Application of biochanin A in rumination
Through specific extraction and formulation technologies, the problem of chickpea sprout extract A being easily degraded in the rumen of ruminants has been solved, resulting in the preparation of a stable feed additive that significantly improves the production performance and milk quality of ruminants.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ANHUI WANHEJIAER BIOTECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-05
AI Technical Summary
In the existing technology, chickpea sprout extract A is easily degraded in the rumen of ruminants, has low bioavailability, low utilization rate of active ingredients, and unclear dose-effect. The lack of compounding technology leads to unstable application effects.
Using specific extraction and formulation techniques, including ultrasound-assisted extraction, column chromatography purification, recrystallization, and microencapsulation, combined with carriers such as corn flour and soybean meal, stable feed additives are prepared, and the dosage is adjusted according to the physiological stage of ruminants.
It improves the production performance of ruminants, including increasing daily weight gain, improving feed conversion rate, increasing milk yield, and improving milk quality. Specifically, it increases milk yield by 5%-12% and milk protein content by 0.1-0.3 percentage points.
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of ruminant nutrition technology, and more specifically, to the application of chickpea sprout extract A in ruminants. Background Technology
[0002] Ruminants (such as dairy cows, beef cattle, and sheep) are an important part of animal husbandry, and their production performance directly affects the economic benefits of farming and the supply of livestock products. With the development of modern intensive farming, ruminants face numerous production challenges: on the one hand, high-density feeding leads to increased animal stress and decreased production performance; on the other hand, consumers' demands for the quality and safety of livestock products are constantly increasing, and the use of traditional antibiotics and hormone additives is strictly limited. Against this backdrop, developing safe, efficient, and green feed additives has become an important direction in ruminant nutrition research.
[0003] Plant extracts, due to their natural, safe, and residue-free characteristics, have shown broad application prospects in the nutritional regulation of ruminants. Among them, phytoestrogens (such as soy isoflavones and gentianin) have attracted widespread attention because they possess estrogen-like activity, can regulate animal endocrine metabolism, and improve production performance. Studies have shown that appropriate addition of phytoestrogens can increase feed intake in ruminants, promote nutrient digestion and absorption, improve the rumen fermentation environment, and thus increase daily weight gain, milk yield, and milk quality.
[0004] Biochanin A is a naturally occurring isoflavone compound, primarily derived from legumes such as chickpeas and red clover. In human nutrition and medicine, biochanin A has been extensively studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities. However, research on biochanin A in ruminant nutrition is relatively limited. Existing studies mainly focus on the following aspects: 1) Metabolic characteristics: Biochanin A can be metabolized by microorganisms in the rumen of ruminants into other isoflavone derivatives, such as genistein and daidzein. Different metabolites have different biological activities, but the specific metabolic pathways and the effects of these products on animal physiology are not fully understood. 2) Physiological function exploration: A few in vitro studies have shown that biochanin A may affect ruminant nutritional metabolism by regulating the rumen microbiota, improving fiber degradation, and reducing methane emissions. However, in vivo experimental data are scarce, especially regarding its effects on key indicators such as production performance and milk quality.
[0005] Although plant extracts have potential applications in ruminant nutrition, current technologies suffer from the following shortcomings: 1) Insufficient research depth: There are few systematic studies on chickpea sprout extract A in ruminants, lacking a complete technical system from extraction and purification to formulation technology and application effects. 2) Unstable application effects: Due to the easy degradation of chickpea sprout extract A in the rumen, direct addition is ineffective, and current technologies lack effective protective measures. 3) Unclear dose-effect: The appropriate addition amount for different physiological stages and production goals lacks scientific basis, leading to large differences in actual application effects. 4) Lack of compounding technology: There is insufficient research on the synergistic effects of chickpea sprout extract A with other active ingredients (such as soy isoflavones), failing to fully realize its nutritional regulatory potential.
[0006] Currently available chickpea sprout extract A is easily degraded in the rumen, has low bioavailability, and low utilization rate of active ingredients; therefore, we propose the application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination. Summary of the Invention
[0007] This invention proposes the application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination, which solves the problems mentioned in the background art, such as the easy degradation of existing chickpea sprout extract A in the rumen, low bioavailability, and low utilization rate of active ingredients.
[0008] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:
[0009] Regarding the application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination, the present invention contains chickpea sprout extract A as an active ingredient, wherein the content of chickpea sprout extract A is 0.01-0.5 parts by weight, and the feed additive further contains a pharmaceutically or feed-acceptable carrier, wherein the chickpea sprout extract A is a natural extract extracted from chickpea sprouts.
[0010] The extraction method of the natural extract includes: drying and pulverizing chickpea sprouts, then extracting them with 60%-80% ethanol solution at 50℃-70℃ using ultrasonic assistance. The extract is then concentrated and purified by column chromatography to obtain chickpea sprout extract A, wherein the content of chickpea sprout extract A is not less than 80%.
[0011] As a further technical solution of the present invention, chickpea sprout extract A is purified by recrystallization.
[0012] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the carrier is selected from one or more of corn flour, soybean meal, stone powder, and premix.
[0013] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the feed additive also contains soy isoflavones, wherein the weight ratio of chickpea sprout A to soy isoflavones is 1:0.5-1:2.
[0014] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the feed additive is a microcapsule-coated formulation, the coating material is a gelatin-gum arabic composite wall material, and the coating rate is 85%-95%.
[0015] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the ruminant is a lactating dairy cow, and the amount of feed additive added to the diet is 0.02%-0.08%.
[0016] As a further technical solution of the present invention, in the preparation of a feed additive for improving the production performance of ruminants, chickpea sprout extract A comprises either of the following two formulations:
[0017] Formula 1: Chickpea sprout extract A 0.05 parts by weight, corn flour carrier 95 parts by weight, premix 4.95 parts by weight;
[0018] Formula 2: Chickpea sprout extract A 0.1 parts by weight, soy isoflavones 0.1 parts by weight, soybean meal carrier 99.8 parts by weight.
[0019] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the improvement of production performance includes at least one of increasing daily weight gain, improving feed conversion rate, increasing milk yield, and improving milk quality.
[0020] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the application can increase the milk yield of lactating dairy cows by 5%-12% and the milk protein content by 0.1-0.3 percentage points.
[0021] As a further technical solution of the present invention, ruminants are fed an effective amount of chickpea sprout A, wherein the amount of chickpea sprout A fed is adjusted according to at least one of the following factors: the physiological stage, weight, and production performance of the ruminants.
[0022] The working principle and beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:
[0023] This invention is the first to systematically apply chickpea sprout extract A to the field of ruminant nutrition. Through specific extraction and formulation techniques, it effectively solves the problems of easy degradation and low bioavailability of chickpea sprout extract A in the rumen, ensuring that its active ingredients can stably reach the site of action. Detailed Implementation
[0024] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0025] It should be noted that in the following embodiments and comparative examples, any aspects not mentioned, such as feeding climate and temperature, must be consistent with the environment and climate suitable for raising the ruminants, as well as the feeding-related equipment used, to ensure the rigor of the experiment. Furthermore, in the following examples, all feed ingredients involved in this invention were purchased from the same batch and the same manufacturer.
[0026] Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the claims.
[0027] Example 1: Extraction and preparation of chickpea sprout extract A as a feed additive; comprising the following two steps:
[0028] Extraction of chickpea sprout extract A: Dried chickpea sprouts were crushed and passed through a 40-mesh sieve. 1 kg of powder was weighed and added to 10 L of 70% ethanol solution. Ultrasonic extraction was performed at 60℃ (300 W, 60 minutes). After extraction, the mixture was filtered, and the filtrate was collected and concentrated under reduced pressure at 50℃ until no alcohol odor remained. The concentrate was loaded onto a macroporous adsorption resin column (AB-8 type). Impurities were removed by rinsing with 3 column volumes of pure water, followed by elution with 5 column volumes of 70% ethanol. The eluent was collected. The eluent was concentrated under reduced pressure and dried to obtain the crude extract. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed a chickpea sprout extract A content of 82%. For further purification, the crude extract was dissolved in 80% ethanol by heating, filtered while hot, and the filtrate was recrystallized at 4℃ for 12 hours. After filtration and drying, a white powder of pure chickpea sprout extract A with a content ≥95% was obtained.
[0029] Preparation of feed additive (Formula 1): Weigh 0.05 kg of the chickpea sprout extract A prepared above (purity ≥95%), 95 kg of corn flour, and 4.95 kg of commercially available dairy cow compound premix (containing vitamins, minerals, etc.). Add all components to a three-dimensional mixer and mix for 30 minutes until uniformly mixed to obtain the feed additive.
[0030] Example 2: Preparation of microencapsulated feed additive containing soy isoflavones; comprising the following two steps:
[0031] Core material preparation: Weigh 0.1 kg of chickpea sprout extract A prepared in Example 1 and 0.1 kg of soy isoflavones (purity ≥90%), and preliminarily mix them with 99.8 kg of soybean meal carrier to obtain a core material mixture with uniformly distributed active ingredients.
[0032] Microcapsule coating: 1) Preparation of wall material solution: Weigh 3 kg of gelatin and 3 kg of gum arabic, dissolve them separately in an appropriate amount of 50℃ warm water to prepare a 10% solution, and then mix the two solutions evenly.
[0033] 2) Emulsification: The core material mixture is slowly added to the wall material solution and emulsified for 10 minutes in a high-speed shear emulsifier (10,000 rpm) to form a uniform O / W type emulsion.
[0034] 3) Coagulation and Curing: Adjust the pH of the emulsion to 4.0-4.2 with dilute acetic acid to initiate the coagulation of the gelatin-gum arabic composite. Cool the system to below 10°C with slow stirring, then add an appropriate amount of glutaraldehyde for cross-linking and curing for 2 hours.
[0035] 4) Drying: The solidified microcapsule suspension was spray-dried (inlet air temperature 180℃, outlet air temperature 80℃) to obtain microcapsule-coated feed additive powder. The coating rate was determined to be 92%.
[0036] Comparative Example 1 used the same core material composition as Example 2 (0.1 kg chickpea sprout extract A, 0.1 kg soy isoflavones, 99.8 kg soybean meal), but without microencapsulation treatment; only physical mixing was performed. This comparative example was used to verify the protective effect of microencapsulation on stability and efficacy.
[0037] Comparative Example 2 used a commercially available dairy cow feed additive with soy isoflavones as the main ingredient, applied at the recommended dosage. This comparative example was used to compare its effectiveness with existing technology products.
[0038] Comparative Example 3: No phytoestrogens were added; only the basal diet was used. This comparative example served as a blank control.
[0039] Experimental Example: Feeding Trial for Lactating Dairy Cows
[0040] Experimental animals and grouping: Sixty healthy Holstein mid-lactation dairy cows with similar weight, parity, age at lactation, and milk yield were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups of 15 cows each.
[0041] Experimental group: fed a basal diet plus the microcapsule-coated feed additive prepared in Example 2, with an addition amount of 0.05% of the diet (i.e., 500g per ton of diet).
[0042] Comparison Group 1: Feeded with a basal diet plus the uncoated feed additive prepared in Comparison Group 1, with the same addition amount of 0.05%.
[0043] Comparison Group 2: Feeding basal diet + commercially available additive from Comparison Group 2, added at the recommended dosage.
[0044] Comparison of 3 groups (blank control group): fed only the basal diet.
[0045] Experimental diets and feeding management:
[0046] The basal diet composition and nutrient levels were consistent, formulated according to the NRC (2001) nutritional requirements for dairy cows. The pre-trial period was 7 days, and the formal trial period was 60 days. All dairy cows were housed in the same barn, with free access to feed and water, milked 3 times a day, and other management practices were consistent.
[0047] Measurement indicators and methods:
[0048] Milk production: Record the milk production of each cow daily and calculate the average daily production during the trial period.
[0049] Milk composition: Milk samples were collected on days 0, 30, and 60 of the experiment, and the milk protein and milk fat content were determined using a milk composition analyzer.
[0050] Experimental results: The results are shown in the table below (data are mean ± standard deviation);
[0051]
[0052] Note: Different letters in the superscript of the same data indicate significant differences (P < 0.05).
[0053] In summary, compared with before the experiment, the milk yield, milk protein and milk fat content of the experimental group were significantly improved (P<0.05). Among them, the milk yield increased by about 7.3% compared with the day before the experiment, and the milk protein increased by 0.23 percentage points, which fully achieved the expected effect of "increasing milk yield by 5%-12% and increasing milk protein content by 0.1-0.3 percentage points" of this invention.
[0054] All indicators of the experimental group were significantly better than those of control groups 1, 2, and 3 (P<0.05). This indicates that the microcapsule-coated additive of the present invention (Example 2) is significantly more effective than the uncoated product (Comparative Example 1) and the commercially available product (Comparative Example 2).
[0055] Furthermore, the effect of group 1 was better than that of group 3 but worse than that of the experimental group, proving that the combination of chickpea sprout A and soy isoflavones is effective. However, without coating treatment, the activity may be partially lost in the rumen, thus reducing the effect. This highlights the importance of microcapsule coating.
[0056] The improvement in Group 2 was not significant compared to Group 3, indicating that the existing technology products have limited effectiveness.
[0057] The slight decrease in production performance at the end of the experiment among the three groups is consistent with the normal physiological pattern of dairy cows in the middle of lactation, which highlights the positive effect of the additives in the experimental group.
[0058] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. Regarding the application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination, its characteristic is that, The feed additive contains chickpea sprout extract A as an active ingredient, wherein the content of chickpea sprout extract A is 0.01-0.5 parts by weight, and the feed additive also contains a pharmaceutically or feed-acceptable carrier, wherein the chickpea sprout extract A is a natural extract extracted from chickpea sprouts. The extraction method of the natural extract includes: drying and pulverizing chickpea sprouts, then extracting them with 60%-80% ethanol solution at 50℃-70℃ using ultrasonic assistance. The extract is then concentrated and purified by column chromatography to obtain chickpea sprout extract A, wherein the content of chickpea sprout extract A is not less than 80%.
2. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 1, characterized in that, Chickpea sprout extract A was purified by recrystallization.
3. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier is selected from one or more of corn flour, soybean meal, stone powder, and premix.
4. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The feed additive also contains soy isoflavones, and the weight ratio of chickpea sprout A to soy isoflavones is 1:0.5-1:
2.
5. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 4, characterized in that, The feed additive is a microencapsulated formulation, with the coating material being a gelatin-gum arabic composite wall material, and the coating rate being 85%-95%.
6. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ruminant is a lactating dairy cow, and the feed additive is added to the diet at a rate of 0.02%-0.08%.
7. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 6, characterized in that, Chickpea sprout extract A is used in the preparation of feed additives for improving the production performance of ruminants, wherein the feed additive comprises either of the following two formulations: Formula 1: Chickpea sprout extract A 0.05 parts by weight, corn flour carrier 95 parts by weight, premix 4.95 parts by weight; Formula 2: 0.1 parts by weight of chickpea sprout extract A, 0.1 parts by weight of soy isoflavones, and 99.8 parts by weight of soybean meal carrier.
8. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 7, characterized in that, The improvement in production performance includes at least one of increasing daily weight gain, improving feed conversion rate, increasing milk yield, and improving milk quality.
9. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 8, characterized in that, The application can increase milk production in lactating cows by 5%-12% and increase milk protein content by 0.1-0.3 percentage points.
10. The application of chickpea sprout extract A in rumination according to claim 9, characterized in that, Feeding ruminants an effective amount of chickpea sprout A, wherein the amount of chickpea sprout A is adjusted according to at least one of the ruminant's physiological stage, body weight, and production performance.