Homofermented products

Abstract

The present invention pertains to the field of liquid feed, and relates to fermented feed products, methods for their preparation, as well as uses thereof. Furthermore, the invention further relates to animal liquid feed and methods of preparing liquid feed using lactic acid bacteria. In particular, a method of preparing a fermented mixed feed is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a liquid fermented product; (b) providing a feed product to be fermented; (c) combining the products from step (a) and (b), and fermenting the feed product of step (b) using the liquid fermented product of step (a) as inoculum.

1 . A method of preparing a fermented mixed feed, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
 (a) providing a liquid fermented product by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria;   (b) providing a feed product to be fermented;   (c) combining the products from steps (a) and (b), and fermenting the feed product of step (b) using the liquid fermented product of step (a) as inoculum;   wherein the inoculum comprises a high number of active lactic acid bacteria providing a rapid production of lactic acid and reduction of pH in step (c).   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fermentation in step (a) is essentially a homofermentative fermentation. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein wherein the fermentation in step (c) is essentially a homofermentative fermentation. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method of preparing a liquid fermented feed is suitable for an environment of high microbial pressure. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a fermented mixed feed is provided with a pH of 4.2 or lower. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein and said fermented mixed feed has a lactic acid concentration in the range of 50-300 mM. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said fermented mixed feed is prepared within a time period of up to 24 hours. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fermentation step (c) is conducted at a temperature between 10-50° C. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein mixing means are provided during the fermentation step (c), said mixing means operating at between 1-500 rpm. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the combined product provided in step (c), the proportion of liquid fermented product is in the range of 0.1 to 99.9 vol-%. 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH of the liquid fermented product provided in step (a) is less than 4.2. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the lactic acid-producing bacteria comprise lactic acid bacteria selected from the group consisting of one or more of  Enterococcus  spp.,  Lactobacillus  spp.,  Lactococcus  spp., and  Pediococcus  spp. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fermented product provided in (a) has been obtained by fermentation with an inoculum comprising lactic acid bacteria selected from the group consisting of one or more of  Enterococcus  spp.,  Lactobacillus  spp.,  Lactococcus  spp., and  Pediococcus  spp. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the lactic acid bacteria are selected from the group consisting of one or more of  Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus acidililactili , and  Pediococcus pentosaceus.    
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fermented product provided in (a) is obtained by fermenting one or more industrial products. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the industrial product is a by-product or a waste product. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the by-product or the waste product is one or more of whey, curd, spent grain, yeast, fungus, bacteria, plants or parts thereof, potato or parts thereof. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fermented product provided in step (a) is provided by fermenting a product comprising one or more of whey, curd, spent grain, yeast, fungus, bacteria, mature or immature corn, potato or parts thereof, or vegetables. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the feed product provided in step (b) comprises one or more of ripe or unripe plants or parts thereof. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the feed product provided in step (b) comprises one or more of barley, wheat, rye, oat, maize, rice, beans, peas, sorghum, triticale and soy. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fermented mixed feed is silage. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein said silage is prepared within up to 1 day. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the proportion of liquid fermented product provided in step (c) is in the range of 1-2 vol-%. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the feed product to be fermented is CCM maize. 
   
   
       25 . A silage prepared by a method according to  claim 21 . 
   
   
       26 . A fermented mixed feed prepared by a method according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       27 . A fermented mixed feed according to  claim 26 , wherein the feed provided in step (b) comprises one or more of ripe or unripe plants or parts thereof. 
   
   
       28 . A fermented mixed feed according to  claim 27 , wherein the feed provided in step (b) comprises one or more of barley, wheat, rye, oat, maize, rice, beans, peas, sorghum, triticale and soy. 
   
   
       29 . A fermented mixed feed according to  claim 26 , wherein the feed provided in step (b) comprises a mixture of:
 barley and wheat;   soy, barley, and wheat;   maize and soy; or   barley and peas.   
   
   
       30 . A method for feeding an animal which comprises administering to the animal a fermented mixed feed prepared by:
 (a) providing a liquid fermented product by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria;   (b) providing a feed product to be fermented:   (c) combining the products from steps (a) and (b), and fermenting the feed product of step (b) using the liquid fermented product of step (a) as inoculum;   
   
   
       31 . A method of feeding an animal according to  claim 30 , wherein the animal is a monogastric animal. 
   
   
       32 . A method of promoting growth in an animal which comprises administering to the animal a feed prepared according to  claim 1  as a growth promotor. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the animal is a pig. 
   
   
       34 . A method of feeding a pig which comprises administering to the pig a silage prepared according to  claim 25 . 
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein a fermented mixed feed has a pH of less than 4.2 
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein a fermented mixed feed has a pH between 4.2 and 3.5. 
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein a fermented mixed feed has a pH of about 3.5. 
   
   
       38 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein mixing means are provided during the fermentation step (c), said mixing means operating at 1-500 rpm, 10-300 rpm, or 35 1 100 rpm said fermented mixed feed has a lactic acid concentration in the range of 50-250 rpm. 
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein mixing means are provided during the fermentation step (c), said mixing means operating at 1-500 rpm and said fermented mixed feed has a lactic acid concentration in the range of 100-150 nM. 
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein mixing means are provided during the fermentation step (c), said mixing means operating at 1-500 rpm and said fermented mixed feed has a lactic acid concentration in the range of 250-300 nM. 
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 7  said fermented mixed feed is prepared within a time period of up to 4-24 hours. 
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 7  said fermented mixed feed is prepared within a time period of up to 12-24 hours. 
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 7  said fermented mixed feed is prepared within a time period of less than 4 hours. 
   
   
       44 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the fermentation step (c) is conducted at a temperature between 15-40° C. 
   
   
       45 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the fermentation step (c) is conducted at a temperature between 18-30° C. 
   
   
       46 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the fermentation step (c) is conducted at a temperature between 22-24° C. 
   
   
       47 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein mixing means are provided during the fermentation step (c), said mixing means operating at between 10-300 rpm. 
   
   
       48 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein mixing means are provided during the fermentation step (c), said mixing means operating at between 35-100 rpm. 
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein in the combined product provided in step (c), the proportion of liquid fermented product is in the range of 1 to 99 vol-%. 
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein in the combined product provided in step (c), the proportion of liquid fermented product is in the range of 5-70 vol-%. 
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein in the combined product provided in step (c), the proportion of liquid fermented product is in the range of 10-50 vol-%. 
   
   
       52 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the pH of the liquid fermented product provided in step (a) is about 3.8. 
   
   
       53 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the pH of the liquid fermented product provided in step (a) is between 3.5 and 4.2. 
   
   
       54 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein said silage is prepared within up to 1 week. 
   
   
       55 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein said silage is prepared within up to 1 month. 
   
   
       56 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein said silage is prepared within up to 6 months. 
   
   
       57 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein said silage is prepared within up to 1 year.