Feed additive compositions

Abstract

The present invention provides feed compositions comprising a basal animal diet supplemented with direct fed microbial (DFM) and at least one of a formulated yeast, a capsicum product, and an antimicrobial clay. The feed compositions improve growth, general health, intestinal health, and reduce microbial pathogens in non-human animals fed the feed compositions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A feed composition for non-human animals comprising a basal animal diet supplemented with a combination of active ingredients selected from  capsicum  product and a DFM; antimicrobial clay and a DFM; formulated yeast and a DFM;  capsicum  product, formulated yeast, and a DFM, and  capsicum  product and formulated yeast. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the DFM is  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the  Bacillus licheniformis  in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 1×10 4  cfu/g to about 1×10 6  cfu/g feed. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the  capsicum  product in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.1 lb/ton to about 0.5 lb/ton feed. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the  capsicum  product is selected from the group consisting of a capsaicinoid, a vanilloid,  capsicum , macerated hot peppers, ground hot peppers, hot pepper extract, capsaicin-containing plant materials, encapsulated ground peppers, a coated capsaicin product, and combinations of any thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the  capsicum  product is encapsulated ground peppers. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the  capsicum  product comprises about 45% to about 55% ground peppers. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the  capsicum  product comprises about 0.4% to about 0.6% capsaicinoids. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the formulated yeast comprises about 80-100% yeast extract. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the formulated yeast in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.3 lb/ton of feed to about 0.7 lb/ton of feed. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the clay is mined clay. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the antimicrobial clay in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 2 to about 6 lb/ton feed. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises formulated yeast,  capsicum  product, and DFM. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the DFM is  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the formulated yeast in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.3 lb/ton to about 0.7 lb/ton feed, the  capsicum  product in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.1 lb/ton to about 0.5 lb/ton feed, and the  Bacillus licheniformis  in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 1×10 4  cfu/g to about 1×10 6  cfu/g feed. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises  capsicum  product and DFM. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein DFM is  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the  capsicum  product in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.1 lb/ton to about 0.5 lb/ton feed and the  Bacillus licheniformis  in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 1×10 4  cfu/g to about 1×10 6  cfu/g feed. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises antimicrobial clay and DFM. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 19 , wherein DFM is  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein the antimicrobial clay in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 2 lb/ton to about 6 lb/ton feed and the  Bacillus licheniformis  in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 1×10 4  cfu/g to about 1×10 6  cfu/g feed. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises formulated yeast, and DFM. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 22 , wherein DFM is  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 23 , wherein the formulated yeast in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.3 lb/ton to about 0.7 lb/ton feed, and the  Bacillus licheniformis  in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 1×10 4  cfu/g to about 1×10 6  cfu/g feed. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises formulated yeast, and  capsicum  product. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 25 , wherein the formulated yeast in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.3 lb/ton to about 0.7 lb/ton feed, and the  capsicum  product in the feed composition is at a concentration of about 0.1 lb/ton to about 0.5 lb/ton feed. 
     
     
         27 . A feed composition for non-human animals comprising a basal animal diet supplemented with  capsicum  product and  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         28 . A feed composition for non-human animals comprising a basal animal diet supplemented with antimicrobial clay and  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         29 . A feed composition for non-human animals comprising a basal animal diet supplemented with formulated yeast and  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         30 . A feed composition for non-human animals comprising a basal animal diet supplemented with  capsicum  product, formulated yeast, and  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         31 . A feed composition for non-human animals comprising a basal animal diet supplemented with  capsicum  product and formulated yeast. 
     
     
         32 . A method for improving health in non-human animals, the method comprising feeding the non-human animal a feed composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein improving the health of a non-human animal is selected from reducing incidence of diarrhea, reducing number of days of diarrhea, decreasing mortality, improving intestinal health, reducing microbial pathogens in the intestinal tract of the animal, decreasing cytokine panel measuring TNF-alpha, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the non-human animal is a chicken. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein improving the health of the chicken comprises reducing the impact of  C. perfringens  in broilers. 
     
     
         36 . A method for improving performance of non-human animals, the method comprising feeding the non-human animal a feed composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein improving performance is selected from increase in body weight gain, feed conversion rate (FCR), feed intake, average daily weight gain (ADG), an increase in average daily food intake (ADFI), an improved overall body weight, and ratio of F/G. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the non-human animal is a chicken. 
     
     
         39 . A method for improving quality of a product derived from a non-human animal, the method comprising feeding the non-human animal a feed composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein improving the quality of a product derived from a non-human animal is selected from improving breast meat yield, reducing product variability, reducing impact on consumer appeal due to poor color, poor texture, and drip loss in retail display, reducing organoleptic qualities in cooked chicken, including incidence of woody breast. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the non-human animal is a chicken.