USE OF A FEED COMPOSITION FOR REDUCING METHANE EMISSION IN RUMINANTS, AND/OR TO IMPROVE RUMINANT PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Methane emission in ruminants is reduced by the use of a feed composition or a feed additive comprising at least one antibiotic and at least one organic molecule substituted at any position with at least one nitrooxy group.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the production of methane emanating from the digestive activities of ruminants and/or for improving ruminant animal performance comprising orally administering to the animal a sufficient amount of a feed composition or feed additive comprising at least one antibiotic, and at least one organic molecule substituted at any position with at least one nitrooxy group, or a salt thereof as defined by formula (I), ##STR00035## wherein Y is an organic molecule of the following composition: C.sub.aH.sub.bO.sub.dN.sub.eS.sub.g, wherein a is comprised between 1 and 25, b is comprised between 2 and 51, d is comprised between 0 and 8, e is comprised between 0 and 5, g is comprised between 0 and 3,

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the feed composition or feed additive is administered to the animal in combination with at least one additional active substance selected from the group consisting of diallyl disulfide, garlic oil, allyl isothiocyanate, deoxycholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid and derivatives thereof.

3. A method according to claim 1, the ruminant animal is selected from the group consisting of: cattle, goats, sheep, giraffes, American Bison, European bison, yaks, water buffalo, deer, camels, alpacas, llamas, wildebeest, antelope, pronghorn, and nilgai.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the at least one organic molecule as defined in formula (I) administered to the ruminant animal is from 1 mg to 10 g per kg feed, and the amount of antibiotic administered to the ruminant animal is from 0.5 mg to 150 g per kg feed.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the methane production in ruminants calculated in liters per kilogram of dry matter intake is reduced by at least 10% when measured in metabolic chambers.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of organic molecule as defined in formula (I)/antibiotic is comprised between 0.05 and 50.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

In Vitro Test for Methane Production

[0084] A modified version of the Hohenheim Forage value Test (HFT) was used for testing the effect of specific compounds on the rumen functions mimicked by this in-vitro system.

Principle

[0085] Feed is gadded into a syringe with a composition of rumen liquor and an appropriate mixture of buffers. The solution is incubated at 39 C. After 8 hours the quantity (and composition) of gas phase produced is measured and put into a formula for conversion.

Reagents

[0086] Mass element solution: [0087] 6.2 g potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH.sub.2PO.sub.4) [0088] 0.6 g magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (MgSO.sub.4* 7H.sub.2O) [0089] 9 ml concentrated phosphoric acid (1 mol/l) [0090] dissolved in distilled water to 1 l (pH about 1.6)

[0091] Buffer solution: [0092] 35.0 g sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO.sub.3) [0093] 4.0 g ammonium hydrogen carbonate ((NH.sub.4)HCO.sub.3) [0094] dissolved in distilled water to 1 l

[0095] Trace element solution: [0096] 13.2 g calcium chloride dihydrate (CaCl.sub.2*2H.sub.2O) [0097] 10.0 g manganese(II) chloride tetrahydrate (MnCl.sub.2*4H.sub.2O) [0098] 1.0 g cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate (CoCl.sub.2*6H.sub.2O) [0099] 8.0 g iron(III) chloride (FeCl.sub.3* 6H.sub.2O) [0100] dissolved in distilled water to 100 ml

[0101] Sodium salt solution: [0102] 100 mg sodium salt [0103] dissolved in distilled water to 100 ml

[0104] Reduction solution: [0105] first 3 ml sodium hydroxide (c=1 mol/l), then 427.5 mg sodium sulfide hydrate (Na2S*H.sub.2O) are added to 71.25 ml H.sub.2O [0106] solution must be prepared shortly before it is added to the medium solution

Procedure

Sample Weighing:

[0107] The feed stuff is sieved to 1 mmusually TMR (44% concentrate, 6% hay, 37% maize silage and 13% grass silage)and weighed exactly into 64 syringes. 4 of these syringes are the substrate controls, which display the gas production without the effect of the tested compounds. 4 other syringes are positive control, in which bromoethane sulfonate has been added to 0.1 mM. When needed, 4 syringes contain a carrier control (if the test compounds need a carrier). The remaining syringes contain the test substances, by groups of 4 syringes.

Preparation of the Medium Solution:

[0108] The components are mixed in a Woulff bottle in following order: [0109] 711 ml water [0110] 0.18 ml trace element solution [0111] 355.5 ml buffer solution [0112] 355.5 ml mass element solution

[0113] The completed solution is warmed up to 39 C. followed by the addition of 1.83 ml sodium salt solution and the addition of reduction solution at 36 C. The rumen liquor is added, when the indicator turns colourless.

Extraction of the Rumen Liquor:

[0114] 750 ml of rumen liquor are added to approximately 1,400 ml of medium solution under continued agitation and CO.sub.2-gassing.

Filling the Syringes, Incubation and Determining Gas Volumes and VFA Values:

[0115] The diluted rumen fluid (24 ml) is added to the glass syringe. The syringes are then incubated for 8 hours at 39 C. under gentle agitation. After 8 hours, the volume of gas produced is measured, and the percentage of methane in the gas phase is determined by gas chromatography.

Results

[0116] The food fermented was artificial TMR (44% concentrate, 6% hay, 37% maize silage and 13% grass silage). Monensin was obtained from Elanco, and used at a concentration of 0.01% dry matter (DM). 3-nitrooxy-pentanol was used at two different concentrations 0.01% and 0.005% DM.

[0117] The results are presented in the following Table 2. Clear additive effects were obtained. Surprisingly, even with maximal methane inhibition when 3-nitrooxy propanol was used at 0.01% DM, further additive effect was observed on the acetate/propionate ratio when combined with monensin, which translates into additional performance benefit for the animal.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Effect on Methane reduction, volatile fatty acids (VFA) production and VFA profile resulting from the average of three experiments with either monensin, 3-nitro propanol, or combination of both. Effect on Effect on VFA Methanogenesis production VFA profile (as Dose (% compared (% compared percentage of total VFA) Composition (% DM) to control) to control) Ace. Prop. But. Monensin 0.01 23% 6% 56 38 6 3-nitrooxy 0.01 97% 13% 50 42 8 pentanol 3-nitrooxy 0.005 21% 3% 57 36 7 pentanol 3-nitrooxy 0.01 + 99% 15% 46 47 7 pentanol + 0.01 Monensin 3-nitrooxy 0.005 + 48% 8% 52 41 7 pentanol + 0.01 Monensin Negative 60 33 7 control Ace. = acetate; Prop. = propionate; But = butyrate.