A feed additive for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants and its application in liquid feed and solid feed

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of feed, and in particular to a feed additive for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants and its application in liquid feed and solid feed. The composition provided by the present invention comprises 5-10wt.% of flavonoids, 5-10wt.% of plant essential oils and 80-90wt.% of yeast cell wall polysaccharides. The composition of the present invention is formulated with flavonoids, plant essential oils and yeast cell wall polysaccharides, and prevents the occurrence of calf diarrhea by regulating the calf's immune system, intestinal mucosal barrier system and intestinal microbial system, improving the calf's body immunity, enhancing the intestinal mucosal barrier function and promoting the balance of intestinal flora, thereby achieving the purpose of promoting the growth and development of calves and healthy cultivation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of feed, in particular to a feed additive for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants and application of the feed additive in liquid feed and solid feed. Background Art

[0002] Healthy calf breeding is the basis of high-quality and high-yield dairy cows, and is the key to improving the quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the dairy industry. However, the diarrhea rate of newborn calves in large-scale cattle farms is as high as 20-25%, and the mortality rate is about 5-8%, which directly affects the production level of dairy cows after adulthood and restricts the healthy development of the dairy industry. Diarrhea in calves caused by intestinal mucosal damage is common in dairy farms of different sizes and is a global problem. How to promote healthy intestinal development and improve the body's immunity by regulating calf diets has become a key technology to solve the bottleneck problem of calf diarrhea. The application of various bioactive substances such as flavonoids, plant essential oils, functional polysaccharides, etc. as safe, green, efficient and pollution-free additives in ruminant diets has been widely studied.

[0003] However, when calves are dealing with the complex external environment during production, the use of flavonoids, oregano essential oil or yeast cell wall polysaccharides alone as feed additives is not ideal in preventing calf diarrhea and improving the body's immunity. For example, Chinese patent CN109770078A discloses a feed additive for preventing diarrhea in lactating calves, and its weight percentage components are: 12% natural astaxanthin, 12% sodium humate, 22% β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid, 10% glutamine, 32% xylo-oligosaccharide, and 12% Chinese herbal medicine additives (herb agrimony, honeysuckle, whitehead, hawthorn, pomegranate peel, talc, and licorice); Chinese patent CN114041533A discloses an antibiotic-free feed additive for preventing and controlling diarrhea in calves, and its weight percentage components are: 40% sodium humate, 20% attapulgite powder, 10% glutamine, 10% xylo-oligosaccharide, and 20% probiotics (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae). However, the composite feed additive has complex components and cumbersome operation, and is not effective in preventing diarrhea in calves. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a composition for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants. The composition of the present invention has the advantages of simple components and convenient operation, and can effectively prevent and treat diarrhea in young ruminants.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] The invention provides a composition for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants. The composition comprises the following components in percentage by weight: 5-10% of flavonoids, 5-10% of plant essential oils and 80-90% of yeast cell wall polysaccharide.

[0007] Preferably, the composition comprises the following components in percentage by weight: 8.4% flavonoids, 6.3% plant essential oils and 85.3% yeast cell wall polysaccharides.

[0008] Preferably, the flavonoids include rutin and / or quercetin;

[0009] The yeast cell wall polysaccharide comprises yeast β-glucan and manno-oligosaccharide; the weight ratio of the yeast β-glucan to manno-oligosaccharide is (1-3): (97-99);

[0010] The plant essential oil includes oregano essential oil.

[0011] The present invention provides a feed additive for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants. The effective ingredients of the feed additive include the composition described in the above technical solution.

[0012] The present invention provides use of the composition described in the above technical solution or the feed additive described in the above technical solution in preparing feed for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants.

[0013] The present invention provides a feed for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, the feed comprising a basic feed and the feed additive described in the above technical solution; the feed comprises a liquid feed and / or a solid feed;

[0014] When the feed is liquid feed, the volume weight ratio of the basic feed and the feed additive is 2-8L:1-5g;

[0015] When the feed is solid feed, the weight ratio of the basic feed to the feed additive is 0.5-4 kg: 2-8 g.

[0016] Preferably, the young ruminants include lactating ruminants and / or weaned ruminants.

[0017] The present invention provides a method for raising young ruminants, the method comprising the following steps:

[0018] The liquid feed and starter feed described in the above technical solution are used to feed lactating ruminants; after weaning, the solid feed described in the above technical solution is used to feed the weaned ruminants.

[0019] Preferably, the lactating ruminant includes a lactating calf or a lactating lamb;

[0020] When the lactating ruminant is a lactating calf, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the liquid feed is 2 to 3 g / d / head;

[0021] When the lactating ruminant is a lactating lamb, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the liquid feed is 1 to 2 g / d / live;

[0022] The weaned ruminant includes a weaned calf or a weaned lamb;

[0023] When the weaned ruminant is a weaned calf, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the solid feed is 3 to 5 g / d / head;

[0024] When the weaned ruminant is a weaned lamb, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the solid feed is 2-4 g / d / animal.

[0025] Preferably, the feeding frequency of the liquid feed is 2 to 4 times / d; and the feeding frequency of the solid feed is 1 to 3 times / d.

[0026] Beneficial effects: The present invention provides a composition for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, the composition comprising the following components in percentage by weight: 5-10% flavonoids, 5-10% plant essential oils and 80-90% yeast cell wall polysaccharides. The composition of the present invention is a combination of flavonoids, plant essential oils and yeast cell wall polysaccharides. Through the specific dosage of the three and the synergistic effects of the three in the intestines in various ways such as inflammatory factor inhibition, mucosal repair, directional support of probiotics, and targeted elimination of pathogens, it can regulate the immune system, intestinal mucosal barrier system, and intestinal microbial system of young ruminants, improve the immunity of young ruminants, enhance the intestinal mucosal barrier function and promote the balance of intestinal flora, etc., to prevent the occurrence of diarrhea in young ruminants, especially calves, and achieve the purpose of promoting the growth and development of young ruminants and healthy cultivation. Moreover, in the specific embodiment of the present invention, it is confirmed that feeding the composition of the present invention to calves under the condition of pathogenic Escherichia coli has a good effect in preventing diarrhea. And the composition of the present invention also has the advantages of simple components and convenient operation.

[0027] The present invention also provides a method for feeding young ruminants. Feeding young ruminants using the feeding method provided by the present invention can maximize the advantages of the composition of the present invention and further avoid the occurrence of diarrhea in young ruminants. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Unless otherwise specified, the components used in the present invention can be purchased by those skilled in the art.

[0029] The present invention provides a composition for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, the composition comprising the following components in weight percentage: 5-10% of flavonoids, 5-10% of plant essential oils and 80-90% of yeast cell wall polysaccharides. In the present invention, the young ruminants preferably include lactating ruminants and / or weaned ruminants; the lactating ruminants preferably include lactating calves or lactating lambs; the weaned ruminants are preferably weaned calves or weaned lambs.

[0030] In terms of weight percentage, the composition of the present invention includes 5-10% flavonoids, more preferably 8.4%. In the present invention, the flavonoids preferably include rutin and / or quercetin, and in terms of weight, the weight ratio of rutin and quercetin in the flavonoids is preferably any ratio of (0-100): (0-100), but the amount of rutin and quercetin cannot be 0 at the same time; in terms of weight percentage, the flavonoids include 0-100% rutin and 0-100% quercetin, that is, rutin can be any point value in 0-100%, and quercetin can be any point value in 0-100%, but the amount of rutin and quercetin cannot be 0 at the same time, and the sum of the two is 8.4% of the total amount of the composition. In the present invention, the flavonoids are further preferably rutin or quercetin, more preferably rutin. The present invention has no special limitation on the sources of the rutin and quercetin, and those skilled in the art can use conventional purchases. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the rutin is preferably purchased from Yuanye Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and the purity is preferably 95.5%; the quercetin is preferably purchased from Yuanye Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and the purity is preferably 97%.

[0031] In the present invention, rutin and quercetin can mediate immune cell signaling pathways by specifically binding to receptors on immune cell membranes, regulate the secretion process of immune cells such as macrophages, lymphocytes, and dendritic cells, and have the ability to enhance body immunity and eliminate inflammatory reactions. After young ruminants ingest rutin, they mainly generate metabolites such as quercetin through gastrointestinal transport or microbial degradation, and play antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and gastrointestinal mucosal protection functions. At the same time, rutin and its aglycones enter the body and inhibit the activation of helper T cells, reduce the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α and interferon (INF) γ genes, and then reduce the secretion of TNF-α and INF-γ, and reduce the inflammatory reaction caused by diarrhea. In addition, the rutin aglycones entering the cell activate β-catenin transport into the nucleus by regulating the β-catenin signaling pathway, induce downstream myeloproliferation proto-oncogene (c-Myc) and cyclin D1 (cyclin-D1) gene expression, and promote cell proliferation by regulating stem cell activity, repairing the damaged intestinal mucosal barrier to relieve diarrhea.

[0032] In terms of weight percentage, the composition of the present invention includes 5-10% plant essential oil, more preferably 6.3%. The present invention does not specifically limit the source of the plant essential oil, and the conventional purchase of the skilled person in the art is sufficient. In the present invention, the plant essential oil is preferably oregano essential oil, but is not limited to oregano essential oil, and other plant essential oils containing active ingredients such as terpenes and phenols can also achieve the effect of the present invention. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the oregano essential oil is preferably purchased from Dostofarm, DOSTOFARM GmbH, Germany; the volume percentage of the active ingredient in the oregano essential oil is preferably 10%, the volume percentage of propylene glycol is preferably 44%, the volume percentage of the emulsifier is preferably 28%, and the volume percentage of water is preferably 18%. The plant essential oil in the present invention is a mixture with volatility and aroma, including a variety of terpenes and phenolic compounds, which increases the permeability and fluidity of bacterial membranes, causes the outflow of intracellular metabolites and ions, and exerts a bactericidal effect; in addition, some aromatic substances in the plant essential oil help to improve the palatability of the diet of young ruminants and promote feed intake, increase energy intake, and ultimately promote the growth and development of young ruminants, especially calves. The results of the specific embodiments of the present invention show that feeding oregano essential oil to calves from birth to 15 days old significantly reduces the fecal score, diarrhea incidence, duration and severity of diarrhea during the test period of the calves; and after adding oregano essential oil to the calf starter feed, by increasing the calf's feed intake, increasing the apparent digestibility of nutrients and the concentration of immunoglobulins in the serum, the effect of improving the growth performance and body immunity of the calf is achieved.

[0033] In terms of weight percentage, the composition of the present invention includes 80-90% yeast cell wall polysaccharide, more preferably 85.3%. The yeast cell wall polysaccharide of the present invention preferably includes yeast β-glucan and manno-oligosaccharide. The present invention does not specifically limit the sources of the yeast β-glucan and manno-oligosaccharide, and the conventional purchase by a person skilled in the art can be used; in a specific embodiment of the present invention, the yeast β-glucan is preferably purchased from Nanjing Taixin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and the purity is preferably 94.8%; the manno-oligosaccharide is preferably purchased from Nanjing Taixin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and the purity is preferably 96.1%. In the present invention, the composition for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants preferably includes 0.85wt.% to 2.56wt.% yeast β-glucan and 82.74wt.% to 84.45wt.% manno-oligosaccharide, and more preferably includes 1.5wt.% yeast β-glucan and 83.8wt.% manno-oligosaccharide, that is, the mass percentage of yeast β-glucan and manno-oligosaccharide is 85.3% in total.

[0034] Based on the weight of yeast cell wall polysaccharides, the yeast cell wall polysaccharides preferably include 1wt.% to 3wt.% yeast β-glucan and 97wt.% to 99wt.% manno-oligosaccharides, and more preferably include 1.8wt.% yeast β-glucan and 98.2wt.% manno-oligosaccharides; by weight, the weight ratio of yeast β-glucan to manno-oligosaccharides in the yeast cell wall polysaccharides is (1 to 3): (97 to 99), preferably 1.8:98.2. In the present invention, yeast cell wall polysaccharides play an important role in regulating the intestinal flora of animals, wherein manno-oligosaccharides have a similar structure to intestinal epithelial cell membrane-specific sugar receptors, and inhibit pathogenic bacteria from colonizing in the intestine by blocking the binding of exogenous lectins of pathogenic bacteria flagella to intestinal epithelial cell membrane-specific sugar receptors; yeast β-glucan activates immune cells to eliminate pathogens by binding to the polysaccharide receptor complement 3 on the surface of immune cells such as monocytes, macrophages, and NK cells. At the same time, manno-oligosaccharides can selectively provide energy sources for beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and cannot be used by pathogenic bacteria. The two (yeast β-glucan and manno-oligosaccharides) synergistically regulate the balance of intestinal flora.

[0035] The present invention uses flavonoids, oregano essential oil and yeast cell wall polysaccharide to form a composite preparation, which can regulate the calf's immune system, mucosal barrier function and intestinal microbial system to relieve calf diarrhea through the synergistic effects of intestinal inflammation inhibition and mucosal repair, probiotic directional support, pathogen targeted elimination and other methods.

[0036] The present invention provides a feed additive for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, wherein the effective ingredient of the feed additive includes the composition described in the above technical solution. The feed additive of the present invention preferably also includes an auxiliary material; the auxiliary material includes rice dextrin as a carrier of the effective ingredient. In the present invention, the young ruminants preferably include lactating ruminants and / or weaned ruminants; the lactating ruminants preferably include lactating calves or lactating lambs; the weaned ruminants preferably include weaned calves or weaned lambs.

[0037] Compared with the feed additive disclosed in Chinese patent CN109770078A (the feed additive is composed of the following weight percentage components: natural astaxanthin 10-15%, sodium humate 10-15%, β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid 20-25%, glutamine 10-12%, oligoxylose 30-35%, Chinese herbal medicine additive 12-14%), the feed additive provided by the present invention has the advantages of simple components and convenient operation, and while improving the intestinal mucosal immune barrier, mechanical barrier and microbial barrier function to prevent calf diarrhea, the addition of oregano essential oil promotes calf feed intake and increases energy intake, and strengthens calf disease resistance, which is more in line with the complex growth environment problems faced by calves in production. In the specific embodiment of the present invention, it is confirmed that feeding the feed additive of the present invention can effectively prevent calf diarrhea under the condition of pathogenic Escherichia coli. Therefore, the feed additive provided by the present invention has a good effect of preventing diarrhea.

[0038] The present invention also preferably provides a method for preparing the feed additive described in the above technical solution, comprising the following steps: mixing plant essential oils and auxiliary materials at a weight ratio of 1:3 to 20, drying, and obtaining essential oil powders; mixing essential oil powders with flavonoid compounds and yeast cell wall polysaccharides to obtain feed additives. The present invention preferably mixes plant essential oils and auxiliary materials at a weight ratio of 1:3 to 20, and dries to obtain essential oil powders. It is also preferred to mix plant essential oils and auxiliary materials at a weight ratio of 1:3 to 10, more preferably 1:3 to 5, and most preferably 1:3. The present invention has no requirements for the mixing and drying methods, and methods familiar to those skilled in the art can be used. The plant essential oils and auxiliary materials described in the present invention have been discussed in detail in the above technical solution, and will not be repeated here.

[0039] After obtaining the essential oil powder, the present invention preferably mixes the essential oil powder with flavonoids and yeast cell wall polysaccharides to obtain a feed additive, and more preferably mixes the essential oil powder with flavonoids and yeast cell wall polysaccharides in sequence to obtain a feed additive. The present invention has no requirements for the mixing method, and any method known to those skilled in the art can be used. The flavonoids and yeast cell wall polysaccharides described in the present invention have been discussed in detail in the above technical solution, and will not be repeated here.

[0040] Based on the advantages of the above composition and feed additive, the present invention provides the use of the composition described in the above technical solution or the feed additive described in the above technical solution in preparing feed for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants. In the present invention, the young ruminants preferably include lactating ruminants and / or weaned ruminants; the lactating ruminants preferably include lactating calves or lactating lambs; the weaned ruminants preferably include weaned calves or weaned lambs.

[0041] The present invention provides a feed for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, the feed comprising a basic feed and the feed additive described in the above technical solution; the feed may be in liquid form or in solid form. In the present invention, the young ruminants preferably include lactating ruminants and / or weaned ruminants; the lactating ruminants preferably include lactating calves or lactating lambs; the weaned ruminants are preferably weaned calves or weaned lambs.

[0042] In the present invention, when the feed is a liquid feed, the basic feed preferably includes a milk replacer emulsion or milk; the volume-to-weight ratio of the basic feed and the feed additive is preferably 2-8L:1-5g, more preferably 3-6L:2-3g. In the present invention, when the feed is a solid feed, the basic feed preferably includes a starter feed. The present invention does not specifically limit the source of the starter feed, and the starter feed can be purchased conventionally by those skilled in the art. The weight ratio of the basic feed and the feed additive in the present invention is 0.5-4kg:2-8g, more preferably 1-2kg:3-5g. The ratio provided by the present invention is the most suitable ratio of additives in the daily diet. Therefore, at this ratio, the function of the feed additive in improving animal health can be exerted to the highest extent.

[0043] The present invention provides a method for raising young ruminants, the method comprising the following steps:

[0044] The liquid feed and starter feed of the technical solution are used to feed lactating ruminants; after weaning, the solid feed of the technical solution is used to feed the weaned ruminants.

[0045] The present invention adopts the liquid feed and starter feed described in the above technical solution to feed lactating ruminants; after weaning, the solid feed described in the above technical solution is used to feed weaned ruminants. In the present invention, the young ruminants preferably include lactating ruminants and / or weaned ruminants; the lactating ruminants preferably include lactating calves or lactating lambs; the weaned ruminants preferably include weaned calves or weaned lambs. The present invention has already described the liquid feed and solid feed in detail in the above technical solution, which will not be repeated here.

[0046] When the lactating ruminant is a lactating calf, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the liquid feed of the present invention is preferably 2-3 g / d / head, more preferably 2 g / d / head.

[0047] When the lactating ruminant is a lactating lamb, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the liquid feed is preferably 1-2 g / d / live, more preferably 1.5 g / d / live.

[0048] When the weaned ruminant is a weaned calf, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the solid feed is preferably 3-5 g / d / head, more preferably 3 g / d / head.

[0049] When the weaned ruminant is a weaned lamb, the feeding amount of the feed additive in the solid feed is preferably 2-4 g / d / animal, more preferably 3 g / d / animal.

[0050] In the present invention, the feeding frequency of the liquid feed is preferably 2 to 4 times / d, more preferably 2 times / d, and more preferably fed at 8 am and 3 pm; the feeding frequency of the solid feed is preferably 1 to 3 times / d, further preferably 1 time / d, and more preferably fed at 8 am.

[0051] In order to further illustrate the present invention, the technical solutions provided by the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with embodiments, but they should not be construed as limiting the protection scope of the present invention.

[0052] Raw materials preparation:

[0053] Rutin and quercetin were purchased from Yuanye Biotechnology Co., Ltd. with purities of 95.5% and 97.0%, respectively.

[0054] Oregano essential oil was purchased from Dostofarm (DOSTOFARM GmbH, Germany) Co., Ltd. The volume percentage of oregano essential oil is 10%, and the other ingredients are: propylene glycol, emulsifier and water, the volume percentage of propylene glycol is 44%, the volume percentage of the emulsifier is 28%, and the volume percentage of water is 18%.

[0055] Manno-oligosaccharide and yeast β-glucan were purchased from Nanjing Taixin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. with purities of 94.8% and 96.1%, respectively.

[0056] The following examples and comparative examples all use raw materials purchased from the above manufacturers.

[0057] Example 1

[0058] A feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea consists of the following components, measured by mass percentage: 10% rutin, 5% oregano essential oil, 83% manno-oligosaccharide and 2% yeast beta-glucan.

[0059] The preparation method of the feed additive comprises the following steps: mixing a formula amount of oregano essential oil and a carrier rice dextrin in a weight ratio of 1:3, stirring evenly, drying to powder, and then sequentially adding a formula amount of rutin, mannooligosaccharide and yeast beta-glucan and mixing evenly to obtain the feed additive.

[0060] Example 2

[0061] A feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea consists of the following components in terms of mass percentage: 8.4% of rutin, 6.3% of oregano essential oil, 1.5% of yeast beta-glucan and 83.8% of manno-oligosaccharide.

[0062] The preparation method of the feed additive is the same as that in Example 1.

[0063] Comparative Example 1

[0064] A feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea consists of the following components, measured by mass percentage: 100% rutin, and 0% oregano essential oil, manno-oligosaccharide and yeast beta-glucan.

[0065] Comparative Example 2

[0066] A feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea consists of the following components, measured by mass percentage: 100% quercetin, and 0% oregano essential oil, manno-oligosaccharide and yeast beta-glucan.

[0067] Comparative Example 3

[0068] A feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea consists of the following components in percentage by mass: 50% of rutin and 50% of quercetin.

[0069] The preparation method of the feed additive comprises the following steps: mixing a formula amount of rutin and quercetin and stirring the mixture evenly to obtain the feed additive.

[0070] Comparative Example 4

[0071] A feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea consists of the following components, measured by mass percentage: 0% rutin, 100% oregano essential oil, and 0% manno-oligosaccharide and 0% yeast beta-glucan.

[0072] The preparation method of the feed additive comprises the following steps: mixing a formula amount of oregano essential oil and a carrier rice dextrin in a weight ratio of 1:3, stirring evenly, and then drying to powder to obtain the additive.

[0073] Comparative Example 5

[0074] A feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea consists of the following components, measured by mass percentage: 57% of rutin, 43% of oregano essential oil, and 0% of manno-oligosaccharide and yeast beta-glucan.

[0075] The preparation method of the feed additive comprises the following steps: mixing a formula amount of oregano essential oil and a carrier rice dextrin in a weight ratio of 1:3, stirring evenly, drying to powder, and then adding a formula amount of rutin and mixing evenly to obtain the feed additive.

[0076] Application Example 1

[0077] In order to verify the effect of the feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea, comparative example 1 and example 2 were selected as additives for animal test verification:

[0078] 1 Experimental design and basic diet

[0079] The experiment adopted a single-factor random design, with a total of 4 groups. The control group and the negative control group were fed a basic diet; the additive group I added 2g / d of the additive in comparative example 1 to each calf in the basic diet; the additive group II added 2g / d of the additive in Example 2 to each calf in the basic diet. The basic diet is a milk replacer or a starter feed, and both the milk replacer and the starter feed do not contain antibiotics and microbial preparations. The milk replacer powder (calf milk replacer) for preparing the milk replacer is provided by the Beijing Precision Animal Nutrition Research Center, and the milk replacer is prepared according to the instructions of the calf milk replacer; the starter feed is provided by Beijing Sanyuan Hefeng Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd.; the basic diet for feeding lactating calves (before weaning) uses milk replacer emulsion and starter feed, and the feed additives are added to the milk replacer for use, and the additives for feeding calves after weaning are added to the starter feed for use.

[0080] 2 Experimental animals

[0081] 64 Chinese Holstein male calves were selected according to the following criteria: natural delivery, parity of 1 to 3, birth weight of 40 kg, and feeding of sufficient colostrum and fresh milk at 7 to 10 days of age. Parity and body weight were used as covariates and randomly divided into 4 treatment groups, with 16 calves in each group. The 4 treatment groups were recorded as control group, negative control group, additive group I, and additive group II.

[0082] The calves were in the adaptation period from 10 to 14 days old. The daily feeding amount of milk replacer was 12% of their body weight. The amount of milk replacer was adjusted every two weeks. The calves were fed twice a day in equal amounts at 08:00 and 15:00. The calves were in the weaning transition period from 56 to 63 days old. The gradual weaning method was used until they were completely weaned at 63 days old. The experiment ended when the calves were 70 days old. The calves were raised in groups, and each calf occupied an area of ​​about 4.5m 2 ; The specific feeding method is as follows:

[0083] Control group: During the experiment, the starter feed was allowed to be consumed freely, and clean and sufficient water was provided. Before weaning, the milk replacer was fed twice a day (08:00 and 15:00) in equal amounts, and the whole feed was ensured to be consumed as much as possible; after weaning, the starter feed was fed, and the starter feed was ensured to be consumed freely.

[0084] Negative control group: The procedure was the same as that of the control group, except that the negative control group was also challenged with the virus. The specific steps were as follows: 10 mL of Escherichia coli broth (5 g of sodium chloride, 10 g of yeast culture, 10 g of tryptone, dissolved in 1 L of distilled water, autoclaved at 121 °C for 20 min) was mixed into the calf milk replacer emulsion during the morning feeding (8:00) of the 28-day-old calves. The negative control group was challenged with Escherichia coli orally. The challenge dose was 3 × 10 10 CFU / head.

[0085] Additive Group I: During the test period, the calves were allowed to eat freely and clean and sufficient water was provided. Before weaning, the calves were fed with liquid feed in Additive Group I twice a day at 08:00 and 15:00 in equal amounts, i.e., the milk replacer with the feed additive prepared in Comparative Example 1 was added, and all feed was ensured to be fully consumed; during the morning feeding of calves at 28 days of age, the Escherichia coli broth culture medium was mixed into the calf milk replacer emulsion to orally challenge the Additive Group I with Escherichia coli, and the challenge dose was 3×10 10 CFU / head; after weaning, feed the solid feed in Additive I group every morning (8:00), that is, the starter feed with the feed additive prepared in Comparative Example 1, and try to ensure that all the feed additives are consumed, and the starter feed can be consumed freely.

[0086] Additive Group II: The steps are the same as those of Additive Group I, except that the feed additive prepared in Example 2 is used to replace the feed additive prepared in Comparative Example 1.

[0087] The Escherichia coli in this application example was provided by the China Veterinary Drug Administration (strain number: CVCC 222, serotype: O141:K99).

[0088] 3. Determination indicators and methods

[0089] 3.1 Growth performance

[0090] During the test period, the calves were weighed before morning feeding at 28, 42, 56 and 70 days of age, and their height, body length and chest circumference were measured, and the average daily weight gain and body size index were calculated. During the experiment, the feed intake intelligent recording system was used to record the daily starter feed intake of each calf. Milk replacer and starter feed samples were collected every other week, mixed evenly and stored at -20℃, and the dry matter content of milk replacer and starter feed was measured respectively.

[0091] 3.2 Health status

[0092] The health status of the calves was observed every day, and the feces were scored according to the feces scoring system, that is, 1 point for dry feces and 4 points for loose feces; when the feces score was >2, it was diarrhea, and the calf was given electrolyte by gavage; the rectal temperature of calves with diarrhea, flatulence, coughing, rapid breathing rate, depression and loss of appetite was measured, and rectal temperature >39.5℃ was considered fever; fever calves with rapid breathing and increased nasal secretions were considered pneumonia; diarrhea and pneumonia calves were treated with antibiotics in accordance with veterinary recommendations, and the treatment method for diarrhea was: when the feces score of diarrhea calves was >2, 1-1.5L of electrolyte was gavage on the first day of diarrhea, antibiotics were injected for diarrhea for 2 consecutive days, and antibiotics were infused for diarrhea for more than 3 days and accompanied by dehydration symptoms; the treatment method for pneumonia was: during the non-feeding period of pneumonia calves, continuous coughing occurred, and antibiotic injection was given. The frequency of diarrhea, fever and pneumonia and the frequency of antibiotic use were recorded.

[0093] 4 Statistical analysis

[0094] The data of feed intake, body weight and body size were analyzed by ANOVA model in SAS 9.2 statistical software, and the health index data were analyzed by chi-square test. When the difference was significant (P<0.05), LSD method was used for multiple comparisons.

[0095] 5 Results

[0096] 5.1 The results of calf feed intake, body weight and daily weight gain are shown in Table 1.

[0097] Table 1 Feed intake, body weight and daily weight gain results of calves

[0098]

[0099] As shown in Table 1, compared with the control group and the negative control group, the addition of feed additives to the basic diet, Additive Group I and Additive Group II, did not affect the total dry matter intake and body weight of calves from 14 to 42 days of age (P>0.05), but compared with the negative control group challenged with E. coli, Additive Group II significantly increased the body weight of calves at 56 days of age (28 days after challenge) (8.75%; P=0.047). At the same time, Additive Group I and Additive Group II showed a trend of increasing the body weight of calves at 70 days of age compared with the negative control group (P=0.065), and there was no significant difference with the control group. Similarly, compared with the negative control group, the average daily weight gain of calves from 56 to 70 days of age in Additive Group I and Additive Group II increased by 14.46% and 13.55% (P=0.031), respectively, and there was no significant difference with the control group.

[0100] 3.2 The results of the effects on the health status of calves are shown in Table 2.

[0101] Table 2 Effects of feed additives on calf health

[0102]

[0103]

[0104]

[0105] As shown in Table 2, the addition of feed additives to the basic diet in Additive Group I and Additive Group II did not cause significant differences in the mortality rate of calves during the entire experimental period (14 to 70 days of age) (P>0.05), but compared with the negative control group challenged with Escherichia coli, Additive Group II significantly reduced the mortality rate of calves aged 28 to 42 days (P=0.043).

[0106] The addition of feed additives to the basal diet affected the health status and frequency of antibiotic use of pre-weaned calves (P<0.05). The frequency of diarrhea in calves in the additive II group at 28-42 days of age was significantly lower than that in the negative control group (P=0.038); the frequency of fever in the additive I group and the additive II group at 56-70 days of age was significantly lower than that in the control group and the negative control group (P=0.027). The frequency of fever in the additive II group at 14-28 days of age (P=0.003) and 28-42 days of age (P<0.001) was significantly lower than that in the other groups. The frequency of pneumonia in the additive I group at 28-42 days of age was significantly lower than that in the control group (P=0.007). The additive I group and the additive II group ultimately affected the frequency of antibiotic use by reducing the frequency of diarrhea, fever and pneumonia in calves. For example, the additive I group at 14-28 days of age was significantly lower than the control group (P=0.001); the additive II group at 56-70 days of age was significantly lower than the control group (P=0.046).

[0107] Comprehensive analysis showed that compared with the negative control group of the challenge, both additive group I and additive group II showed significant effects in reducing the mortality rate, diarrhea rate and fever frequency of calves aged 28 to 42 days, among which additive group II was better than additive group I. Therefore, it is further proved that the combined use of flavonoids, oregano essential oil and yeast cell wall polysaccharides can prevent calf diarrhea by exerting their effects of inhibiting intestinal inflammation and repairing mucosa, targeted elimination of pathogens and directional support of probiotics, respectively, from improving the intestinal mucosal immune barrier, mechanical barrier and microbial barrier function.

[0108] 3.3 The results of the effects on calf body size are shown in Table 3.

[0109] Table 3 Effects of feed additives on calf body size

[0110]

[0111]

[0112] As can be seen from Table 3, additive group I and additive group II did not affect the height, oblique length and chest circumference of calves aged 14 to 56 days during the test period (P>0.05). Compared with the negative control group challenged with E. coli, additive group I and additive group II significantly increased the chest circumference of 70-day-old calves (P=0.027), but there was no significant difference with the control group.

[0113] In summary, the feed additive for preventing calf diarrhea of ​​the present invention, after being added to milk replacer and starter feed, reduces the calf diarrhea rate and mortality rate from birth to 42 days of age by improving the calf's resistance to pathogenic Escherichia coli. At the same time, adding the feed additive of the present invention to the diet helps to reduce the frequency of fever and pneumonia in calves, and reduce the use of antibiotics in complex environments in production. Among them, the composite preparation (additive group II) is more effective in reducing calf mortality, diarrhea rate and fever frequency. In addition, the feed additive of the present invention also helps late growth and development by improving body structure.

[0114] Although the present invention has been disclosed as above in the preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone familiar with this technology can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the definition of the claims.

Claims

1. A composition for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, It is characterized in that The composition consists of the following components in percentage by weight: 8.4% of rutin, 6.3% of oregano essential oil, 1.5% of yeast beta glucan and 83.8% of manno-oligosaccharide.

2. A feed additive for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, It is characterized in that The effective ingredients of the feed additive include the composition according to claim 1.

3. Use of the composition according to claim 1 or the feed additive according to claim 2 in preparing feed for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants.

4. A feed for preventing diarrhea in young ruminants, It is characterized in that The feed comprises a basic feed and the feed additive according to claim 2; The feed may be in the form of liquid feed and / or solid feed; When the feed is liquid feed, the volume-to-weight ratio of the basic feed to the feed additive is 2-8 L: 1-5 g; When the feed is solid feed, the weight ratio of the basic feed to the feed additive is 0.5-4 kg: 2-8 g.

5. The composition according to claim 1, the feed additive according to claim 3, or the feed according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The young ruminants include lactating ruminants and / or weaned ruminants.

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