WO2009150264A1

WO2009150264A1 - Procedure for improving the general state of ruminants

Info

Publication number: WO2009150264A1
Application number: PCT/ES2009/000213
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joan Carles Ferrater Martorell; Luca Christopher Kamel; Juan Antonio Fernandez Martin; Nuria Sanroma Virgili
Original assignee: Carotenoid Technologies, S.A.
Priority date: 2008-06-12
Filing date: 2009-04-20
Publication date: 2009-12-17
Also published as: ES2332859B1; ES2332859A1

Abstract

Procedure for improving the general state of ruminants consisting in increasing the energy yield of metabolic processing of foods, inhibiting the generation of methane in the rumen through the joint and simultaneous action of two active principles with different relative proportions and conveniently formulated to ensure progressive release thereof, incorporated into the food of the animals and which consist, the first thereof, of an extract or oil of garlic, a natural product extracted from plants of the genus Allium, its fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis and, the second thereof, of an extract or oil of cinnamon, a natural product extracted from plants of the genus Cinnamomum, its fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis.

Description

PROCEDURE TO IMPROVE THE GENERAL STATUS OF

Ruminants

DESCRIPTION

Area of application.-

This report describes a procedure to improve the general state of ruminants, which consists in increasing the energy efficiency of the metabolic process of food in the rumen of animals by inhibiting one of the processes of energy loss, perhaps the most important, which constitutes the generation of methane or methanogenesis. In this way it is possible to maintain the necessary balance in said metabolic process between the energy generated and the synthesis of proteins, which leads to an improvement in the general state of the animals and an optimal situation of the productive indicators.

This inhibition is achieved by the joint and simultaneous action of two active ingredients that are incorporated into animal feed. The first one consists of an extract or garlic oil, a natural product extracted from the Allium genus plants, their fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis. The other principle consists of an extract or cinnamon oil, a natural product extracted from the Cinnamomum plants, their fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis. The mixture of both is conveniently formulated for progressive release and in the right place.

In an animal exploitation system, the production line (meat, milk, labor force), the nutritional principles to obtain the maximum results (energy and proteins) and the productive indicators (growth curves, production indices, etc.) must be considered. among others).

Energy is used, among other things, to generate heat, maintain blood pressure, transmit nerve impulses, transport ions through the membranes, promote reabsorption in the kidneys, synthesize proteins and fats, and depending of the animals considered, to secrete milk, produce eggs and wool and develop work.

An example of special interest is the case of ruminants. They can describe the energy metabolism in a simplified way. Thus, ingested carbohydrates ferment in the rumen transforming into glucose, which subsequently evolves into pyruvate. These processes involve transfers and captures of metabolic hydrogens, whose equilibrium guarantees the proper functioning of glycolysis and, therefore, the contribution of the necessary energy.

The deficiency in the generation of the necessary energy on the part of the animals, in general, and of the cattle, in particular, has important negative effects and, frequently, it is translated in:

1. Slow or even zero growth.

2. Loss of body tissue.

3. Decrease in production (milk, meat, fiber or work).

In the case of ruminants, the release of hydrogens into the environment or their transfer to the generation of methane are energy efficient processes, since these gases are expelled. Studies have been published where it is estimated that methane generation losses range between 3% and 15% of total energy (Van Nevel and Demeyer in The Rumen Mycrobial Ecosystem, ed. Elsevier, 1988). An increase in the retention of metabolic hydrogens is, therefore, in this case a mechanism that would allow the optimization of energy use in the rumen.

The other nutritional principle mentioned above, and necessary for the proper development of animals, is protein synthesis. In summary, some of the main functions that proteins develop in animals can be listed: A. They are part of digestive juices, hormones and vitamins.

B. It helps to maintain the reaction of various media such as plasma, and in others they are biological catalysts. C. They act as transport of gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood (hemoglobin).

D. They are part of the antibodies and participate in the defense against infections or foreign agents.

E. They allow cell movement through myosin and actin (muscle contractile proteins).

F. Resistance Collagen is the main integral protein of supportive tissues.

In fact, the optimal situation for the development of animals is reached when a balance between energy generation and protein production is achieved.

When there is an imbalance between the two, in one way or another, the animals fail to meet their requirements to achieve the desired productions (weight gain, body condition to achieve adequate pregnancy, etc).

Thus, in the situation in which there is an excess of energy against protein (high E / P or positive energy balance), it is usually observed:

1. Muscle weakness accompanied by a reduction in body mass.

2. Loss of appetite and, as a consequence, reduction of food consumption.

3. Growth reduction.

4. Energy retention in the form of body fat.

5. Edema or swelling of subcutaneous tissues due to fluid retention. In many cases the swollen belly appears. 6. Lethargy. On the other hand, in the inverse situation, that is, when there is an excess of protein against energy (low E / P or negative energy balance), what can be observed is:

1. Reduction in ATP formation 2. Excretion of protein in feces and urine

3. Appearance of kidney and liver problems due to accumulation of NH ₃

4. Increase in embryonic mortality.

5. Decrease in fertility.

6. Increase in food costs.

Therefore, the achievement of the balance between the energy generated and the synthesis of proteins, should lead to an improvement of the general state of the animals and an optimal situation of the productive indicators.

The objective, therefore, of the present invention is to achieve said balance in ruminants by modulating ruminal fermentation. For this, the increase in energy efficiency in the rumen of animals is proposed, inhibiting one of the processes, perhaps the most important, of energy loss, the generation of methane or methanogenesis.

This inhibition is achieved by the action of a formulated product that is incorporated into animal feed and that is constituted by a mixture of two active ingredients. The first one consists of an extract or garlic oil, a natural product extracted from the Allium genus plants, their fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis. The other principle consists of an extract or cinnamon oil, a natural product extracted from the Cinnamomum plants, their fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis. The mixture of both is formulated according to the procedure described below and the resulting product is incorporated as is or as a premix into the animal's feed. Associated with the decrease in methane generated by cattle and, as a result, there is a positive effect of environmental interest. Indeed, the generation of methane by cattle and sheep is today a very important natural source of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the inhibition of methanogenesis will further result in an environmental improvement of considerable interest.

Although, the separate effect of these plant extracts on methanogenesis in ruminants has been studied previously, their use together has shown extraordinary synergy and, therefore, surprising and unexpected efficacy. In addition, the formulation of this mixture, which consists of a microencapsulation under certain conditions, represents a very important advance for its use in animal feed.

State of the art:

With the progressive prohibition of most antibiotics in animal feed, mainly due to the possible presence of residues or the appearance of cross-resistance, the search for alternative products, mainly of natural origin, has been enhanced. In this line, it has been found that some plant extracts show a high antimicrobial activity.

Among the large amount of background described in the literature, European Patent EP0835120 of June 1996 stands out, in which antimicrobial pharmaceutical compositions constituted based on essential oils obtained from Origanum vulgare are claimed, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A more recent background is that constituted by EP 1178736 of May 1999, in which the action of carvacrol and thymol and its mixtures as bactericidal products is described and claimed. In this line, the patent ES200601094 requested in 2006 by the firm Carotenoid Technologies, SA, in which the antimicrobial action of plant extracts, mainly oregano oil and its contribution to the improvement of the general state of animals is claimed, is worthy of mention.

Not only has an antibiotic effect of essential oils been demonstrated. Some plant extracts and essential oils have shown an important effect on the processes that develop in the rumen of some animals and are especially useful for improving their general condition.

Some of the pioneering publications in this line in ruminants are the works carried out by H.K. Oh et al, in Appl. Microbiol, U, 777-784 (1967) and 16, 39-44 (1968). These authors pointed out that some essential oils could influence ruminal microbial fermentation. Subsequently it was found that the mechanism of action affected protein metabolism. (Broderick and Balthrop, in J Anim. ScL, 49, 1101-1111 (1979)).

More recent studies have already shown the important action of certain essential oils on ruminal fermentation, with Eucalyptus, Capsicum, Lavandula and Origanum, among others, being notable.

The works published by Broudiscou et al. In Anim are particularly interesting. FeedSci TechnoL, 87, 263-277 (2000) and 101, 183-189 (2002). In these articles the authors demonstrated the action on the methanogenesis of two plant extracts, Equisetum arvense and Salvia officinalis. Subsequently, Mohammed et al., In J Anim. ScL, 82, 1839-1846 (2004) published their work in which similar effects were demonstrated due to the action of another plant extract the Armoracia rusticana. Of all the essential oils and vegetable extracts, it seems that it is garlic and cinnamon oil that have shown greater efficacy in the control of methanogenesis in ruminants.

Several studies have been carried out to deepen the mechanism of action of garlic extract on methanogenesis. The work carried out by Busquet et al., In J. Dairy Sci, 88 (2005), in which the effect of the four main components of garlic extract (allicin, diallyl sulfide, diallyl disulphide and allylcaptan) ) under in vitro conditions. These authors were able to conclude that the disulfide components of diallyl and allyl mercaptan were primarily responsible for their effects.

A study of the mechanism of action led to suggest to Busquet et al., In J. Dairy Sci, 88, 2508-2516 (2005) that the antimetanogenic effects of garlic extract were due to a direct effect on Archea bacteria due to its specific effect on the stability of its membrane.

In a fairly recent work published in the International Series Series (Elsevier) 1293, 176-9 (2006), A.K. Patra et al compare the effect on methanogenesis in ruminants of various hydroalcoholic vegetable extracts, and conclude that it is garlic that has a more important effect.

In the case of cinnamon extract or oil, the first studies carried out by Cardozo et al., And published in J Anim. Sci. 82, 3230-3236 (2004) suggested an effect on the protein metabolism of the rumen. Later studies carried out by Busquets et al., Anim. Feed Sci.Technol. (2005) with this plant extract and, above all, with its main component, cinnamaldehyde, allowed to conclude its important inhibition effect on methanogenesis.

Many examples of formulations of essential oils or plant extracts useful in animal feed are described in the literature. An example of interest is European patent EP0835120, in which antimicrobial pharmaceutical compositions constituted based on essential oils are claimed together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Its use is also claimed in the treatment of a multitude of diseases, such as mastitis, dermatological and ophthalmological conditions, among others.

In this same line, in the patent EP 828502 pharmaceutical and veterinary compositions are claimed in which the active ingredient, oregano essential oil is formulated by the action of an excipient that is selected from a wide variety of products, paraffin, starch and its derivatives, calcium carbonate, and many others. The product thus obtained was very useful in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders of microbial origin.

A more recent antecedent is that constituted by EP 1178736 of May 1999, in which the action of carvacrol and thymol and its mixtures, suitably formulated, as bactericidal products is described and claimed.

The works on formulations of essences or aromas used in the cosmetic industry are frequent in the literature. An example of particular interest is that described in Perfurmer and Flavorist, 52-55, vol. 27, (2002). In this article some considerations are made about an encapsulation procedure with the objective of protecting the aroma throughout the subsequent elaboration of the cosmetic.

Description of the invention:

As has been shown in the description of the technical scope of this report, the generation of methane in the rumen of animals represents a mechanism of energy loss and, therefore, an alteration of the necessary balance between energy and synthesis of proteins The objective of the present invention is the minimization of this mechanism of energy loss through the inhibition of methanogenesis, which translates into a greater use of food by the ruminant and therefore, in a better general state of animals .

An additional consequence, important from an environmental point of view, associated with the inhibition of methanogenesis is the consequent decrease in the amount of methane emitted into the atmosphere. In this way the important contribution that this gas presents on the greenhouse effect is reduced. It must be taken into account that gas emissions from ruminants are currently considered one of the most important natural sources with a greenhouse effect.

The inhibition of the methanogenesis that constitutes the object of the present invention, as advanced, is achieved by the combined action of two active principles conveniently formulated to cause the desired optimum effect.

The first active ingredient consists of an extract or essential oil of garlic, a natural product extracted from the Allium plants, obtained by the usual methods. Any individual fraction or component of the garlic oil or extract or any mixture of the individual components obtained by extraction from natural sources, or prepared by synthesis, is also included within the scope of the present invention.

The second active ingredient that forms the basis of the present invention is the extract or essential oil of cinnamon, a natural product extracted from the Cinnamomum plants, obtained by the usual methods. Likewise, any individual fraction or component of the extract or essential oil or any mixture obtained by extraction from natural seeds, or prepared by synthesis, is also included within the scope of the invention. In this case, it deserves special Mention the main component of cinnamon extract, cinnamaldehyde, whose activity has proved particularly important.

In fact, and as cited in the review of the prior art, the separate effect of both active principles on methanogenesis in ruminants has been described in some detail in some bibliographical references.

Of which there is no background and, which is extraordinarily surprising, is the synergy produced by the joint action of both active principles on methanogenesis in ruminants when applied simultaneously. It has been found that the effect produced by the mixture of both active ingredients is much greater than that corresponding to the sum of the effects of each of them separately.

An additional aspect of particular interest is that the synergy observed in the combination of the two aforementioned active ingredients is practically independent of their relative proportion. In fact, as described below, very different relative proportions between both active ingredients produce a significant increase in their independent activity.

A justification for this behavior is not available so far and there is probably no single reason for it. In fact, a generalized consideration among most published works is that plant extracts in general, and essential oils, in particular, are a group of substances that cannot be classified into a single mechanism of action. Therefore, the overall result could be the consequence of a sum of different actions.

A section of special importance in the invention described herein is the formulation process. In fact, the mixture of the active ingredients, consisting of garlic and cinnamon extracts, owes a very important part of its activity to the final formulation, which confers special characteristics, which additionally It constitutes a totally new aspect with respect to what was previously described in the bibliography.

The use of extracts or essential oils in animal feed presents a series of problems that are more or less directly related to the volatile and aromatic nature of some of its components. The most common problems, among others, refer to:

- Irregular dosage of each of the components that constitute the extract. - Important degradation, generally oxidative, of any of the components

- Low efficiency due to insufficient release of the active ingredients at the right time and in the right place.

- Rejection for ingestion due to the intense flavor and aroma of these oils.

The formulation object of the present invention consists, as described in detail below, in a microencapsulation of the active ingredients by the action of suitable excipients by a novel manufacturing process.

In essence, the process consists of fixing the mixture of the plant extracts or their components in a porous inorganic support, consisting mainly of precipitated silica, and the subsequent coating with a protective layer, constituted by an emulsifier, of the type mono and / or diglyceride of saturated fatty acids, or their derivatives esterified with acetic acid, lactic acid or the like.

The use of this type of formulation solves all the problems raised above, which guarantees the maximum efficiency of the synergistic mixture. Thus the formulation allows to achieve:

- Correct dosage of the mixture of plant extracts by fixing a defined concentration in the inorganic support. Adequate formulation because the active ingredients are adsorbed and / or absorbed in an appropriate manner due to the special characteristics of the support.

Stability and persistence of the relatively volatile active ingredients due to the solid fixation of the protective agent and the action of the protective film. - Slow and progressive release within the organism of the animal, due precisely to the nature of the protective agent.

Correct addressing to the receivers avoiding losses in unwanted metabolic processes.

Elimination of the adverse reaction produced by the intense aroma and bad taste of the active ingredients, in particular garlic extract and its components, due to the presence of the protective layer.

Detailed description:

As mentioned above, it describes a procedure to improve the general condition of ruminants, which consists in increasing the energy efficiency of the metabolic process of food in the rumen of animals by inhibiting one of the processes of energy loss, perhaps the more important, that constitutes the generation of methane or methanogenesis.

This inhibition is achieved by the joint and simultaneous action of two active ingredients that are incorporated into animal feed. The first one consists of an extract or garlic oil, a natural product extracted from the Allium genus plants, their fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis. The other principle was in an extract or cinnamon oil, a natural product extracted from the Cinnamomum plants, their fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis. The mixture of both is conveniently formulated for progressive release and in the right place.

There are many more or less effective methods for obtaining the essential extracts or oils of garlic and cinnamon. As an example you can cite some, such as dissolution through the action of solvents, filtration and subsequent evaporation, or extraction under supercritical conditions, or obtaining the extract by subjecting the plant or seeds to the action of pressure, among many other techniques. All of them should be considered within the scope of the present invention.

An important aspect is that since they are natural products, their composition can vary within a more or less wide range, depending on their origin and their isolation process. However, although garlic oil has varying concentrations of its components, it usually contains a proportion of diallyl disulfide greater than 5%. Similarly, cinnamon oil has a variable composition, although it is usual that it contains proportions greater than 50% of its main component cinnamaldehyde. However, any commercial garlic and cinnamon extract or oil, as well as any of its fractions, is considered within the scope of the present invention.

The individual components can be obtained by fractionation of the extract or essential oil or they can be prepared by synthesis according to any of the methods described in the literature. In all cases they should be considered within the scope of the present invention.

Special mention is made of the main component of cinnamon oil, cinnamaldehyde, with which an extraordinarily high synergy has been observed. Given the structural simplicity of this product, although it can be prepared by fractionation of cinnamon oil, its synthesis is also economically viable, so it is usual to access it synthetically.

The relative proportion in which the two active ingredients are formulated can be very variable. It should be noted that in all the cases tested, even maintaining very unequal relative proportions, a very marked synergy of its effects is detected. The best results have been obtained maintaining a weight ratio between the first active ingredient, garlic oil or extract, and the second, cinnamon oil or extract, from 0.01 to 0.50, preferably from 0.05 to 0.2. These proportions are similar when the product is formulated using instead of natural oils or extracts, their fractions and / or components.

The formulation object of the present invention represents, as justified above, an aspect of great importance for obtaining the desired results. In summary, and as described in detail below, it can be described as a microencapsulation of the active ingredients by the action of suitable excipients by a novel manufacturing process.

In essence, the mixture of the plant extracts, or of their main components, is fixed, by adsorption and / or absorption on a porous inorganic support constituted, mainly, by precipitated silica, and coated with a protective layer constituted by an emulsifier. , of the mono- and / or diglyceride type of saturated fatty acids, or of its derivatives esterified with acetic, lactic acid or the like.

As progress has been made, two fundamental sections are considered in the elaboration of the product: the inorganic support and the protective layer.

The inorganic support consisting basically of precipitated silica is completely inert, in the sense that it does not react with any of the active ingredients and, therefore, does not cause or induce any type of degradation process.

On the other hand, the physicochemical characteristics of this support are perfectly suitable for the intended purpose. They are spherical particles with an approximate size of between 80 to 500 microns. Precipitated silica has an optimal characteristic for liquid formulation. It is about its microporosity. The particles contain a multitude of pores that, logically, increase the specific surface area with respect to similar particle sizes of other types of supports. But, in addition, the active principle penetrates these pores and is occluded in them. The result is evident, increases the load capacity and also guarantees its fixation in the support.

Different methods can be used to fix the active substance in the support. The most appropriate procedure involves the use of a fluid bed. It is about keeping the silica in suspension in a bed and spraying the mixture of plant extracts or their components in the form of small drops that are put in very intimate contact with the particles of the support. In this way the adsorption and absorption processes are favored, achieving a correct fixation.

An alternative to the procedure described is the use of mixers. Within this type, the ones that fluidize the load are the most convenient, such is the case of a Forberg mixer. In them, mixing times are even less than 5 minutes.

In all cases, the support is kept in continuous motion and the mixture of plant extracts is sprayed or fogged on it. The mixing is kept under stirring at the appropriate temperature until reaching the level of fixation of the oil in the support. Depending on the technology used in the fluidization acceptable results are achieved with mixing times of 3 minutes to 2 hours at temperatures between 15 ⁰ C and 4O ⁰ C.

In both processes, optionally, the mixture of the plant extracts or their components previously dissolved in a suitable solvent can be added. Examples of these solvents are hexane, methanol, ethanol and the like. In these cases, when the dosing and mixing process is finished, the product will It undergoes a complete solvent removal process using the usual methods, such as vacuum evaporation, drying in the fluid bed, or some other.

With any of the two procedures, the concentration values of the mixture of active ingredients that are considered suitable for this type of products are reached, that is, between 20% and 50% of the total weight of the formulated product, preferably between 30 % and 45%.

The second phase in the preparation of the product object of the present invention consists in coating the plant extract deposited on the precipitated silica with a protective layer.

For this phase, an emulsifying agent commonly used as a feed additive has been selected. It is mono- and di-glycerides of saturated fatty acids, additive to which the code E-471 corresponds.

This emulsifying agent is added directly to the fluid bed or to the mixer, where the plant extract is fixed on the support, producing a homogeneous dispersion on the surface of the support and, therefore, giving rise to a very effective protective layer.

It is important to highlight that, as mentioned above, the active substance is dosed reaching global concentrations that may be in order

40% or higher. One of the reasons for not increasing this proportion excessively is that active centers must be left in the inorganic support to subsequently fix the protective layer.

It has been possible to evaluate that concentrations of the order of 10-25% of mono- and di-glycerides are sufficient to carry out an effective coating. Values of the order of 15% to 20% emulsifier are common. As for its physical characteristics, it is important to highlight that fatty acid esters are used in order to be solid at room temperature and, with melting points greater than 7O ⁰ C. This parameter is very important since a solid coating of the Active ingredient in the support is less permeable to degrading agents than a liquid one.

The good results of stability, dosage in the right place and time and its correct release, therefore, its bioavailability, are factors related to the surface activity of the coating. It is important to note that the additive _. E-471, being a non-ionic surfactant, exhibits excellent performance in terms of hydrophilic fixation and lipophilic resistance.

In some cases it is interesting to decrease the polarity of the coating, for example, when a slower release in a hydrophilic medium is needed. In these cases, the coating based on mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids can be replaced by their corresponding esterified derivative. Short-chain organic acids, such as acetic, lactic and the like, are used to make this last product. These are additives authorized in food and included in the code E-472.

The correct dosage of the protective agent is achieved by spraying in the fluid bed or in the mixer used in the previous phase. Depending on the type of equipment selected and the conditions used, the emulsifying agent is usually dosed molten, that is, at temperatures between 7O ⁰ C and 8O ⁰ C or higher.

The product thus obtained is usually incorporated into the food of the animals after preparing a premix with different usual ingredients in the formulation of rations for animals such as soybean meal, hazelnut husks or calcium carbonate, among many others. This produces a food in which the final amount of the mixture of active ingredients for each Kilogram of feed can range from 0.5 milligrams to 50 grams, the most common values being from 0.1 grams to 10 grams. Some examples are described below that illustrate the scope of the invention described herein but which do not have any limiting character.

Example 1. In a 5 liter capacity reactor equipped with mechanical agitation, the following are introduced:

90 g of an essential oil of garlic 870 g of an essential oil of cinnamon, and mixed with: 400 g of hexane.

The mixture is added little by little:

750 g of sipernat 2200 and vigorous stirring is maintained at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Then vacuum is applied and the hexane is evaporated by subjecting the mixture to a temperature excipientada 30 ⁰ C.

Once the solvent is removed, each particle contains a portion of plant extract and maintains a remaining ability to absorb more liquid.

On the granular product obtained while maintaining a strong stirring, 420 g of a mixture of mono and diglycerides of stearic acid (E-471) previously heated until melting are added, around 7O ⁰ C. In this way it is deposited on the surface of the particles of plant-sipernat extract. Subsequent cooling to room temperature allows the final product to be isolated in the form of granular powder, suitable for use as an additive for animal feed. Example 2

370 kg of sipernat 2200 are arranged in an industrial fluid-type dryer unit operated by air flow under conditions such that a high fluidization of the pulverulent solid is ensured.

On this bed and through a spray system 80 kg of vegetable extract consisting of a mixture of:

40 Kg of garlic oil, with a content of 12% in Diallyl Disulfide, 410 Kg of cinnamon oil, with a content of 65% in Cinnamaldehyde.

It is important to ensure that the droplet size of the plant extract is significantly smaller than the particle size of the sipernat 2200, so that the spray system is adjusted for the generation of drops with sizes smaller than 100 μm.

After maintaining the air supply in the system for 1 hour, ensuring a complete mixture, 180 Kg of the mixture of mono and diglycerides (E-471) previously heated until melting is added.

Stirring is maintained in these conditions as the system cools until it reaches room temperature again. The product thus obtained is suitable for further processing as a feed additive.

Example 3. In a Forberg type shovel mixer, enter:

500 Kg of sipernat 2200 and maintaining a vigorous agitation, a mixture of: 80 Kg of garlic extract 550 Kg of Cinnamaldehyde is added by means of a fogging system The mixture is kept under stirring for 45 minutes, whereby a homogeneous mixture of the solid particles and the mixture of extracts is obtained.

Depending on the nature of the garlic extract and its possible high viscosity in some cases it is advisable to fluidize the mixture by adding 10% of an organic solvent, such as ethanol, hexane or others.

Stirring is maintained for 30 minutes at room temperature, eliminating, where appropriate, the solvent used by applying vacuum. Under these conditions are added 200 kg of the mixture of mono- and diglycerides (E-471) previously melted at 70-75 ⁰ C temperature.

After cooling the system to room temperature, a product suitable for further processing as a feed additive is obtained.

Example 4

Following the procedure described in Example 3 and using the same amounts of Cinnamaldehyde, garlic extract and sipernat 2200, a homogeneous mixture is obtained after stirring.

Under these conditions, 190 kg of the mixture of mono-diglycerides partially esterified with acetic acid (E-472) previously melted are added.

Stirring is maintained as the system cools to room temperature. The product thus obtained is especially useful as a food additive in cases where greater protection is needed in hydrophilic medium and, therefore, a slower release in this medium.

Claims

L- A procedure to improve the general state of the ruminants that consists in increasing the energy efficiency of the metabolic process of food, inhibiting the generation of methane in the rumen by the joint and simultaneous action of two active principles with different relative proportions and conveniently formulated to ensure their progressive release, which are incorporated into the food of the animals and that consist, the first of them, in an extract or garlic oil, its fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis and, the second, in an extract or cinnamon oil, its fractions or components, isolated or reproduced by synthesis.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the first of the active ingredients is garlic essential oil, a natural product extracted from the Allium genus plants, and the second is cinnamon essential oil, a natural product extracted from the Cinnamomum genus plants.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first of the two active ingredients is garlic essential oil, a natural product extracted from the Allium genus plants, and the second is Cinnamaldehyde, both obtained from the essential oil of cinnamon as prepared by chemical synthesis.

4. A process according to claims 1 to 3 in which the garlic essential oil used is characterized by containing at least 5% of Diallyl Disulfide, natural and / or reproduced by synthesis.

5. A process according to claims 1 to 2 in which the cinnamon essential oil used is characterized by containing at least 50% cinnamaldehyde, natural and / or reproduced by synthesis.

6. A method according to claims 1 to 5 wherein the relative proportions by weight of the first active principle versus the second are between 0.01 and 0.50, preferably between 0.05 and 0.2.

7. A process according to claims 1 to 6 wherein the formulation of the product is carried out by fixing the mixture of the two active ingredients on an inorganic support based on precipitated silica and subsequent coating with a layer of an agent protector of the mono type and / or diglycerides of fatty acids or their esters.

8. A process according to claim 7 wherein the mixture of the active ingredients represents between 20% and 50% of the total weight of the formulated product, preferably between 30% and 45%.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein the inorganic support is precipitated silica with a particle size between 80 and 500 microns, preferably between 90 and 300 microns.

10. A process according to claims 7 to 9 wherein the coating is constituted by a mixture of mono and diglycerides of saturated fatty acids, preferably stearic acid.

11. A process according to claims 7 to 9 wherein the coating is constituted by a mixture of mono and diglycerides of saturated fatty acids in which the residual hydroxyl group is esterified with acetic acid.

12. A method according to claims 7 to 11 in which the fixation of the mixture of active ingredients is carried out on a fluid bed of the inorganic support.

13. A method according to claims 7 to 11 in which the fixation of the plant extract on the inorganic support is carried out within a paddle mixer, which guarantees an effective mixing.

14. A process according to claims 7 to 13 wherein the protective agent is deposited molten at a temperature greater than 7O ⁰ C, preferably between 70 ° and 8O ⁰ C.

15. A process according to claims 7 to 14 wherein the protective agent represents between 10% and 25% of the total weight of the formulated product, preferably between 15% and 20%.

16. A process for the improvement of the general condition of the ruminants according to claim 1, wherein the product formulated in the feed is incorporated prior to the preparation of a premix with usual ingredients in the formulation of animal rations, in which the amount Final mixing of active ingredients per Kilogram of feed can range from 0.5 milligrams to 50 grams, the most common values being from 0.1 grams to 10 grams.