NZ245625A

NZ245625A - Method of increasing wool production, wool fibre tensile strength and liveweight of a lamb by administering a protected amino acid to the growing lamb

Info

Publication number: NZ245625A
Application number: NZ245625A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Jean-Claude Robert; Raymond Joseph Johnson
Original assignee: Rhone Poulenc Nutrition Animal
Priority date: 1992-01-13
Filing date: 1993-01-06
Publication date: 1994-06-27
Also published as: AU661878B2; IE930013A1; RU2060682C1; GB2263065B; ES2054585A1; FR2685998A1; ES2054585B1; ZA9367B; AU3035992A; GB9300591D0; GB2263065A; UY23533A1

Description

<div class="application article clearfix" id="description"> 24 5 6 2 l2rX\?Z. . Mkftz. M?' r.. . . n 0,. : .. 27 JUN 19W P.O. Jou:n;i, !'h: ■ • - NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No.: Date: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION METHOD FOR INCREASING WOOL PRODUCTION AND QUALITY. AND THE LIVEWEIGHT OF LAMBS We, RHONE-POULENC NUTRITION ANIMALE, a French Body Corporate, of Avenue Edouard Vaillant, F-03600 Commentry, France hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- - 1 - (followed by page - la -) 2 4 5 6 2 -la- 5 10 The invention relates to a method for increasing wool production and quality, 15 and the liveweight of lambs. Reis and Schinckel, Australian Journal of Biological Sciences, 1963, discloses that injection of either L-cysteine or DL-methionine into the abomasum at a dose of 1.5g to 3g per day increases the growth of wool in the sheep. 20 The addition of sulphur-containing amino acids into the feed ration of ovines on the other hand, has little effect on the growth of wool in the sheep because bacterial metabolism of the sulphur amino acids occurs in the first stomach or rumen and so only a small proportion of the dose administered is available for absorption. 25 From a practical agricultural point of view it was impossible to envisage injecting amino acids into the abomasum in grazing livestock. In order to obtain improved wool growth, it is necessary to use some means of protecting the amino acids from bacterial degradation which allows them to pass through the sac of the 30 rumen without degradation while allowing them to be liberated in a sufficiently rapid manner in the abomasum and/or in the intestines in order to allow them to be absorbed and to exert beneficial nutritional effect. 921222,p:\oper\dab,'wooLspec,l 24 K 6 2 -2- According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for increasing wool production in a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb. 5 According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for increasing wool quality in a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb. The increase in wool production is due to an increase in wool fibre length, an 10 increase in wool fibre diameter and an increase in volume growth rate of wool. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a method for increasing the wool fibre length and volume growth rate of wool in a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb. 15 According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for increasing the wool fibre tensile strength of a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb. 20 A significant increase in liveweight of the lambs was also observed when a protected amino acid was administered. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method for increasing the liveweight of a lamb which comprises administering an effective 25 amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb. Preferably the growing lamb is a weaner lamb. A particularly preferred weaner lamb is a Merino weaner lamb as the wool of such lambs is of a high value, but is recognised that meat producing breeds of sheep will also benefit from the 30 growth enhancing effects of the present invention. 921222,p:\oper\dab,«KX>Lspec£ 245625 -3- The amino acid is preferably methionine or lysine or a mixture of both, more preferably methionine. The amino acids administered to the lamb may be protected in the following 5 manner using, for example, two types of copolymer. The first type of copolymer comprises a combination of a basic amino copolymer and a hydrophobic substance of which the melting point is greater than 60 °C and/or of a polymer which has limited solubility in water. The basic amino 10 copolymer may be obtained, for example, from the reaction of: a neutral ethylenic monomer such as methyl acrylate or methacrylate, styrene, acrylonitrile or vinyl acetate and, IS a diethylenic monomer having a basic nitrogen-containing group such as diethylaminoethyi acrylate or methacrylate, tert-butylaminoethyl acrylate or methacrylate, morpholinoethyl methacrylate or a vinylpyridine. 20 The hydrophobic substance is preferably a fatty acid, a fatty ester, a fatty alcohol, a paraffin or a natural or synthetic wax. Preferably, the hydrophobic substance is stearic acid. The polymer insoluble in water is generally a cellulose ether or ester such as ethylcellulose or cellulose acetobutyrate, or a polyvinyl ester such as polyvinyl acetate. A composition comprising 85% by weight of amino acid 25 for 15% by weight of coating is preferably employed. The coating generally contains 10 to 30% of basic amino copolymer and from 70 to 90% of an optional mixture of a hydrophobic substance and a polymer insoluble in water. The second type of copolymer which can be used comprises a mixture of a 30 natural polymer such as zein, in combination with a hydrophobic substance having a melting point greater than 60 °C and/or a polymer which has limited solubility in water. 921222,p:\oper\dib,woLspec^ 24 5 6 2 5 -4- A composition containing 10 to 90% of zein and 10 to 90% of a hydrophobic substance and/or a polymer insoluble in water is preferably employed. A plasticizing agent may be added to the above compositions. 5 Plasticizing agents include, in particular, triacetine, propylene glycol, butyl phthalate and sodium oleate. The coating compositions described above are known, and have been described in European Patent No. 260186 for the first type of composition and in 10 European Patent No. 321337 for the second type of composition. The protected amino acids are preferably provided in the form of a medicated grain supplement which is fed to the growing lambs generally over a 2 to 3 month period of the year. Preferably about 0.8 to 2g of amino acid, more preferably 1.6g 15 of methionine is administered to growing lamb per day with supply of amino acid achieved by feeding 3 times a week. The present invention is illustrated by the following Examples. The examples are not to be construed as limiting the invention in any way. 20 EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS OF EXAMPLES The examples were designed to provide quantative data on the effect of a dose rate of 2g product (approximately 1.6g methionine) per head per day, 25 administered as a three times weekly medicated grain supplement. Growing weaner lambs were selected for the trial. In Australia, most farmers routinely feed oats, wheat, barely or lupins to their 30 weaner lambs over summer. It was therefore considered most appropriate to focus the trial of using protected methionine as a medicated grain supplement to Merino weaner lambs during their first summer. 921222,p:\oper\dab,vioLspec,4 R fi 9 R U £, J -5 - Fine wool Merino ewe lambs were used for the trials. The lambs were 5 months old at the start of the trial. 5 In summary the grain supplements used in this trial had the following characteristics: Oats Lupins Moisture 10.8% 8.7% Dry matter 89.2% 91.3% 10 Crude protein 8.4% 32.2% of dry matter Digestibility 72.3% 84.4% of digestible dry matter Estimated Metabolizable energy 10.6%MJ/kgDM 12.5MJ/kg dry matter 15 The pasture conditions were much better than expected for a typical season with 3084, 3113 and 1867kg/ha dry matter present at the three observation times. Also the proportion green matter was 27%, 13% and 14.7% at the three observation times. This is much higher than normal, due to unseasonal rainfall patterns which affected this trial. 20 The effects of the protected methionine were tested on two different levels of grain supplement at each feed as follows. Oats Lupins 25 Low Grain lOOg/h + 20g/h per feed High Grain 250g/h + 50g/h per feed Since feeding was conducted three times per week the average daily rate of grain supplementation was: 30 Oats Lupins Low Grain 43g/h/day + 8.6g/h/day High Grain 107g/h/day + 21.4g/h/day 921222,p:\operVdab,wooLspec£ 24 5 8 2 5 -6- It should be noted that these are unusually low rates of grain supplementation compared to the normal industry feed rate of approximately 200-300 gram head/day for supplementary feeding of weaners over summer. The dose of protected methionine used was 2g/head/day of product (approximately equivalent to 1.6g/h/day of methionine). Protected methionine was added to grain as a wet mix technique using liquid molasses as a binding agent as follows: Measured quantities of oats and lupins were added to a universal feed mixer and mixed for 5-10 minutes. Molasses 3% w/w was also added to provide a light sticky coating to all grain. The appropriate quantity of dry protected methionine microspheres was then added slowly and mixing continued for a further 10 minutes to ensure even distribution of the microspheres throughout the grain mix. This procedure was repeated with lot sizes sufficient for feeding all groups for 2 or 4 weeks. Control groups received mixed grain with molasses but without protected methionine. Mixed feed was fed out on the day of mixing or stored in bags for up to four weeks before use. No deterioration of feed was noted during storage (e.g. no mould growth, discolouration, odour etc). The mixed feed was highly palatable and all sheep quickly accustomed to the feed out procedure. 92l222,pt\oper\d»b)«ooLspec,6 -7- Measurement of weight and condition score Liveweight was determined using Ruddweigh electronic scales, with an accuracy of ± 0.5kg. Condition scores were also assessed subjectively by the same 5 operator on each occasion lambs were weighed. Marking of wool and measurement of length growth Freshly prepared URSOL-D in hydrogen peroxide was administered to the 10 base (skin level) of a mid flank wool staple on all lambs at the start of each period of the trial. Wool length growth was therefore determined as follows: 15 Inter dye Dye band segment Phase of trial band period designation (Days) 51 A Pre treatment period 20 35 B First phase of treatment 40 C Second, phase of treatment (6 weeks) 25 30 D Post treatment period Length growth between dye bands (mm) was determined by hand measurement using a Vernier calliper. 30 Length measurements were taken on unstretched wool staples. 921222,p:\oper\dab,w»Lspcc,7 -8- Sectioning of wool staples and measurement The dye-banded wool staple was removed after the linear measurement of inter dye-band intervals, the staple was sectioned manually into 2 mm segments to 5 obtain average fibre diameter for inter dye band intervals A, B, C and D as defined above. Fibre samples A, B, C and D were separately washed in solvent then fibre diameter distribution was determined by a laser based shadow technique (Fibre 10 Diameter Analyser - Gerner Scientific Ltd). In most samples, 2000 determinations of fibre diameter were made in each sample. Fleece weight IS Ewe fleece weight was recorded at shearing. These fleece weights represent fleece growth over only a 10 month period from birth; during which time the ewes underwent treatment, for just 10 weeks. Data has been analysed to assess the effect of treatment compared with 20 control of both levels of grain supplementation. In addition, a retrospective covariate analysis was conducted of liveweight growth and volume wool growth rate using the following covariates: a. pretreatment liveweight 25 b. body weight growth rate during the pre-treatment period c. fibre volume growth rate during the pre-treatment period The examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 30 Figure 1 shows the liveweight changes between protected methionine treated and control lambs fed the low or high grain supplement; 921222,p:\oper\dab,TOoLspec,8 4 5 6 2 -9- Figure 2 shows the differences in growth rate between protected methionine treated and control lambs fed the low or high grain supplement; Figure 3 shows the distribution of liveweights for protected methionine treated and control weaners at the pretreatment period, after 4 weeks of treatment and at 5 the end of 10 weeks of treatment for animals on the low and high grain diets; Figure 4 shows the distribution of liveweights at various times for the protected methionine treated and control weaners on the high grain diet; Figure 5 shows the effect of protected methionine treatment on condition score; 10 Figure 6 shows the effect of protected methionine treatment on fleece weights; and Figure 7 shows the effect of protected methionine treatment on the length growth rate of wool. 15 WHOLE ANIMAL MEASUREMENTS Example 1 - Liveweight and growth rate Liveweights were not significantly different between groups when measured 20 just prior to the commencement of treatment. In the period of the first five weeks after start of treatment liveweights increased more rapidly in the treated than control groups regardless of level of [gran] grain feed. 25 Growth rate measured in the same period for the protected methionine treated high grain group was 24.7% higher than in the control high grain. Growth rate of the protected methionine treated low grain group over the same period was 18.0% higher than in the control low grain. Thus, after 4 weeks of treatment the 30 protected methionine high grain group were heavier than control although this was only significant in the low grain group. 921222,p:\oper\dab,wooLspec,9 10 15 25 2 4 - 10- In the second five week treatment period, the rates of growth in the protected methionine treated groups were also higher than in control. Growth rate measured in this period was 81.3% higher in the protected methionine treated high grain than in the high grain control. Growth rate over the same period in the protected methionine treated low grain group was +19.2g/d compared to a weight loss of -2.49g/d in the control. Thus, by the end of the second five week treatment period both treated groups were 1.5 to 2.0kg heavier than their respective controls. By the end of the post treatment period, there was still a significant difference in liveweights in favour of protected methionine treated compared to control groups. This advantage was lost by well after the post treatment period by which time no significant differences in liveweight between groups was apparent. Graphical representations of this data are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Example 2 - Distribution of liveweights 20 Growers of merino lambs which are born in Spring are very concerned that liveweights of the weaners reach a minimum weight of 20kg before the hot dry period of late summer. Weaners which do not reach this weight suffer high risk of mortality as they are less able to withstand the climatic an nutritional stress over summer. If the autumn rainfall is late, then these animals are at particular risk. 30 In this trial, stocking rates were relatively low and both the late Spring and early Summer pasture during the trial was much better than is normally expected. Therefore the mean liveweight of the whole flock was generally better than is normally achieved for spring born lambs in the area of the trial. It was nevertheless of interest to examine the effects of protected methionine treatment on the distribution of liveweights. 921222,p:\oper\dab,wooLspec,10 24 5 6 2 "lilt is apparent from Figures 3 and 4 that protected methionine treatment resulted in a shift in the distribution of liveweights towards the higher liveweight categories. This was particularly evident in the reduction (halving) of the occurrence of animals with liveweights in the 20-25kg and 25-30kg categories and an increase 5 (doubling) in the occurrence of animals in the 35-40kg categories. Unfortunately, in this experiment, the vast majority of animals exceeded the critical 20kg threshold. However, if the same shift in frequency distribution was observed in lighter flocks, then the protected methionine treatment would have 10 considerable appeal as a natural method for enhancing weaner growth and potentially increasing weaner survival over the summer period. The achievement of 18 to 81% increases in growth rates during the treatment period is of considerable importance. This has implications for the use of the 15 product to enhance growth rates of young sheep. Example 3 - Effect on condition score of ewe weaners As might be expected from the positive effects of treatment on growth rate 20 and liveweight, there were also significant effects of treatment on condition score. Prior to treatment there were no significant differences in condition scores between groups. 25 4 weeks after the start of treatment the condition scores of the protected methionine treated ewe lambs were significantly higher than in the respective untreated control groups. This difference was maintained by 10 weeks after the start of treatment, and 30 continued until one month after treatment. 921222,p:\oper\dib,*ooLspee, 11 ;4 5 6 2 ;-12- ;These differences were sufficient to be noticeable by skilled stock handlers in the field, who frequently commented that "the treated animals were in better condition than the controls". This is considered important to farmers who would like to see their animals growing well, or at the very least, maintaining condition over 5 summer and autumn. ;Condition score data is shown graphically in Figure 5. ;Example 4 - Effect of protected methionine on fleece weights ;10 ;The greasy fleece weights were obtained at shearing and represent approximately 10 months of fleece production from birth. Weights include the whole fleece prior to skirting but does not include belly wool which is removed on the shearing board. ;15 ;Belly weights were recorded from a sample of 23 animals in each group and were not significantly different. ;Treatment was applied over a period of approximately 10 weeks of the total ;20 10 month growth period. ;Protected methionine treatment significantly increased greasy fleece weight in weaners on both the low and high grain diets. ;25 Increases in fleece weight were 220g,/hg (9.1%) for animals on the low grain diet and 180g/hd (7.3%) for animals on the high grain diet. ;This diet is presented graphically in Figure 6. ;30 ;921222,p:\oper\dab,woLspec,12 ;^4 5 S ;-13- ;DYNAMICS OF FIBRE GROWTH ON DYE BANDED STAPLES Example 5 - Linear growth and linear growth rate ;Absolute distances (mm) between the front edges of successive dye bands were measured in duplicate for ISO - 200 animals in each group. ;Length growth rates (mm/day) were calculated by dividing the absolute distances by the number of days between the application of each dye band. ;Wool length growth was not significantly different between grain feed levels or protected methionine treatment groups during the pretreatment observation period. ;Feeding of protected methionine resulted in a significant increase in the absolute wool length and wool length growth rate measured during the first 4 weeks of treatment. In the low grain group the increase was 6.0% above control, while in the high grain group it was 5.8% above control. ;These stimulatory effects increased in the second phase of treatment. Thus during the last 6 weeks of treatment the protected methionine treated weaners on low grain grew 8.1% more wool length than their respective control and the protected methionine treated weaners on high grain diets grew 10.5% more wool length than their respective control. ;The effect of treatment on the length growth rate of wool for weaners on low or high grain diets is shown in Figure 7. ;921222.p:\oper\dab,wooLspec,13 ;2 4 ;-14- ;Example 6 - Effect of protected methionine treatment on mean tensile strength of weaner wool ;(a) Fleece grown only during treatment period ;5 ;In order to evaluate the effects of protected methionine supplementation on the wool grown during the treatment period, the fleece samples were tested by clamping the staple at DB2 and DB4. ;10 Thus tensile strength of wool grown only during the treatment period was tested. ;In this second analysis protected methionine treatment was shown to increase tensile strength by 9.9% (+4.25 N/ktex) in the low grain group and by 2.1% (0.97 15 N/ktex) in the high grain group. ;Although not significant within grain groups this effect was almost significant when both nutrition levels were pooled. ;20 Although the effect was quantitatively small due to the relatively good tensile strength of fleeces in this trial, it is probable that this effect would be important in fine wool fleeces which have a nutrition related fibre weakness. ;25 COVARIATE ANALYSIS ;Example 7 - Adjustment for pre-treatment liveweight and growth rates ;Examination of Figures 1 and 2 showed minor differences in liveweights and 30 liveweight growth rate between treated and control lambs during the period just prior to the commencement of treatment. ;921222,p:\oper\iUb,*ooLjpee>14 -15- In order to test whether such differences could have confounded interpretations of treatment effects at later times, the statistical analysis has been repeated during the pre-treatment growth or pre-treatment liveweight as the covariate. Prior to using each covariate, tests were conducted for the presence of interactions and for homogenicity of slopes - no interactions were identified. The covariate analysis confirmed that the effect of treatment on increasing growth rates was statistically significant regardless of whether pre-treatment liveweight or growth rates are used as covariates. 921222,p;\oper\(Ub,'wocLspe«,15 </div>

Claims

<div class="application article clearfix printTableText" id="claims"> ^62 U'.\f f j ,< -r- J .. . , _ :i3''Xu-Ai 1 /\ / , J ^ -■ Ji i'JM JO*;-16;IS;;1. A method for increasing wool production in a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb.;5;2. A method for increasing wool quality in a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb.;3. A method for increasing the wool fibre length of a lamb which 10 comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb.;4. A method for increasing the volume growth rate of wool in a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a;15 growing lamb.;5. A method for increasing the wool fibre tensile strength of a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb.;20;6. A method for increasing the liveweight of a lamb which comprises administering an effective amount of a protected amino acid to a growing lamb.;7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 25 growing lamb is a weaner lamb.;8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amino acid is protected by a polymer which is resistant to alkaline pH but liberates the amino acid at acid pH or in the intestine.;30;9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amino acid is protected by a layer comprising a basic amino copolymer and a;921222,p:\oper\dab,wooLspec,16;245625;-17-;hydrophobic substance of which the melting point is greater than 60 °C and/or of a polymer which has limited solubility in water.;10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the amino acid is protected by a layer comprising a styrene-vinylpyridine copolymer in association with a hydrophobic substance, and a polymer which has limited solubility in water.;11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the hydrophobic substance is stearic acid.;12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the copolymer which has limited solubility in water is ethylcellulose.;13. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the amino acid is protected by a layer comprising a zein based copolymer and a hydrophobic substance, the melting point of which substance is greater than 60 °C and/or of a polymer which has limited solubility in water.;14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amino acid is methionine, lysine or mixtures thereof.;15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amino acid is methionine.;16. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the effective amount of amino acid is substantially 0.8 to 2 grams per day at the rate of 3 times a week.;17. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the effective amount of amino acid is 1.6 grams per day of the rate of 3 times a week.;921222,p: \oper\dib,wooLspec, 17;"V 1, I »* 245625 -18- 18. Wool whenever obtained by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and 7 to 17. 19. Methods according to any one of claims 1 to 6, substantially as 5 hereinbefore described with reference to the Examples and/or drawings. (kM-Poufac Mutr'itfOn ftrim/l By the authorised agents A J PARK & SON io ?er TfjfhMfrify' 15 '•ft •. % 2 9 MAR Ni> c E ! 921222,p:\oper\dab,woolspee,18 </div>