EARLY LIFE NUTRITION

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of reducing methane emissions in ruminants, said method encompassing treating pre-/young ruminants with 3-nitrooxypropanol.

Claims

1. A method for reducing methane emission in adult ruminants, said method encompassing administering to said ruminants an effective amount of 3-nitrooxypropanol from birth up to an age of a maximum of 6 months, preferably up to an age of a maximum of 5 months, most preferably up to an age of a maximum of 4 months.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3-nitrooxypropanol is administered orally.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3-nitrooxypropanol is administered at least once a day.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) administered to the ruminant is selected in the range from 0.1 mg to 15 mg 3-NOP/kg bodyweight (BW), preferably in the range from 0.5 to 10 mg 3-NOP/kg BW, most preferably in the range from 1 to 5 mg 3-NOP/kg BW.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3-nitrooxypropanol is administered admixed into the pre-ruminant/young ruminant feed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-ruminant feed is milk or a milk replacement preparation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the methane emission is reduced by at least 5%, preferably by at least 10% after 1 year of birth, compared to a non-treated control group.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ruminant is selected from the group of domestic cattle, sheep and goat, preferably from domestic cattle.

9. A milk or milk replacement preparation for pre-ruminants, wherein said milk or milk replacement preparation comprises 3-nitrooxypropanol.

10. A feeding regime for reducing methane emissions in adult ruminants, comprising (1) administering a diet comprising 3-nitrooxypropanol to said ruminant in its pre ruminant and optionally young ruminant phase followed by (2) administering a diet which does not contain 3-nitrooxypropanol to the adult ruminant.

11. A kit for decreasing methane emission in ruminants, comprising a.) at least one dosage form of 3-nitrooxypropanol; and b.) information which informs a prospective user about the benefits of administering 3-nitrooxypropanol to the ruminant in the pre-ruminant and optionally young ruminant phase in order to decrease the methane emission in the adult ruminant.

12. A low methane emitting ruminant, wherein said ruminant is obtained by supplementing said ruminant in the pre-ruminant phase with 3-nitrooxypropanol.

13. Use of 3-nitrooxypropanol in pre-ruminants to mitigate climate change by reducing the total life-time methane emission of said ruminants.

14. A method of influencing the microbial colonialization pattern of the rumen of a ruminant, said method comprising the step of administering an effective amount of 3-nitrooxypropanol to said ruminant in the pre-ruminant phase.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the methane emission is reduced by at least 5%, preferably by at least 10% after 1 year of birth, compared to a non-treated control group.

Description

FIGURE

[0087] FIG. 1: x-axis: age of animal in weeks; y-axis: Methane emission in g CH.sub.4/d; Period I: 3-NOP supplementation; Period II: No 3-NOP supplementation; dotted line: treatment group; solid line: control group. For more details see Examples.

EXAMPLES

[0088] Experimental Set-Up

[0089] At birth 18 female Holstein (n=12), Montbéliarde (n=4) and Holstein x Montbéliarde (n=2) calves were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (3 mg 3-NOP (active)/kg BW) or control group (placebo supplement i.e. without 3-NOP but with silica and propylene glycol). 3-NOP was supplemented in the form of a 3-NOP powdered formulation (10 wt.-% of 3-NOP admixed with silica and propylene glycol) such that breed distribution and birthweight were balanced across groups. Treatment was administered daily from birth until three weeks post-weaning (week 14) (admixed in a small volume of water and delivered by an oral gavage). Calves were weighed weekly. Milk and concentrate intake prior to weaning was recorded using automated feeders. Animals were group housed in a single pen following weaning. Samples of rumen liquid were collected at week 1, 4, 11, 14, 23 and 60 weeks of life and DNA from these samples of rumen liquid content were extracted and subjected to Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Methane emissions from the calves were measured using the GreenFeed system (C-Lock, Rapid City, S. Dak. USA) from weaning at week 11 to week 23 and later from week 56 to 60 of life.

[0090] Results

[0091] Treated calves showed a persistent reduction (overall 11.6%, P=0.03) in methane emissions (g CH.sub.4/d) throughout the post-weaning period, despite treatment ceasing three weeks post-weaning (Table 1). When methane emissions were measured nearly one year later (weeks 56 to 60 of life) overall methane emissions in the treatment group were still significantly reduced by about 19% (P<0.05) indicating persistency of the effect (see FIG. 1).

[0092] Calf physiological parameters (bodyweight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG)) were similar across groups throughout the trial indicating no adverse effect on performance by the early life treatment (see Table 2 and 3). Furthermore, no significant changes in the relative abundance of methanogens as a result of 3-NOP treatment was observed.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Effect of 3-nitrooxypropanol supplementation on methane emissions (g/day) from calves measured after weaning at 11 weeks to 23 weeks of age and in later life 56 to 60 weeks of age. Age of animal [in weeks] 11 14 56 to daily 17 20 23 60 supplementation no supplementation Control (n = 8) 48.4 72.4 81.4 101.9 111.2 238.7 Treatment (n = 10) 45.0 63.4 68.2 88.9 97.13 193.0 Δ CH.sub.4 emissions −3.4 −9.00 −13.2 −13 −14 −45.7 [g CH.sub.4/d] Δ CH.sub.4 emissions −7.0 −12.4 −16.2 −12.7 −12.7 −19.2 [%]

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Bodyweight (BW) of calves (in kg) Age of animal [in weeks] 0 11 14 17 20 23 56 to 60 Control (n = 8) 40.8 104.7 123.1 140.2 158.1 184.2 357 Treatment (n = 10) 41.6 102.2 119.5 134.9 151.8 189.5 339 No significant difference in the bodyweight was observed.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Average Daily Gain (ADG) (kg/d) from week 0 to 23 weeks of life ADG (kg/d) Control (n = 8) 0.84 Treatment (n = 10) 0.79 No significant difference in average daily gain was observed.