Methods for improving gut health

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for improving gut health. In particular, the invention provides methods for improving gut health by improving the digestibility of dietary proteins, decreasing the flow of protein to the lower gastrointestinal tract, and/or decreasing the levels of Clostridium bacteria the upper intestinal tract of a subject. The methods comprise administering to the subject a supplement consisting essentially of at least one protease.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for improving feed efficiency, the method comprising modifying a standard diet to contain less protein, and supplementing the modified diet with at least one protease. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the standard diet is modified by replacing a mass of a protein supplement with an equivalent mass of a grain. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modified diet contains up to 10% less protein than the standard diet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protease is chosen from an aspartic protease, asparagine protease, cysteine protease, glutamic protease, metalloprotease, serine protease, threonine protease, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the concentration of the protease is from about 0.0001% to about 1.0% by weight of the diet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protease comprises a biomass isolated from Bacillus. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the concentration of the protease is from about 0.005% to about 0.5% by weight of the diet. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modified diet contains 7.5% or 10% less protein than the standard diet, the protease comprises a biomass isolated from Bacillus, and the concentration of the protease is about 0.05% by weight of the diet. 
     
     
         9 . A method for improving feed efficiency, the method comprising administering a reduced-protein diet to a subject in combination with a supplement comprising at least one protease. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the reduced-protein diet contains up to  10 % or less protein that a standard diet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the standard diet is modified by replacing a mass of a protein supplement with an equivalent mass of a grain. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protease is chosen from an aspartic protease, asparagine protease, cysteine protease, glutamic protease, metalloprotease, serine protease, threonine protease, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of the protease is from about 0.0001% to about 1.0% by weight of the diet. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protease comprises a biomass isolated from  Bacillus.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the concentration of the protease is from about 0.005% to about 0.5% by weight of the diet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the subject is chosen from a food animal, a companion animal, a research animal, or a zoo animal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the food animal is chosen from poultry, swine, lamb, or beef. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the poultry is chosen from chicken, duck, game hen, goose, guinea fowl, quail, or turkey. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the reduced-protein diet has 7.5% or 10% less protein than the subject's standard diet, the protease comprises a biomass isolated from Bacillus, and the concentration of the protease is about 0.05% by weight of the diet. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the subject has an increased weight gain and an increased performance index relative to a subject administered only the reduced-protein diet. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the subject is poultry.