FEED ADDITIVE FOR FARMED ANIMALS

Abstract

A use of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) for at least one of preserving the quality of meat obtained from farmed animals, relates to preventing the apparition of the defaults in meat, limiting, stopping the development of defaults in meat. The defaults are linked to myopathy, with farmed animals, and preparing a feed additive or a premix in order to preserve the quality of meat obtained from farmed animals and/or in order to at least one of preventing the apparition of the defaults in meat, limiting and stopping the development of defaults in meat. The defaults are linked to myopathy, with farmed animals. The use also relates to feed additive, a feed and a premix having PQQ.

Claims

1. Use of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) for preserving the quality of meat obtained from farmed animals.

2. Use of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) in at least one of preventing the apparition of the defaults in meat, limiting and stopping the development of defaults in meat, said defaults being linked to myopathy, with farmed animals.

3. Use of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) for preparing a feed additive or a premix in order to preserve the quality of meat obtained from farmed animals.

4. Use of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) for preparing a feed additive or a premix for at least one of preventing the apparition of the defaults in meat, limiting and stopping the development of defaults in meat, said defaults being linked to myopathy, with farmed animals.

5. The use of PQQ according to claim 1, wherein said farmed animals are prone to or affected by said myopathy.

6. The use of PQQ according to claim 1, wherein the farmed animals are poultry.

7. The use of PQQ according to claim 6, wherein said myopathy is selected from breast myopathies.

8. The use of PQQ according to claim 7, wherein said breast myopathy is selected from wooden breast, white stripping, and spaghetti meat.

9. The use of PQQ according to claim 1, wherein PQQ is liquid, granular, or in natural source.

10. The use of PQQ according to claim 1, wherein PQQ is in the form of granules that are mixed with a premix or a feed.

11. A feed additive for preserving the quality of meat obtained from farmed animals, said feed additive comprising pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).

12. A feed additive for at least one of preventing the apparition of the defaults in meat, limiting and stopping the development of defaults in meat, said defaults being linked to myopathy, with farmed animals, said feed additive comprising pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).

13. The feed additive according to claim 11, wherein PQQ is liquid or granular or in natural source.

14. The feed additive according to claim 11, wherein PQQ is in the form of granules that are mixed with a premix or a feed.

15. The feed additive according to claim 11, wherein the farmed animals are poultry.

16. The feed additive according to claim 15, wherein said myopathy is selected from breast myopathies.

17. The feed additive according to claim 16, wherein said breast myopathy is selected from wooden breast, white stripping and spaghetti meat.

18. A feed or the premix for preserving the quality of meat obtained from farmed animals, said feed comprising pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) or a feed additive according to claim 10.

19. A feed or the premix for at least one of preventing the apparition of the defaults in meat, limiting and stopping the development of defaults in meat, said defaults being linked to myopathy, with farmed animals, said feed comprising pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) or a feed additive according to claim 11.

20. The feed of claim 18, comprising 0.1-2.0 ppm of PQQ.

21. The feed of claim 20, comprising 0.2 to 1.0 ppm of PQQ.

22. The premix of claim 18, that when mixed with 1 kg of feed, provides a feed for preserving the quality of meat obtained from farmed animals, said feed comprising pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) and said feed additive comprising pyrroloquinoline quinone.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0054] Study Animals: [0055] Animal: Broiler Chicken [0056] Breed/Strain: Ross 708 [0057] Description: Day-of-hatch male chicks, sexed at hatchery [0058] Sex: Male

[0059] Materials and Methods:

[0060] Animals Required:

[0061] Total number of treatments: 4

[0062] Total number of replicates per treatment: 12

[0063] Total number of chicks per replicate: 40

[0064] Initial age: day-of-hatch: 0 days-of-age

[0065] Final age: 7 weeks: 49 days-of-age.

[0066] Diets and Formulation:

[0067] Feed will be changed based on the days of each phase. [0068] Starter feed will be weighed out and fed from day 0 to 14. On day 14, non-consumed starter feed will be weighed by pen and discarded. [0069] Grower feed will be weighed, issued and fed from day 14 until 28. On day 28, non-consumed grower feed will be weighed by pen and discarded. [0070] Finisher feed will be weighed, issued and fed from day 28 until 42. On day 42, non-consumed finisher feed will be weighed by pen and discarded. [0071] Withdraw feed will be weighed, issued and fed from day 42 until 49. On day 49, non-consumed finisher feed will be weighed by pen and discarded.

[0072] Husbandry: Birds and their Management:

[0073] Mortality:

[0074] Mortality and culling records are recorded per pen. A cull is defined as a bird that cannot access the water.

[0075] Feed & Water:

[0076] Feed and water are provided ad libitum, and added to each pen as needed to maintain an acceptable feed level within the feeder and feed pan.

[0077] Temperature:

[0078] The birds are housed according to standard brooding and growing temperatures. The temperature outside of the house is recorded daily. Temperature and relative humidity within the house are recorded on a daily basis, at the chicks' level, in all phases of the grow-out.

[0079] Evaluated Parameters

[0080] Performance: Feed consumption and pen weights are determined on days 0, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 49 to calculate average body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR).

[0081] Final bird weights: At the end of the grow-out period (Day 49), all birds are weighed, as well as any and all remaining feed.

[0082] Processing: On day 49, ten (12) birds are selected from each pen for processing (at 12 reps/trt: 576 birds in total; 144 birds/trt).

[0083] Wooden breast assessment was determined by an expert panel according to 4 levels: No (WB1), Mild (WB2), Medium Severe (WB3), Severe (WB4).

[0084] Statistical Analyses

[0085] Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 treatments×12 replicates/treatment (40 birds/pen), randomized within blocks across the barn to minimize differences in environmental condition. The pen is the experimental unit.

[0086] Dietary Treatments [0087] Control (NC, negative control without PQQ) [0088] 0.5 ppm PQQ [0089] 1 ppm PQQ [0090] 2 ppm PQQ

[0091] Effect of PQQ on the Body Weight (BW), Body Weight in (BWG), Feed Efficiency of Broilers and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)

[0092] The results are presented in the following tables 1-4 for broilers fed diets from the first week to the seventh week (corresponding to 0 to 49 days of age).

[0093] The values are means and SD is standard variation.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Effect of PQQ on the body weight (Kg) 0 ppm 0.5 PPM PQQ 1.0 ppm PQQ 2.0 ppm PQQ mean SD mean SD mean SD mean SD wk 1 0.141 0.002 0.139 0.002 0.145 0.002 0.146 0.002 wk 2 0.345 0.006 0.355 0.008 0.371 0.004 0.373 0.005 wk 3 0.722 0.015 0.763 0.013 0.790 0.011 0.794 0.009 wk 4 1.251 0.028 1.286 0.024 1.329 0.03 1.331 0.025 wk 5 1.984 0.056 2.042 0.025 2.112 0.024 2.065 0.014 wk 6 2.744 0.056 2.808 0.042 2.927 0.017 2.835 0.022 wk 7 3.425 0.076 3.416 0.061 3.612 0.031 3.472 0.044

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Effect of PQQ on the average daily body weight gain (Kg) 0 ppm 0.5 PPM PQQ 1.0 ppm PQQ 2.0 ppm PQQ mean SD mean SD mean SD mean SD wk 1 0.095 0.002 0.095 0.002 0.100 0.002 0.102 0.002 wk 2 0.205 0.005 0.215 0.007 0.225 0.004 0.224 0.004 wk 3 0.393 0.01 0.414 0.005 0.419 0.008 0.425 0.005 wk 4 0.547 0.014 0.556 0.010 0.573 0.012 0.548 0.012 wk 5 0.671 0.021 0.688 0.011 0.723 0.009 0.727 0.013 wk 6 0.760 0.014 0.767 0.018 0.787 0.007 0.77 0.015 wk 7 0.680 0.029 0.622 0.028 0.686 0.023 0.648 0.030

[0094] The results of Tables 1 and 2 evidence a positive influence of PQQ on the body weight as from the first week with concentrations of 1 ppm and 2 ppm up to the end of the assay. For lower concentrations, precisely for a concentration of 0.5 ppm, a positive influence of PQQ is observed as from the second week.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Effect of PQQ on the feed intake (Kg) 0 ppm 0.5 PPM PQQ 1.0 ppm PQQ 2.0 ppm PQQ mean SD mean SD mean SD mean SD wk 1 0.144 0.004 0.142 0.004 0.151 0.006 0.142 0.005 wk 2 0.304 0.005 0.299 0.004 0.315 0.01 0.315 0.005 wk 3 0.639 0.009 0.671 0.013 0.678 0.009 0.645 0.005 wk 4 0.817 0.019 0.796 0.019 0.816 0.014 0.813 0.015 wk 5 1.132 0.037 1.139 0.024 1.161 0.017 1.141 0.024 wk 6 1.294 0.031 1.346 0.029 1.370 0.013 1.336 0.022 wk 7 1.088 0.049 0.986 0.025 1.106 0.040 1.041 0.044

[0095] These results show that PQQ has an influence on the feed intake as from a concentration of 1 ppm.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Effect of PQQ on feed conversion ratio (FCR) 0 ppm 0.5 PPM PQQ 1.0 ppm PQQ 2.0 ppm PQQ mean SD mean SD mean SD mean SD wk 1 1.518 0.048 1.491 0.047 1.514 0.067 1.406 0.056 wk 2 1.489 0.036 1.400 0.037 1.418 0.059 1.414 0.027 wk 3 1.632 0.030 1.623 0.030 1.619 0.015 1.608 0.011 wk 4 1.503 0.047 1.435 0.035 1.427 0.018 1.469 0.032 wk 5 1.694 0.046 1.617 0.013 1.608 0.032 1.605 0.039 wk 6 1.701 0.024 1.755 0.021 1.741 0.019 1.741 0.034 wk 7 1.603 0.038 1.603 0.042 1.616 0.039 1.615 0.027
The feed conversion ratio is the ratio between feed intake and body weight gain.

[0096] Effect of PQQ on Wooden Breast Proportions

[0097] For a more readable evidence of the benefic effects of the disclosure, the results are presented in the FIGURE.

EXAMPLE 2

[0098] Study Animals: [0099] Animal: Broiler Chicken [0100] Breed/Strain: Cobb 500 [0101] Description: Day-of-hatch male chicks, sexed at hatchery [0102] Sex: Male

[0103] Materials and Methods:

[0104] Animals Required:

[0105] Total number of treatments: 4

[0106] Total number of replicates per treatment: 12

[0107] Total number of chicks per replicate: 25

[0108] Initial age: day-of-hatch: 0 days-of-age

[0109] Final age: 6 weeks: 42 days-of-age.

[0110] Diets and Formulation:

[0111] Feed will be changed based on the days of each phase. [0112] Starter feed will be weighed out and fed from day 0 to 7. [0113] Grower feed will be weighed, issued and fed from day 8 until 21. [0114] Finisher feed will be weighed, issued and fed from day 22 until 35. [0115] Withdraw feed will be weighed, issued and fed from day 36 until 42.

[0116] Husbandry: Birds and their Management:

[0117] Mortality:

[0118] Mortality and culling records are recorded per pen. A cull is defined as a bird that cannot access the water.

[0119] Feed & Water:

[0120] Feed and water are provided ad libitum, and added to each pen as needed to maintain an acceptable feed level within the feeder and feed pan.

[0121] Temperature:

[0122] The birds are housed according to standard brooding and growing temperatures. The temperature outside of the house is recorded daily. Temperature and relative humidity within the house are recorded on a daily basis, at the chicks' level, in all phases of the grow-out.

[0123] Evaluated Parameters

[0124] Performance: Feed consumption and pen weights are determined on days 0, 21, 35 and 42 to calculate average body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR).

[0125] Final bird weights: At the end of the grow-out period (Day 42), all birds are weighed, as well as any and all remaining feed.

[0126] Processing: On day 42, ten (12) birds are selected from each pen for processing (at 12 reps/trt: 576 birds in total; 144 birds/trt)

[0127] Wooden breast assessment was determined by an expert panel according to 5 levels: WB0, WB1, WB2, WB3, WB4 from no WB to severe WB.

[0128] Statistical Analyses

[0129] Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 treatments×12 replicates/treatment (40 birds/pen), randomized within blocks across the barn to minimize differences in environmental condition. The pen is the experimental unit.

[0130] Dietary Treatments [0131] Control (NC, negative control without PQQ) [0132] 0.2 ppm PQQ [0133] 0.5 ppm PQQ [0134] 1 ppm PQQ

[0135] Effect of PQQ on the Body Weight Gain (BWG), Feed Efficiency of Broilers and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)

[0136] The results are presented in tables 5 to 13 below for broilers fed diets from 0 to 42 days (d) of age.

[0137] The values given are the mean and the P value.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Effect of PQQ on cumulative body weight gain of broilers (g) PQQ, ppm 1 to 21 d 1 to 35 d 1 to 42 d T1 NC 606 2116 3086 T2 0.2 624 2125 3204 T3 0.5 608 2123 3166 T4 1.0 630 2178 3188 P value 0.7687 0.0648 0.0954

[0138] The results of Table 5 evidence a positive influence of PQQ on the body weight with each concentration.

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Effect of PQQ on cumulative feed conversion ratio of broilers PQQ, ppm 1 to 21 d 1 to 35 d 1 to 42 d T1 NC 1.349 1.494 1.724 T2 0.2 1.355 1.494 1.674 T3 0.5 1.402 1.526 1.675 T4 1.0 1.429 1.540 1.708 P value 0.6645 0.3753 0.2003

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Effect of PQQ on feed intake of broilers (g) PQQ, ppm 1 to 7 d 8 to 21 d 22 to 35 d 36 to 42 d T1 NC 158 659 2355 2120 T2 0.2 158 677 2346 2218 T3 0.5 156 699 2390 2105 T4 1.0 159 747 2459 2113 P value 0.6565 0.5034 0.2623 0.1843

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Cumulative feed intake of broilers (g) PQQP, ppm 1 to1 21 d 11 to 35 d 1 t1o 42 d T1 NC 817 3163 5257 T2 0.2 835 3173 5365 T3 0.5 853 3236 5316 T4 1.0 905 3357 5449 P Value 0.5021 0.0663 0.5200

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Effect of PQQ on wooden breast means per treatment at 42 d PQQ, ppm WB T1 NC 2.90.sup.a T2 0.2 2.92.sup.a T3 0.5 2.36.sup.b T4 1.0 2.26.sup.b P value <0.0001
Wooden Breast Scores were:
WB 0—normal breast; WB 1—mild hardening in the upper; WB 2—moderate hardening in the upper and/or lower part of the fillet; WB 3—severe hardening; WB 4—severe hardening with hemorrhagic lesions, increased volume, and presence of yellow fluid.

TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Effect of PQQ on wooden breast myopathies scores at 42 d PQQ, ppm WB0 WB1 WB2 WB3 WB4 T1 NC 0.00 0.33 1.42.sup.ab 2.67 1.58 T2 0.2 0.08 0.17 1.17.sup.b  2.92 1.67 T3 0.5 0.00 0.92 2.50.sup.ab 1.83 0.75 T4 1.0 0.00 1.08 2.75.sup.a  1.50 0.58 P value 0.554 0.051 0.021  0.080 0.126
Higher is the score per WB 3 and 4 categories, greater is the default. Conversely, for categories WB0 to WB2, higher is the score, better is the quality.

TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 Effect of PQQ on wooden breast myopathies occurrence at 42 d (%) PQQ, ppm WB0 WB1 WB2 WB3 WB4 T1 NC 0.00 5.56 23.62.sup.ab 44.44.sup.ab 26.39 T2 0.2 0.83 2.78 20.00.sup.a 49.16.sup.a 27.22 T3 0.5 0.00 15.29 41.67.sup.ab 30.56.sup.ab 12.50 T4 1.0 0.00 18.05 46.94.sup.a 25.00.sup.b 10.00 P value 0.537 0.052 0.022 0.036 0.150
Wooden breast scores were: WB0—normal breast; WB1—mild hardening in the upper; WB 2—moderate hardening in the upper and/or lower part of the fillet; WB 3—severe hardening; WB 4—severe hardening with hemorrhagic lesions, increased volume, and presence of yellow fluid.
Results show higher proportions of good quality breast fillets (WB0 to WB2) (+50% WB2 with 1 ppm) and lower proportions of bad quality fillets (WB3 and WB4) (−60% WB4 with 1 ppm) with supplementation with PQQ.

TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 Effect of PQQ on carcass and abdominal fat and yields of the commercial cuts of broilers at 42 d (%) Abdominal Breast Breast PQQ, ppm Carcass.sup.1 fat tenders.sup.2 fillets Thighs Drumsticks Wings NC 80.0.sup.a 1.10 5.00.sup.b 27.6 14.55.sup.ab 18.82.sup.ab 9.57.sup.b 0.2 80.3.sup.b 1.05 5.03.sup.b 26.8 14.36.sup.ab 18.42.sup.b 10.19.sup.ab 0.5 80.4.sup.b 1.11  5.12.sup.ab 26.8 15.01.sup.a 18.73.sup.ab 10.42.sup.a 1.0 80.3.sup.b 0.90 5.22.sup.a 27.4 14.24.sup.b 18.89.sup.a 10.05.sup.ab P-value <0.0001 0.5190  .sup. 0.0014 0.2147 0.0400 0.0026 0.0154 .sup.1Eviscerated carcass as a percentage of body weight. whereas cuts are proportions of the carcass .sup.2Skinless boneless Pectoralis major

TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 13 Effect of PQQ on carcass and abdominal fat and yields of the commercial cuts of broilers at 42 d (g) Abdominal Breast Breast Treatments Carcass.sup.1 fat tenders.sup.2 fillets Thighs Drumsticks Wings NC 2.493 27 125b 689 362 469 255 0.2 2.538 26  127ab 680 364 467 258 0.5 2.527 28  129ab 677 378 473 258 1.0 2.574 23 134a 702 366 486 259 P value 0.2836 0.0480     0.0085 0.6638 0.1232 0.1414 0.9031 .sup.1Eviscerated carcass as a percentage of body weight. whereas cuts are proportions of the carcass .sup.2Skinless boneless Pectoralis major