Aqueous composition for livestock animals

Abstract

Aqueous compositions and methods using the compositions for preventing or minimizing live body weight loss in livestock animals subjected to a prolonged period of feed deprivation, e.g., such as during the period before slaughter or during a period surrounding transportation from one location to another location (e.g., before, during and/or after), and/or for minimizing carcass weight loss or carcass yield loss, and/or meat quality deterioration and/or for preventing or minimizing deterioration of the well-being or health of livestock animals subjected to a prolonged period of feed deprivation, e.g., such as during the period before slaughter or during a period surrounding transportation from one location to another location (e.g., before, during and/or after).

1 . A concentrate that, when diluted in water, provides a liquid, aqueous composition comprising potassium and sodium, wherein the potassium to sodium ratio is in the range of about 65:35 to about 95:05, and wherein the composition has an osmolarity between about 100 and about 320 mosm/L. 
     
     
         2 . The concentrate according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more electrolytes selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, chloride, bicarbonate, acetate, propionate, sulphate and phosphate. 
     
     
         3 . The concentrate according to  claim 2 , further comprising one or more gluconeogenic precursor(s). 
     
     
         4 . The concentrate according to  claim 3 , wherein one or more gluconeogenic precursor(s) is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, dextrose, lactate, a glucogenic amino acid, and sugar. 
     
     
         5 . The concentrate according to  claim 4 , wherein the glucogenic amino acid is selected from the group consisting of alanine, glutamine, glycine, serine, valine, histidine, arginine, cysteine, proline, glutamate, aspartate, asparagine, methionine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, threonine, tyrosine and tryptophan. 
     
     
         6 . The concentrate according to  claim 5 , wherein the glucogenic amino acid is selected from the group consisting of alanine and glutamine. 
     
     
         7 . The concentrate according to  claim 4 , wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of sucrose and maltose. 
     
     
         8 . The concentrate according to  claim 1 , further comprising an alkalinizing agent. 
     
     
         9 . The concentrate according to  claim 8 , wherein the alkalinizing agent is selected from the group consisting of propionate, bicarbonate, citrate, carbonate, lactate and acetate anions. 
     
     
         10 . The concentrate according to  claim 1 , that is from about 5 to 30 times more concentrated than the composition.