COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF FEEDING FOR ANIMALS OF AGING
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a food composition for use in, for example, poultry farming (domestic poultry) and livestock (domestic animals) such as chickens, cattle and pigs and a method for raising an animal using the feed composition and more specifically to a food composition that has almost no influence on the useful lactic acid bacteria, but exerts a strong anti-microbial effect on several classes of harmful microorganisms, in particular, the bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella or the like, as well as a method for raising an animal using such a food composition. Background Art The consumer public has recently been concerned about the safety of products and foods for livestock and aquatic animals such as edible meat, eggs and fish and shellfish. In this regard, a variety of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses are known to be able to invade the bodies of livestock, birds and farmed fish and settle in the bodies of these animals. As a result, people can become infected with such different kinds of microorganisms through, for example, the consumption of a contaminated food
with them, in particular, the bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella and this in turn results in the occurrence of various hygienic damages such as food poisoning and a variety of serious diseases and this, according to becomes a goal of public interest. A route through which various harmful microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, in particular, bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella cause these food poisonings and serious diseases enter the bodies of humans and animals has not been fully elucidated. In this regard, it has been generally recognized that, in most cases, these microorganisms can enter the bodies through various foods or foods and / or drinking water, as mediators, ingested by these animals. In this regard, as methods to protect the animals from food poisoning or from becoming infected with the above causative bacteria or virus for the serious diseases described above, for example, a method for sterilizing food or meals and drinking water can be listed; or a method for imparting to these animals, an anti-microbial activity that allows the control of any proliferation of such harmful microorganisms, for example, pathogenic bacteria. A composition has conventionally been proposed
food which is imparted an antimicrobial activity by incorporating, in the food composition, a variety of anti-microbial agents such as antibiotics, sulfa drugs and iodine-containing compounds (see, for example, Patent Document No. 1 below). specified). However, these antimicrobial agents can suffer from several problems in such a way that they show unstable anti-microbial effects on highly resistant bacteria such as those belonging to the Salmonella genus and if they enter human bodies through the ingestion of a food derived from a animal raised using the food composition containing the antibacterial agent, can induce allergic reactions in human bodies and / or can exert an adverse effect on valuable intestinal bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria. Patent Document No. 1: JP-A-2003-40717. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Problems to Be Solved by the Invention Accordingly, it is in general an object of the present invention to provide a food composition containing an anti-microbial agent and a method for raising an animal while making use of it. the food composition. More specifically, it is an objective of this
invention provides a food composition that exhibits high anti-microbial activity for a variety of harmful microorganisms, in particular, harmful bacteria such as those belonging to the genus Salmonella, which may show, on the contrary, only a low antibacterial effect on the lactic acid bacteria useful for the growth of animals while maintaining their good health and which can thus allow the raising of animals with health, while ensuring a high efficiency in breeding as well as a method for raising animals using the food composition. Means for solving the problems The present invention provides a food composition and a method for raising animals using the same as will be detailed below: 1. A composition characterized in that it comprises zeolite containing silver. 2. The food composition of paragraph 1 above, wherein the amount of silver present in the silver-containing zeolite ranges from 0.1 to 5.0% by mass based on the total mass of the silver-containing zeolite. 3. The food composition of paragraph 1 above, where the silver content in the composition varies from 0.000001 to 0.2% by mass (0.01 to 2000)
ppm) on the basis of the total mass of the food composition. 4. The food composition of paragraph 1 above, wherein the amount of silver present in the silver-containing zeolite ranges from 0.1 to 5.0% by mass based on the total mass of the silver-containing zeolite and the silver content of the zeolite. the food composition varies from 0.000001 to 0.2% by mass (0.01 to 2000 ppm) based on the total mass of the composition. 5. A method for raising an animal comprising the step of administering to an animal a food composition comprising zeolite containing silver. 6. The method of raising animals of paragraph 5 above, wherein the amount of silver present in the silver-containing zeolite ranges from 0.1 to 5.0% by mass based on the total mass of the silver-containing zeolite. 7. The method of raising animals of paragraph 5 above, wherein the content of silver in the composition varies from 0.000001 to 0.2% by mass (0.01 to 2000 ppm) based on the total mass of the food composition. 8. The method of raising animals in paragraph 5
above, wherein the amount of silver present in the silver containing zeolite ranges from 0.1 to 5.0% by mass based on the total mass of the silver containing zeolite and the silver content in the food composition ranges from 0.000001 to 0.2. % by mass (0.01 to 2000 ppm) based on the total mass of the composition. 9. The method of raising animals as set forth in any of paragraphs 5 to 8 above, wherein the feed composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A being not less than 0.000001) is administered to the animal in the initial breeding stage. 10. The method of raising animals as set forth in any of paragraphs 5 to 8 above, wherein the composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A being not less than 0.000001) is administered to the animal at the initial breeding stage and the composition having a silver content of B% by mass (B < A) is administered to the animal after the initial breeding stage is completed. 11. The method of raising animals of paragraph 10 above, where the animal is a bird breeding for the collection of eggs or dairy cattle. 12. The method of raising animals as set forth in any of paragraphs 5 to 8 above, in
where the composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A being not less than 0.000001) is administered to the animal in the initial breeding stage; the composition having a silver content of B% by mass (B < A) is administered to the animal during the term extending from the end of the initial breeding stage up to 5 to 20 days before the distribution date or boarding; and the composition that has a silver content of C% by mass
(OB) is administered to the animal during the term of 5 to 20 days before the date of shipment. 13. The method of raising animals of the paragraph
12 above, where the animal is one to obtain meat. 14. The method of raising animals of the paragraph
13 above, where the animal is a bird, cattle, pig, a boar, an equine, sheep or a deer. 15. The method of raising animals from paragraph 13 above, where the animal is a domestic bird for chicken, cattle or pig. EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The food composition of the present invention is hardly influenced by the useful lactic acid bacteria, but it can exert a substantial or strong anti-microbial effect on several classes of harmful microorganisms, in particular, bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella. or the similar. According to this, the composition
food would allow the improvement of the health of the intestinal tracts of domestic animals, domestic birds and farmed fish such as chickens, pigs, cattle, horses, carps and various kinds of cultivated fish and the composition, in turn, would allow the acceleration of their increase. In addition, the meat, milk, eggs and other livestock products derived from the rearing of animals by administration of the food composition of the present invention are completely free of any contamination with a variety of harmful microorganisms, in particular, bacteria belonging to to, for example, the genus Salmonella and, therefore, are quite safe from the point of view of the health of food. Furthermore, in the method of the present invention, the composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A being not less than 0.000001) is administered to the animal in the initial breeding stage or during the term extending from its birth to its infancy until the animal acquires immunity almost comparable to that of the imago thereof and therefore, the method of the invention would allow the prevention of any infection of the animal in its infancy with various harmful microorganisms. In addition, in the method of the present invention, the composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A
being not less than 0.000001) is administered to the animal in the initial breeding stage and the composition having a silver content of B% by mass (B < A) is administered thereto after the initial breeding stage is completed. According to this, the method of the invention allows the efficient use of expensive silver and the effective raising of the animals while maintaining the healthy conditions thereof and ensuring a high efficiency in the breeding. In particular, when birds are reared for egg collection with the food composition of the present invention, the birds would provide eggs over a fairly long period of time. Further, in a preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A being not less than 0.000001) is administered to the animal in the initial breeding stage; the composition having a silver content of B% by mass (B < A) is administered to the animal during the term extending from the end of the initial breeding stage until approximately one to two weeks before the distribution date or shipment of the animal or the by-products or fruits derived therefrom; and the composition having a silver content of C% by mass (OB) is then administered to the animal during the term of approximately one or two weeks before the shipment date thereof. From
According to this, the method of the invention allows the efficient use of costly silver and effective breeding of animals, particularly those birds to obtain meat, while maintaining the healthy conditions of the animals and ensuring a high breeding efficiency. If the food composition of the present invention is used, animals would be expected to be able to protect themselves from infection with, for example, pathogenic bacteria without using any antibiotic agent at all and this may in turn inhibit the generation of some resistant bacteria possibly generated due to the frequent use of antibiotics and this in the same way It allows complete protection of human bodies from infection with such pathogenic bacteria or reducing the likelihood that individuals will become infected with bacteria. In addition, the food composition of the present invention has almost no ill influence on useful bacteria for animals such as lactic acid bacteria, but exerts a high anti-microbial effect on various classes of harmful microorganisms, in particular bacteria belonging to , for example the genus Salmonella and according to this, the composition would allow the maintenance of well-balanced intestinal bacterial flora. As a result, the offensive odors of the
Excretion of animals can be significantly reduced, this in turn would allow the reduction of any deterioration of the environment around the facilities to raise animals due to the generation of such bad odors. In addition, the above would allow the construction of such facilities to raise animals in area in proximity to large cities and this would likewise result in the achievement of such an effect that the cost required for the shipment of livestock products could be considerably reduced. . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be described hereinafter in more detail. The term "silver-containing zeolite" as used in the present invention means a silver-containing zeolite having anti-microbial activity in its stable form. In this regard, examples of such a zeolite usable herein include naturally occurring products such as zeolite A, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite T, zeolite having a high silica content, sodalite, mordenite, analyte, clinoptilolite, chabazite and eroinite; semi-synthesized products called artificial zeolite; and chemically synthesized products. Examples of anti-microbial agents usable herein as vehicles for silver also include
glass containing silver, silver zirconium phosphate, silver-containing silica gel, silver-containing apatite, fine silver particles, silver-protein, sulfur-silver diazin, in addition to zeolite types such as those listed above, but the use of zeolite-type agents is preferred in the present invention because they can ensure the achievement of stable anti-microbial activity. Then, a method for preparing such zeolite product containing silver will be described below in detail. The silver-containing zeolite used in the present invention can be prepared according to a wet or dry technique. The wet technique comprises, for example, the following steps: the zeolite is introduced into a solution containing silver ions prepared in advance to allow the occurrence of the ion exchange between the silver ions and those present in the zeolite and interchangeable with the previous in the liquid phase. This ion exchange can be carried out according to the batch or continuous method (for example, a column method) and the operation can be conducted at a temperature ranging from 10 to 70 ° C and preferably from 40 to 60 ° C. , for 3 to 32 hours and preferably 10 to 24 hours. In this regard, it is suitable to adjust the pH value of the solution containing silver ions to a level ranging from 3 to 10 and preferably from 5 to 7. The solution
containing silver ions used herein is generally prepared from any silver salt such as silver nitrate, silver sulfate, silver perchlorate, silver acetate, silver diamine nitrate and silver diamine sulfate. The amount of the silver ions to be applied or deposited on the zeolite can be adjusted by controlling the concentration of silver ions present in the solution containing silver ions used in the above ion exchange reaction. When a solution containing silver ions having a concentration of silver ions falling within the range of from 0.005 to 0.15 M / L is used, various zeolite products containing silver, which have a content, can be appropriately prepared. of desired silver ions ranging from 0.1 to 5.0% by mass based on the total mass of the silver containing zeolite. In this regard, the solution containing silver ions used in the ion exchange reaction with zeolite can likewise comprise cations other than silver ions such as zinc ions, copper ions, manganese ions, nickel ions, magnesium ions, calcium ions and / or ammonium ions in order to improve the chemical stability of the resulting silver containing zeolite. Several classes of these additional cations can be easily applied to the zeolite by
the addition of these cations to the solution containing silver ions. In this regard, it is generally appropriate that the various classes of cations other than silver ions are applied or deposited on the zeolite which is controlled for the range of from 0 to about 4 moles per mole unit of silver ions. On the other hand, the dry technique usable herein may comprise for example, the steps of mixing the zeolite particles with silver salt particles and then heat-treating the resulting mixture to remove the aninoes present in the silver salt and to thereby give the zeolite particles containing silver. Alternatively, a silver salt solution prepared by dissolving the silver salt in a small amount of water can be replaced by the silver salt particles used in the prior dry technique to thereby give the silver containing zeolite particles. In this regard, the thermo-treatment can be carried out suitably at a temperature ranging from 200 to 700 ° C and preferably 400 to 600 ° C, for 20 to 120 minutes and preferably approximately 30 to 50 minutes. The silver salts usable in the dry technique can be, for example, those listed above in connection with the wet technique. Similarly, cations containing zeolite particles different from silver ions together
with the latter, they can be prepared by using an aqueous solution containing a salt other than a silver salt in addition to the latter, such as the previous wet technique. In the present invention, the amount of silver supported by or included in the zeolite preferably ranges from 0.1 to 5.0% by mass and more preferably from 0.5 to 2.5% by mass based on the total mass of the zeolite containing silver, from the views of the antibiotic activity against bacteria or the like present in the bodies of animals and the safety of them. The amount of silver-containing zeolite particles to be incorporated into the food composition of the present invention preferably ranges from 0.001 to 0.2% by mass and more preferably from 0.01 to 0.1% by mass based on the total mass of the food composition. resulting, in the light of antibiotic activity against bacteria or the like present in the bodies of animals and the safety of the composition for the body of the animal. The content of the silver-containing zeolite to be incorporated into the food composition of the present invention may fall within the range specified above when the composition is fed or administered directly to the
the animals or preferably ranges from 0.001 to 0.2% by mass and more preferably from 0.01 to 0.08% by mass based on the total mass of the resulting food composition. In addition, the food composition of the present invention can be prepared in the same way in the form of a concentrated food composition and the latter can be diluted with the usual food composition in such a way that the resulting mixture has the silver content specified above before administering the composition. same to the animals. The content of zeolite containing silver in the concentrated food composition preferably ranges from 0.1 to 10% by mass and more preferably from 0.5 to 5% by mass based on the total mass of the concentrated food composition. The food composition of the present invention may further comprise optional components such as various kinds of amino acids, minerals, enzymes and / or lactic acid bacteria, in addition to the above components for nutrient supplementation, nutritional enrichment, improvement of digestion and absorption, promoting growth and imparting resistance to the disease. The food composition of the present invention can be easily prepared by mixing raw materials in
powder in a mixer. In this regard, the particle size of each raw material is not restricted to any particular level and can be adjusted if necessary while taking into account each particular application or the kinds of animals to be bred. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method for breeding animals characterized by the administration of a food composition containing zeolite particles containing silver. The animals to be bred according to the method of the present invention are not restricted to those specified. The animals usable in the breeding method of the present invention may be, for example, a variety of animals raised or cultured such as, for example, livestock, birds and pet animals and specific examples thereof include mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and batrachians. . Animals for which the food composition of the present invention may be suitable to be administered include, for example, those that can provide man, various valuable substances such as meat, eggs, milk, hair, coats, feathers, down, leathers and / or skins Examples of animals to obtain meat are domestic animals and domestic birds such as chickens, cattle, pigs, goats, horses, sheep, deer, bears, reindeer,
rabbits, ostriches, domestic ducks, turkeys and quails; and farmed fish such as trout, young yellow tails and eels. Examples of animals for egg collection are the birds and fish previously listed in relation to animals for meat. Examples of animals for milk collection usable herein are cows, goats and horses. Examples of animals to collect hair (or coats, feathers or down), coats or skins include cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, bears, reindeer, dogs, cats, rabbits, minks, martens, foxes, raccoon and birds to collect feathers and / or down. Animals for which the food composition of the present invention can suitably be administered include, for example, animals for meat and those for egg collection among the animals specifically listed above and specific examples thereof are domestic animals and domestic birds such as chickens to obtain meat (chicken), cattle, cattle to collect milk and meat, pigs, goats, horses, rabbits, ostriches, domestic ducks, turkeys and quails and in particular, chickens for meat
(chicken), chickens for egg collection, cattle, pigs and ostriches.
In addition, when the food composition according to the present invention is administered to pet animals such as small birds and small animals; aquarium fish such as carps, golden fish and tropical fish; laboratory animals such as rats and mice; and various kinds of animals kept in zoos, these animals can be previously protected from possible infection with any infectious bacteria and / or pathogenic virus. The method of raising animals of the present invention is characterized in that the food composition is administered to each animal in such a way that the content of zeolite containing silver is changed depending on the different periods of growth of the animal and more specifically, the method it is characterized in that a food composition having a relatively high content of zeolite containing silver is administered to an animal during the term extending from its birth to its infancy until the animal acquires immunity almost comparable to that of the imago thereof. (hereinafter referred to as "initial breeding stage" or "term A") during which the animal has only a low resistance to the exogenous bacterial and / or pathogenic virus (hereinafter also simply referred to as "resistance to pathogenic bacteria "). This would allow according to what
previous the considerable reduction in the rate of attack of these animals that have only low resistance to pathogenic bacteria and the healthy growth of these animals to their imagoes within a very short period of time. More specifically, the method of the invention is characterized in that the food composition having a content of silver-containing zeolite of A% by mass (A being not less than 0.000001) is administered to an animal in its initial breeding stage. For example, when using silver-containing zeolite particles whose silver content is 2.5% by mass, a food composition having a silver-containing zeolite content of 0.001% by mass is administered to an animal in its initial breeding stage. . The content of zeolite containing silver in a food composition may vary depending on for example, the silver content of each specific silver-containing zeolite used and the kind of animals to be reared with the composition and applications of these animals thus raised, but when silver-containing zeolite particles having a silver content of 2.5% by mass are used, the zeolite content containing silver in the food composition is usually not less than 0.001% by mass (or not less than 10 ppm) , preferably not less than 0.005% by mass (or not less than 50 ppm), more preferably not less than 0.01% by mass (or not less than 100 ppm) and more preferably
not less than 0.02% by mass (or not less than 200 ppm). The upper limit of the content of zeolite containing silver in the food composition of the present invention is not restricted to any particular value. However, the use or administration of the zeolite particles containing silver at an unreasonably high content may not be desirable from the economic point of view and may adversely affect the animals to which the food composition is administered. Accordingly, the content of silver-containing zeolite particles in the food composition of the invention is suitably not more than 0.1% by mass (or 1000 ppm) based on the total mass thereof. In the case where the silver content of the silver containing zeolite is beyond the level of 2.5% by mass, it is sufficient to properly control the silver content in the food composition in such a way that it falls within the range before specified. The above "initial breeding stage" or "term A" may vary depending on the kind of animals to be raised with the food composition and the applications of these animals thus raised. For example, in the case of domestic poultry for egg collection, it corresponds to 16 to 20 weeks after the incubation and preferably approximately 3 to 5 weeks after the incubation; in the case of domestic birds to obtain
chicken (broiler) corresponds 18 to 25 days after the incubation and preferably approximately 14 to 21 days after the incubation; in the case of pigs, corresponds to the term elapsed from its birth to the instance at which the body weight thereof reaches at least 30% by mass and preferably at least approximately 25% by mass based on the body weight of the animal's imago. same, for example if the body weight of the imago thereof is 120 kg, the required term until the body weight reaches at least 36 kg and preferably at least about 30 kg; in the case of cattle, corresponds to the term elapsed from birth to the instance in which the body weight of it reaches at least 25% by mass and preferably at least approximately 38% by mass based on the body weight of the imago thereof for example, if the body weight of the cattle imago is 800 kg, it may correspond to the required term until the body weight reaches at least about 200 kg, preferably at least about 300 kg and more preferably at least about 400 kg. In a preferred embodiment of the breeding method according to the present invention, a composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A being not less than 0.000001) is administered to an animal in its initial breeding stage and a composition that has a silver content of
B% by mass (B < A) is administered to the animal after the initial breeding stage is completed. For example, when using silver-containing zeolite particles having a silver content of 2.5% by mass, a composition having a silver-containing zeolite content of not less than 0.001% by mass is administered to an animal in its Initial breeding stage and a composition having a zeolite content containing silver of less than 0.001% by mass is administered to the animal for a desired term after the initial breeding stage is completed (hereinafter also referred to as the " term B "). The content of silver in the food composition administered to an animal during term B may vary depending on the kind of animals to be bred with the composition and the applications of these animals bred, but it would be sufficient if the silver content satisfies the following requirements : [the silver content in the composition administered during the term A] > [the silver content in the composition administered during term B]. In this regard, when using silver-containing zeolite particles having a silver content of 2.5% by mass, the food composition is usually administered in an amount of less than 0.02% by mass (less than 200 ppm) as expressed in terms of the amount of the zeolite that contains silver, while the limit
lower is not particularly specified and B can be equal to zero. However, in general the silver dose preferably ranges from 0.0001 to 0.05% by mass (1 to 500 ppm) and more preferably from 0.001 to 0.01% by mass (10 to 100 ppm) as expressed in the terms of the amount of zeolite containing silver incorporated in the food composition. In the case where the silver content of the silver-containing zeolite is beyond the level of 2.5% by mass, it is sufficient to properly control the silver content in the food composition in such a way that it falls within the previously specified range. The "B term" above, which corresponds to the desired term after the initial stage of eriaza is completed, may vary depending on the kind of animals to be raised with the feed composition and the applications of these animals thus bred. For example, in the case of domestic poultry for egg collection, it corresponds to the term elapsed from the end of term A or the end of the term: 16 to 20 weeks after the incubation and preferably approximately 3 to 5 weeks after the incubation , for the selection of the chickens (generally approximately 2 years); in the case of domestic birds to obtain chicken (broiler), corresponds to the term elapsed since the end of the term: 18 to 25 days
after the incubation and preferably approximately 14 to 21 days after the incubation on the date of shipment or transport thereof, preferably 5 to 20 days before the date of shipment and more preferably 6 to 8 days before the date of shipment; in the case of cattle and pigs, corresponds to the term elapsed from the end of term A until the date of shipment or transport thereof, preferably 5 to 20 days before the date of shipment and more preferably 6 to 14 days before the date of boarding. In a further preferred embodiment of the breeding method of the present invention, a food composition having a silver content of A% by mass (A not being less than 0.000001) is administered to an animal at the initial breeding stage of the animal ( during term A); a composition having a silver content of B% by mass (B < A) is administered to the animal during the period from the end of the initial breeding stage to the date of shipment and preferably 5 to 20 days before the date of shipment. date of shipment; and a food composition having a silver content of C% by mass (OB) is administered to the animal for the term of 5 to 20 days before the date of shipment. For example, when using zeolite particles containing silver having a silver content of 2.5% by mass, the composition
food that has a content of zeolite containing silver of not less than 0.001% by mass is administered to the animal in the initial raising stage thereof; The food composition having a content of zeolite containing silver of less than 0.001% by mass is administered to the animal during the period elapsed from the end of the initial breeding stage until 5 to 20 days before the date of shipment (or during the term B); and the food composition having a zeolite content containing silver of not less than 0.001% by mass is administered to the animal for the term of 5 to 20 days before the date of shipment (hereinafter also referred to as "C term"). "). The content of silver in the food composition administered to the animal during term C may vary depending on the kind of animals to be bred with the composition and the applications of these animals bred, but it would be sufficient if the silver content satisfies the following relationship: [the silver content in the composition administered during the term C] > [the silver content in the composition administered during term B]. In this regard, when silver-containing zeolite particles having a silver content of 2.5% by mass are used, the food composition is usually administered in an amount of not less than 0.001% by mass (not less than 10%).
ppm), preferably not less than 0.005% by mass (not less than 50 ppm), more preferably not less than 0.01% by mass (not less than 100 ppm) and more preferably not less than 0.02% by mass (not less than 200) ppm) as expressed in the terms of the amount of the silver containing zeolite, while the upper limit of the silver content in the food composition administered during the term C is not specified in a particular way. However, the use or administration of zeolite particles containing silver at a high unreasonable content would be less economical and may adversely affect the animals to which the composition is administered. Accordingly, when using silver-containing zeolite particles having a silver content of 2.5% by mass, the silver content should not be more than 0.1% by mass (or not more than 100 ppm) as expressed in terms of the amount of the silver containing zeolite incorporated into the composition. In the case where the silver content of the silver containing zeolite is beyond the level of 2.5% by mass, it is sufficient to properly control the silver content in the food composition in such a way that it falls within the previously specified range. The content of silver A may be equal to the silver content C and in this case, the food composition having the same zeolite content as
contains silver can be used during both terms A and C. For example, the term A (the initial breeding stage) corresponds to the term that extends from 0 to 21 days after birth; the term B (the intermediate breeding stage) extends from 22 to 35 days after birth; and the term C (the term immediately before boarding) extends from the 36th day until the date of boarding for the domestic birds to obtain meat or chicken. In addition, in the case of cattle, the term A
(the initial breeding stage) corresponds to the term during which the animal's body weight is not more than 400 kg and in general not more than about 300 kg; the term B (the intermediate breeding stage) corresponds to the term during which the animal's body weight varies from 300 to 600 kg; and the term C (the term immediately before shipment) corresponds to the term during which the animal's body weight is not less than 500 kg and in general approximately 600 to 700 kg. On the other hand, in the case of pigs, the term A
(the initial breeding stage) corresponds to the term during which the animal's body weight is no more than 30 kg; the term B (the intermediate breeding stage) corresponds to the term during which the animal's body weight varies from 20 to 70 kg and usually approximately 30 to 60 kg.
kg; and the term C (the term immediately before boarding) corresponds to the term during which the animal's body weight varies from 60 to 120 kg. The method of raising animals of the present invention is characterized by dividing the period of growth of each animal in the following three terms: the term A (the initial breeding stage), the term B (the intermediate breeding stage) and the term C (the term immediately before shipment) and administering to the animal, the food compositions having different contents of zeolite containing silver depending on the different growth or aging terms. In other words, a food composition having a zeolite with high silver content is administered to an animal during the period during which the animal has a relatively low resistance to pathogenic bacteria to thereby avoid infection of the animal with pathogenic bacteria such as those that belong to the genus Salmonella; a food composition having the lowest possible amount of silver content is administered to the animal during the term in which the animal acquires high enough resistance to the pathogenic bacteria as a result of sufficient growth to avoid infection of the animal with any pathogenic bacteria efficiently economically and promote and / or maintain healthy growth and animal activity.
EXAMPLES The present invention will hereinafter be described in more detail with reference to the following non-limiting working examples, but the present invention is not entirely restricted to these specific Examples. Preparation Example 1: Preparation of Zeolite Containing Silver and Food Composition Containing Same Silver-containing zeolite particles were prepared as follows: Water was added to 1 kg of the powder obtained by drying commercially available Zeolite A
(Na20-A1203-2Si02- xH0, average particle size: 1.5 μm) at 110 ° C to thereby give 1.3 1 of a mixture and then the mixture was stirred at 20 ° C for 18 hours. The appropriate amounts of an aqueous solution of nitric acid and water were added to the mixture to control the pH value thereof at a level ranging from 5 to 7. After the mixture was poured into 3 1 of 0.075 M / L of an aqueous solution of silver nitrate and the resulting mixture was continuously stirred at 50 ° C for 24 hours to establish an equilibrium condition. After the reaction was completed, the zeolite phase was filtered and washed with water to remove, for example, excess silver ions. The resulting zeolite phase was dried at
110 ° C to give zeolite particles containing silver. The silver content of the resulting zeolite particles was found to be 2.5% by mass. Subsequently, various kinds of food compositions were prepared which contain the resulting silver containing zeolite particles incorporated therein. Examples of formulations thereof are summarized in the following Table 1. In this regard, comparative samples were also prepared which are free of any of the silver-containing zeolite particles or to which ampicillin was incorporated as a typical antibiotic agent. Examples from Test 1 to 5: Tests to Confirm the Effect of Prepared Food Composition on Top when Administered to Domestic Birds to Obtain Chicken Tests were carried out using domestic poultry to obtain chicken for confirmation of the effects of the food compositions prepared in the Preparation Example 1 and listed in Table 1. In the following, the term "part" refers to "part by mass" unless otherwise specified. These tests were carried out using 5 test groups (including 1,400 domestic birds in total, each corresponding to Tests 1 to 5) each comprising 7 test subgroups (comprising 280 birds) where
each subgroup consisted of 40 domestic birds including chickens and roosters (20 domestic birds each). The experimental result for each test group was defined as the average of the 7 corresponding subgroups where the average value of each subgroup corresponds to the average value of the birds that constitute each subgroup. In these tests, the term A (the initial breeding stage) was defined as the term elapsed from 0 to 21 days after the birth of these birds; the term B (intermediate breeding stage) was defined as the term elapsed from 22 to 35 days after the birth thereof; and the term C (the term immediately before boarding) was defined as the term elapsed from 36 to 42 days after the birth of the same and these tests were completed after 42 days from the birth of the same. The following Table 2 shows the details of the food compositions administered to each of the test groups during each of the corresponding growth periods. Domestic poultry were evaluated in each test group by inspecting them for the following various characteristic properties: the rate (%) of body weight increase, the feed conversion rate, the record of lesions, and the number of Salmonella bacterial cells found in the feces of each bird. The results well
obtained are summarized in the following Table 3. Increase in Body Weight (g): This is defined in the present being the difference obtained by subtracting the body weight observed from the beginning of the test of the observed at the end of the test. Food Conversion Rate: This is defined as the value obtained by dividing the total amount of food composition given to each bird during the test between the increase in body weight observed for the same. Injury Registry: This is an indication to evaluate the health of the intestinal tracts of domestic birds for chicken. More specifically, this is assessed by looking at the surface of the intestinal tract from the outside of them through the thin (serosa) membrane that covers the tract while the intestinal tract is irradiated with light rays from a fluorescent illumination. In addition, this was evaluated in the same way when dissecting the intestinal tract to examine the contents of the same on the effects, on them, of E. tenella (coccidia) as one of the typical harmful microorganisms. The effects of the bacteria were judged by a veterinarian according to the following criteria: 0: No injury was observed at all; +1: Very slight dispersion of bleeding points similar to spots on the wall of the intestine was observed
blind, but no thickening of the intestinal wall was observed. The contents of them are normal. +2: There was slight contamination of the contents with the blood and a large number of hemorrhagic lesions. The wall of the caecum was thickened slightly. +3: A large amount of blood or caecum nuclei (coagulated products or lumpy blood in the form of banana and similar to ash-colored cheese) was observed in the caecum and thickening of the wall of the caecum was clearly observed as well as the definite deformation and contraction of the caecum. +4: The caecum contracted considerably and the lesion still reaches the rectum area. The wall of the caecum is extremely thick and the caecum includes blood or lumps of the caecum. In this regard, if the lesions are not uniform on both sides of the caecum, the evaluation of them should be carried out on the basis of severe. Number of Bacterial Salmonella Cells Present in Stools: This was evaluated according to the following criteria: High Risk Rate (++): Not less than 103 cfu / g; It would be highly possible for the product to become contaminated and in turn become the cause of several defects from the point of view of food sanitation.
Any Risk (+) may be present: Not less than 10 cfu / g; There would be such a possibility that the product will become contaminated and in turn become a cause of defects from the point of view of the health of the food. Almost No Risk (-): Less than 102 cfu / g; There is hardly any such possibility that the product is contaminated and in turn becomes a cause of the defects from the point of view of the health of the food. Table 1
Table 2
Table 3
The above results clearly show that Test Examples 2 and 3 show "lesion records" lower than those observed for sample example 5 (control) and sample example 6 (Comparative Example),
which are negative in the evaluation (eval.) of the effect of the bacterium that belongs to the genus Salmonella and that can provide a highly safe chicken accordingly. Furthermore, test example 4 shows the proposed effect almost identical to that achieved by test example 3 although the total dose in the previous one is lower than that used in the last one. Test Example 2: Test for the Antibiotic Effect of Zeolite Containing Silver The zeolite particles having a silver content of 2.5% by mass prepared in Preparation Example 1 as well as various classes of commercially available antimicrobial agents were inspected for the anti-microbial effects on the bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella and the lactic acid bacteria which were typical of the useful bacteria. The anti-microbial effects of these samples were evaluated by determining the minimum growth inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). This method is known as the one approved by the Chemotherapeutic Society of Japan. In this regard, the bacterial strains used in the present were those isolated from the intestinal tracts of domestic poultry to obtain chicken. The results thus obtained are listed in the following Table 4:
Table 4
The above data listed in Table 4 clearly indicate that when comparing the silver-containing zeolite with other anti-microbial agents tested herein, the above shows a higher bactericidal effect on the bacterial cells of Salmonella, while showing only one weaker effect on lactic acid bacteria. Incidentally, it would be recognized that ampicillin as an anti-microbial agent actually shows a rather weak bactericidal effect on bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella since the bacteria have already acquired resistance to it. Industrial Applicability The food composition of the present invention has almost no influence on the lactic acid bacteria, but exerts an anti-microbial effect on several classes of harmful microorganisms, in particular, the bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella or the like. According to this, the food composition of the invention could allow the improvement of the health of the
intestinal tracts of domestic animals, domestic birds and farmed fish such as chickens, pigs, cattle, sheep, horses, carps and various kinds of farmed fish and the composition would in turn accelerate their growth, while maintaining good health.