Additives for animal food

Abstract

The present invention relates to the combination of organic acid salts with at least one active ingredient of plant origin, preferably essential oils, partially protected with vegetable fats and/or oils, which prevent these active ingredients from being digested by stomach enzymes during the digestive process. The sodium salts of short-chain acids, preferably salts of butyric, acid are preferred. The preferred essential oils are ginger, piperine, oregano, garlic, thymol, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and/or any combinations thereof. The combination of organic acid salts and the essential oils protected with vegetable fats and/or oils, are used as powerful promoters or stimulants for animal growth, as organic bactericides against pathogenic bacteria present in said animals and as modulators of immune response thereof.

1 . Additive for animal feed comprising the combination of a salt of an organic acid with at least one active ingredient of plant origin, this combination partially coated with vegetable oils and/or fats. 
     
     
         2 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1  wherein the organic acid are selected from the group consisting of butyric, propionic, formic, lactic, citric, lauric, capric, caprylic, caproic, and acetic. 
     
     
         3 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1  wherein the the salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium, calcium, cupric and potassium. 
     
     
         4 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1 , wherein the salt of the organic acid is preferably the sodium salt of butyric acid. 
     
     
         5 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1 , wherein the salt of the organic acid is preferably in a proportion of 30-70% of the wet weight. 
     
     
         6 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1  wherein the active ingredients of plant origin comprise essential oils selected from the group consisting of ginger, piperine, oregano, thymol, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, garlic, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 6  wherein the active ingredient of plant origin is a combination of essential oils of ginger and piperine. 
     
     
         8 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant active ingredients are in a concentration of between 1-20% of the wet weight. 
     
     
         9 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 7 , wherein the preferred concentration of ginger and piperine is 5% wet weight of ginger and 5% wet weight of piperine. 
     
     
         10 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1  wherein the partial coating of the combination of the salt of the organic acid and the active ingredients of plant origin with vegetable oils and/or fats is approximately between 30-60% wet weight. 
     
     
         11 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 10  wherein the vegetable oils and/or fats partially coating the combination of the salt of the organic acid and the active ingredients of plant origin are selected from: palm stearin and the calcium soap of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD). 
     
     
         12 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 1 , wherein the salt is the sodium salt of butyric acid, the active ingredient of plant origin is a combination of essential oils of ginger and piperine, and the coating of vegetable oils and/or fats is comprised of palm stearin. 
     
     
         13 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 12  wherein the concentration of sodium butyrate is 60% of the wet weight, the concentration of the combination of essential oils of ginger and piperine is 10% of the wet weight, and the palm stearin coating is 30% of the wet weight. 
     
     
         14 . The additive for animal feed according to  claim 13  wherein the concentration of ginger is 5% of the wet weight and the concentration of piperine is 5% of the wet weight. 
     
     
         15 . A method of promoting animal growth, said method comprising administering the additive for animal feed of  claim 1  to an animal in need thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the animals are chickens, rabbits, or pigs. 
     
     
         17 . A method of modulating the immune response in breeding animals, said method comprising administering the additive for animal feed of  claim 1  to an animal in need thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the modulation of the immune response comprises a change in the expression of any of the genes coding for any of the following cytokines: increasing the expression of IL-1β, IL-2 CD3γδ and/or reducing the expression of TNFSF15. 
     
     
         19 . A method of reducing the possibility of infection by pathogenic bacteria, said method comprising administering the additive for animal feed of  claim 1  to an animal in need thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the infection by pathogenic bacteria is reduced when bactericidal action is exercised on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and on protozoans.