ANIMAL FOOD SUPPLEMENT COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF USE

• US 20070286913A1
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gayle Swain
• Original Assignee: Gayle Swain
• Inventors: Swain, Gayle
• Granted Patent: US 7,485,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/738
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/37 from waste material from hydrolysates of wood or straw A23K10/32; from molasses A23K10/33
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/40 Mineral licks, e.g. salt blocks
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/20 Inorganic substances, e.g. oligoelements
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/20 by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/25 by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/20 for horses
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/30 for swines
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/40 for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/75 for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/48 Fabaceae or Leguminosae (Pea or Legume family); Caesalpiniaceae; Mimosaceae; Papilionaceae
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/68 Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/899 Poaceae or Gramineae (Grass family), e.g. bamboo, corn or sugar cane
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/06 Anti-spasmodics, e.g. drugs for colics, esophagic dyskinesia
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/87 Re-use of by-products of food processing for fodder production

Abstract

An animal food supplement particularly useful in treating gastrointestinal problems, such as colic. Psyllium husks are provided in dry form for convenience of handling prior to feeding. In examples of embodiments, psyllium husks are admixed with binding material and the admixture is formed into pellets, crumbles, mashes, or licks. Upon consumption by the animal, the psyllium husks take up water from the moist environment of the animal'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract and form a gelatinous bolus that sweeps through the gastrointestinal tract of the animal, clearing the gastrointestinal tract of intestinal detritus, such as sand, toxins, and microorganisms, which agglomerate with and/or are carried away by the psyllium husk gel.

Claims

1. A method of treating or preventing a gastrointestinal problem in an animal, comprising administering to the animal a food supplement composition comprising:

psyllium husk material; and

at least one binding agent for binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the food supplement composition comprises:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 percent to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the food supplement composition further comprises between about 0.001 percent to 70 percent creatine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gastrointestinal problem is colic.

22. The food supplement composition of claim 1, wherein the flavoring includes molasses.

5. A method of treating or preventing a gastrointestinal problem in an animal, comprising administering to the animal a food supplement composition comprising psyllium husk material and at least one binding agent for binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form according to the following schedule:

(a) about 500 g on a first day of treatment;

(b) about 850 g on a second day of treatment;

(c) about 1000 g on a third day of treatment;

(d) about 2000 g on a fourth day of treatment; and

(e) about 2500 g on a fifth day of treatment.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising repeating the schedule about every ten weeks.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein the animal is a horse.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the food supplement composition comprises:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 percent to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the food supplement composition further comprises between about 0.001 percent and 70 percent creatine.

10. A method for eradicating rodents, comprising distributing in an area where rodents are present, a food supplement composition comprising:

psyllium husk material; and

at least one binding agent for binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form.

11. A solid food supplement composition for a non-human animal, comprising:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form;

creatine; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

12. The food supplement composition of claim 11, wherein the creatine is present at from about 0.001 percent to 95 percent by weight.

13. The food supplement composition of claim 11, wherein the food supplement composition is sufficiently low in nutritional value so as to avoid interference with or disruption of the diet of the non-human animal ingesting the food supplement composition.

14. The food supplement composition of claim 11, further comprising at least one grain by-product selected from the group consisting essentially of oats, barley, maize, lupins, lupin hulls, bran, canola meal, and soya meal.

15. The food supplement composition of claim 11, further comprising hay.

16. The food supplement composition of claim 15, wherein the hay is at least one of oaten, wheaten, and meadow hay.

17. The food supplement composition of claim 11, further comprising at least one pharmaceutical composition.

18. The food supplement composition of claim 11, further comprising at least one nutrient.

19. The food supplement composition of claim 18, wherein the at least one nutrient is at least one of a vitamin and a mineral.

20. The food supplement composition of claim 11, wherein the desired physical form is a pellet, a crumble, a mash, or a lick.

21. The food supplement composition of claim 11, further comprising a flavoring.

23. A substantially hermetic package containing a solid food supplement composition, the substantially hermetic package containing an atmosphere having less oxygen than ambient air, the solid food supplement composition comprising:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 percent to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent for binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form creatine; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

24. A method of increasing the amount of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in the gut of an animal, the method comprising:

feeding the animal a food composition comprising psyllium husk.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising formulating the food composition to comprise:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 percent to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

26. A method of decreasing the amount of organisms other than Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in the gut of an animal, the method comprising:

feeding the animal a food composition comprising psyllium husk.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising formulating the food composition to comprise:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 percent to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

28. A method of increasing the rate of growth during a growth period in animal, the method comprising:

feeding the animal a food composition comprising psyllium husk.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising formulating the food composition to comprise:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

30. The method according to claim 28, further comprising increasing the growth rate of the animal by about 1 percent to about 200 percent when compared to the normal growth rate.

31. A method of reducing the need for antibiotics to be given to an animal, the method comprising:

feeding the animal a food composition comprising psyllium husk.

32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising formulating the food composition to comprise:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 percent to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 to 14 percent.

33. A method of optimizing an animal feeding regime of a food composition comprising psyllium husk, the method comprising:

monitoring the bacterial content in the gut or feces of the anima; and

adjusting the amount of the food composition in the diet of the animal;

wherein the adjusting of the amount of the food composition in the diet of the animal alters the bacterial content in the gut or feces of the animal.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising formulating the food composition to comprise:

between about 30 percent to 35 percent psyllium husk material;

less than about 8 percent protein;

between about 7.5 percent to 10 percent lucerne;

at least one binding agent binding the psyllium husk material in a desired physical form; and

a moisture content of approximately 11 percent to 14 percent.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein adjusting the amount of the food composition in the diet of the animal increases the content of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in the gut or feces of the animal.

36. The method according to claim 33, wherein a wherein adjusting the amount of the food composition in the diet of the animal decreases the content of organisms other than Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in the gut or feces of the animal.