Itt; 00g:
.Beta carotene 6,440 R"./1 100g Vitainin B1 thiamine HO 2.81 mg/100g Vitamin 132 ribothvin 3.15 mg/100g.
Vitamin 56 pyridoxine 1.90. mg/1.00i4 Vitamin. C ascorbic acid 14.1 trigil 00g .
Vitamin U. alpha tocopherel < 0,7 it.i/100.g Vitamin 512 eyanoet-ibalamin 9:3,6 twil OQg Pantothenic acid 533 rogl 002.
It is. um:WI-stood that feedlots. for such:animals...as cattle attempt to tnn>ciintze the meat oh.
an. animal Milk: balancing the time spot on the feedlot with ,food intake and costa .associated thereofIt is typleal that cattle would need approNimately. about. 5,5 to 6,5 pounds of diet for an animal to gain 1.pound assuming nortnal finishing diet. Also, itis understood-auk t the animals an not enter trie reed):0 tinfil they already welab 600 to 900 'pounds..
Dtiting.th4 time: they coastline mostly foraga;prior to entering the feedlot Mostproducers use fotago because it is cheaper and a good use of' fiber that would ritherwise not be harvested.
Cattle are notniolly kept on the feedlot omit for. between 150 and 240 days, During this time period, they may 25.1 500 to 600 pounds. it: is not 0013pa1:for animals to 4iTive at 7 to 9 months of age and receive 100% .gtass feed: to help Maintain runierthealth for the first four days, Different t-cedlots use different types of flood whereas Some rations may be comprised or stven ingrf.xlieras, including corn, soy, al fai faõ straw; and wet grain diStillers that are bY-products of the ethanol industry. These ..feeds range from. Mourn to 75% corn, Thety:=pieal steer arrives at the feedlot weighing approx.:in:n:0,0y 800 pounds and on f,ivetage, leaves 6 months. later, having eaten 5,00o poll:ohs of teed to gain 600 p0UrRit3:.isn weight.
Cattle are normally fed 2.5 pounds of grain and small amounts a other eonatitue0ts. Foe commercial viability in the feed yard, the average cow must consume enough teed for a Weight gain of approximately 3.5 pounds a day.
The currmt invention. contemplates providing a. MaXthltZtl amount of *pie;
which a cow could consume without suppressing the remainder Of the .feed intake and without reducing the daily gain .as measured by pounds of body weight per day. in a preterred embodiment, a.
daily intakec.d... algae may contain .approximately 24% Orringa.-3`s, DHA and EPA in Order maximize the depositionofOttega-3's in the marbling. It is also 01,ttempiatcd the an optinnim diet rosy eliminate one of normal constituents of pig tat and or reduced corn and increase of algae, such as but not limited to MARTEIK .001.1), iç ol-gain the Correct choleric value of the total feed it is :contemplated that feeding too much algae may suppress the diet of the animal By example. 2 pounds of Marta algae combined with the other ingredient and ingested. as above with a high amount of oil in the corn resulted in the cow eating half its total 2.0 feed 11:-Ir the day and, resulted in the cow not gaining sufficient weight per day.
A preferred embodiment provides :,g to 1,0 pounds of Martek algae .per day, It is conteinplated the suppression of daily intake may be caused by an excess amount of fat in the fteet" cattle re4uf,:,0 fOOd .IWAke1w 'thermielves when the fat coinpOs:aion of the feed exceeds .8%. Corn, the main ingredient in a fed lot ration,. is 54% ti t .frorn corn oil and therefore left a .small:siriudovs. of approxiMately 2% fat., whieh could be added by ow algae without suppressing the diet. One pound of algae, which contained 50% tat, half saturated fat and half polytingturawl fat, would contain approximately 2% fat by weig1 t. in the:
liedlot ration. The 2% fat in the algae plus the nearly 6% .fat in the corn totaled approiimately 8% which is the daily limit for beef eattic.
It Is.eonntroplated to utilize anew .1.i2edlot rationsubstituting wheat and/or barley thr corn.
Wheat or barley conlain apprOximately 2% fat and can. substitute for corn for the high calorie carbohydrate in the. ration. This leaves approximately .6% in that could be added by the algae.
'10 This would allow an additional t pounthof tht, which would be present in 3 pounds of algae fterri Martek, or 6 pounds. of other possible algae, it is contemplated to stibstinite -,07icai! or barley for corn and brovides.4 pounds c.)f algae rather than I pound.
Therefore, another preferred.
.embodittlent may include utilizing barley instead; of or With corm his contemplated to utilize 2 to 3 pounds of algae,.such as but not limited:to MA.RTEK (1011) andõrettueing the.
iS barley or wheat mtion slightly to maintain total :caloric intake.
A preferred embodiment may include the Use of algae without whole corn. It is.

conteinplated to Utilize wheat and corn gluten wherein the total fin content is under ?% and around 6%, and wherein the algae content is higher than with whole corn, which has more fin "loin corn oil. A preferred emboditmin May contain Wheat 56.5 %, corn 5,:thaten .t..,:ect 20.0 %.
20 alfalfa hay fair 4,75 04, ofInrie hay 5.0 `3,4J, algae 7,5 ',K. 'wheat rnidds 1.0 %., urea 032 %, potassium. chloride 0.3 e2,-1, Iirriestone at 38% 1.65 %, salt 0.25 %,.maivanous.oxide 0 002 AM Sulfate 0.015 %, magnesmn OXKC 0.10 %. vitamin a-30,000 0.004 vitamin e-50%

0.0022%, corn dela No. 2 2.5767%, ramensin !-.)0 0.0188%, and tylan'40 0.0113%. It is tmikrStOpd that the amount inay be .approximate and the ii may or may not includeali the ,satne elements.
It .them.fm....contemplated to provide a method fOr inOtvaSing the:
omega-3 highly unatrairated fatty acid content of meat .tor human ccmatoption..compirising feeding algae to cattle and or buffalo Without .tz;Uppressing the remainder of the teed intake of saidcattle and. without reducing the daily gain as measured by pounds body .weight perday of said cattle and or buffalo wherein said algae comprises an omega-3 mkt:at:rated -fatty acid content of about 25%
percent of total weight in an effeetive 'atnotmt to increase the content of otnega.3 highly unsaturated fatty acids in said beef.
Furthermore, it is conte3nplated the method may utilize an omega-3 unstaturatosillatztyacid content of about 24 percent DI1A, and or about .2 pereent UA, or viith higber ratios of EM to PHA. The effective, amount is about 0.8 to 1.0 pounds of said atgae per day, utinftr ofimpletnentations have been described herein. Nevertheleo, it will be.
understood that various MOdifiCatiO3AS may be made. Accordingly., other implementations are b within the se.OPe Of the. following claims. Changes maybe made in the eptabinations, operations, and arrangements of the various steps, etements, and amounts deserthed herein without departing frorn the spirit and .scope of the invention.

Claims (23)

CLAIMS:

1. A method for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption which comprises feeding to cattle, without suppressing the remainder of feed intake of said cattle and without reducing daily gain of said cattle measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount for increasing the level of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in the beef of an algae having a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids and a cell wall that is not digestible in the rumen of cattle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the algae is Schizochytrium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the effective amount of the Schizochytrium is between about 0.8 and about 1.0 pounds per day with corn.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the effective amount of the chizochytrium is between about 2 to about 3 pounds per day with wheat or barley.

5. A method for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption, consisting essentially of feeding to cattle, without suppressing the remainder of feed intake of said cattle and without reducing daily gain of said cattle measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in the beef of a Schizochytrium; corn; and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of soy, alfalfa, straw and wet grain distillers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the effective amount is between about 0.8 and about 1.0 pounds per day.

7. The method of claim 1 for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption wherein the effective amount of the Schizochytrium is between about 2 to about 3 pounds per day.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the corn comprises corn gluten.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the Schizochytrium comprises about 25% by weight of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the beef comprises beef cattle.

11. A method for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption which comprises feeding to cattle, without suppressing the remainder of the feed intake of said cattle and without reducing daily gain of said cattle measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount for increasing the level of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in the beef of an algae having a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids and a cell wall that is not digestible in the rumen of cattle, and at least one member selected from the group consisting of corn, wheat and barley.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the algae is a member selected from the group consisting of Chiarella saccharaphila, Kaliella antartica and schizochytrium,

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the beef comprises buffalo.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the effective amount of the algae is between about 0.8 and about 1.0 pounds per day.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the algae comprises an 80:20 mixture of algae and water.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the effective amount of the algae is between about 2 to about 3 pounds per day.

17. The method of claim 1 which comprises cattle feeding said cattle in addition to the algae at least one member selected from the group consisting of corn, wheat and barley.

18. The method of claim 11 which comprises feeding corn to the cattle.

19. A method for increasing omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption which comprises feeding to a beef animal, without suppressing the remainder of the feed intake of said animal measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount for increasing the level of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid content in the beef of the animal an algae having a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids and a cell wall that is not digestible in the rumen of cattle, and at least one of corn, wheat and barley.

20. A method for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption, wherein said method consists essentially of feeding to cattle, without suppressing the remainder of feed intake of said cattle and without reducing daily gain of said cattle measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount of:
a Schizochytrium and corn, and wherein the effective amount of the Schizochytrium is between about 0.8 and about 1.0 pounds per day and omega 3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content is increased in the beef of said cattle.

21. A method for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption, wherein said method consists essentially of feeding to cattle, without suppressing the remainder of feed intake of said cattle and without reducing daily gain of said cattle measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount of:
a Schizochytrium and at least one grain selected from the group consisting of wheat and barley, and wherein the effective amount of the Schizochytrium is between about 2 to about 3 pounds per day and omega 3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content is increased in the beef of said cattle.

22. A method for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption, wherein said method consists essentially of feeding to cattle, without suppressing the remainder of feed intake of said cattle and without reducing daily gain of said cattle measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount of:
a Schizochytrium;
corn; and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of soy, alfalfa, straw and wet grain distillers, and wherein the effective amount of the Schizochytrium is between about 0.8 and about 1.0 pounds per day and omega 3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content is increased in the beef of said cattle.

23. A method for increasing omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in beef for human consumption, wherein said method consists essentially of feeding to cattle without suppressing the remainder of feed intake of said cattle and without reducing daily gain of said cattle measured by pounds of body weight per day, an effective amount of:
a Schizochytrium;
corn; and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of soy, alfalfa, straw and wet grain distillers, and wherein the effective amount of the Schizochytrium is between about 2 to about pounds per day and omega 3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content is increased in the beef of said cattle.