Animal feed containing specific glycolipids

Abstract

Use of a sophorolipid in the preparation of a feed supplement to improve feed efficiency in an animal. A feed supplement comprising a mixture of sophorolipid and lysolecithin is also provided to improve the feed conversion ratio of an animal.

Description

Animal feed containing specific glycolipids The present invention relates to specific glycolipids for providing improved animal feed. TECHNICAL FIELD It is known that animal feed can be supplemented with various additives to improve animal performance, for example, by adding specific phospholipids to the feed, as described in WO 00 / 36929 or WO 94 / 22324. New feed additives that further improve performance, such as animal growth, are desired. It is preferable that such feed additives be of natural origin. CN 102696880 A (Ningbo Inst Tech Zhejiang Univ) describes a bioemulsifier comprising saponin, rhamnolipid, and trehalose, which can be added to fat in feed intended for livestock and poultry. An objective of the present invention is to provide new feed additives for animals that promote animal performance and, in particular, though not exclusively, their growth. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a composition, optionally for use as an animal feed suitable for feeding mammals, birds and fish, the composition comprising at least one sophorolipid having the following general formulas (1) or (2): (1) (2) where: R represents hydrogen or an acyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R1 represents hydrogen or an acetyl group; R2 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms; R3 represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing from 6 to 18 carbon atoms; and X represents a functional group selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a hydroxyl, a carboxylic acid, an acyl group, an amide and a monosaccharide having a glycosidic linkage, characterized in that the composition is a powder consisting essentially of sophorolipids and amorphous silicon dioxide. R is preferably hydrogen. R2 is preferably hydrogen or a methyl group. R3 is preferably a hydrocarbon group containing 16 to 18 carbon atoms, more preferably 16 carbon atoms. Typically, R3 will have an unsaturated site (C=C bond). Preferably, the sophorolipid comprises at least 0.05% to 0.1% by weight of the feed. For example, preferably 0.05 to 0.5 g of sophorolipid are included in 1 kg of feed (50 to 500 g per ton of feed). A second aspect of the present invention provides an ingredient, premixture, or supplement for animal feed suitable for feeding mammals, birds, and fish, comprising at least one sophorolipid of the following general formulations (1) or (2): (1) where: R represents hydrogen or an acyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R1 represents hydrogen or an acetyl group; R2 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms; R3 represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing from 6 to 18 carbon atoms; and X represents a functional group selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a hydroxyl, a carboxylic acid, an acyl group, an amide, and a monosaccharide having a glycosidic linkage, characterized in that the ingredient, premix, or supplement is a powder consisting of sophorolipids and silicon dioxide, and wherein the dosage of said sophorolipid in said animal feed is 0.01% by weight or higher, with respect to the total weight of said ingredient, premix, or supplement, wherein said ingredient, premix, or supplement further comprises at least one selected from vitamins, trace elements, minerals, and organic acids.A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for reducing the feed conversion ratio of an animal, comprising feeding a mammal, bird, or fish with the composition according to the first aspect of the invention or with the ingredient, premix, or supplement according to the second aspect of the invention. In the context of this disclosure, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) is a ratio or index used to measure how efficiently animals, such as livestock, convert animal feed into a desired product. The FCR is the mass of input divided by the output (e.g., kilograms of feed per kilogram of meat or milk). Animals with low FCR values ​​are considered efficient feed users. A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a sophorolipid composition according to the first aspect of the invention to improve the feed conversion ratio of an animal. More preferably, at least one sophorolipid has the following general formulas (1) or (2): where R1 represents hydrogen or an acetyl group; R2 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms; and R3 represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 15 to 18 carbon atoms. Animal feed can be suitable for any type of animal, such as mammals, birds, fish, reptiles or amphibians, but it is preferably an additive for bird feed, particularly for poultry. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following are embodiments of the invention, provided as examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a bar chart illustrating the feed conversion ratio of birds treated with a feed additive of Example 1, which is outside the scope of the present invention, and of a control group; Figure 2 is a graph of the total feed conversion ratio of the control and treated bird groups from Example 1; Figure 3 is a graph of the feed conversion ratio of the control and treated bird groups of Example 1 on the last day (day 35); Figure 4 is a graph of the final body weight, in kilograms, of the control and treated bird groups of Example 1 (day 35); Figure 5 is a graph of the total consumption, in kilograms, of the control and treated bird groups in Example 1; Figure 6 is a graph of the carcass yield, expressed as a percentage, of the control and treated bird groups in Example 1; Figure 7 is a bar chart illustrating the feed conversion ratio during days 1 to 7 of birds treated with a feed additive of Example 2 according to the present invention and a control group; Figure 8 is a bar chart illustrating the feed conversion ratio during days 8 to 21 of birds treated with a feed additive of Example 2 of the present invention and a control group; Figure 9 is a bar chart illustrating the feed conversion ratio during days 22 to 35 of birds treated with a feed additive of Example 2 of the present invention and a control group; and Figure 10 is a bar chart illustrating the total FCR of birds treated with a feed additive of Example 2 of the present invention and of a control group of birds. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to the use of sophorolipids as a feed supplement for animals. A sophorolipid is a surfactant glycolipid that can be synthesized by non-pathogenic yeasts, primarily Candida bombicola, using raw materials such as vegetable oils. Sophorolipids reduce surface tension and are therefore used as surfactants in detergents, but they also exhibit a number of useful biological activities, including antimicrobial, virucidal, anticancer, and immunomodulatory properties. Sophorolipids have previously been used for skin and hair treatments (see, for example, WO 95 / 34282 and US 5981497). The production of sophorolipids is well documented in the state of the art; see, for example, "Production of sophorolipids by the yeast Candida bombicola using simple and low cost fermentative media", Daver yy Pakshirajan, Food Research International 42 (2009), 499-504. Sophorolipids comprise a carbohydrate head of sophorose, an unusual β-(1,2) disaccharide made up of two glucose molecules, covalently linked to a long-chain hydroxylated fatty acid with a fatty acid chain length of 16 to 18 carbon atoms. Two types of esterification can occur that have a major effect on the behavior of the molecule, namely: (i) acetylation and (ii) lactonization. Acetylation occurs at the C6 and C6' positions of sophorose, resulting in a mixture of non-acetylated, monoacetylated, and diacetylated molecules. Acidic sophorolipids are not readily soluble in aqueous media at acidic pH, but they become soluble at higher pH levels. However, these sophorolipids exhibit instability at pH above 7.0. Lactonization converts the open-chain or acidic sophorolipid into a closed-chain sophorolipid (lactone form), specifically at the C4' position (see below).Lactonized sophorolipids are stable over a wider pH range. (i) Acidic sophorolipid: (ii) Sophorolipid lactonic. The present invention has surprisingly demonstrated that both acidic and lactonic sophorolipids can be added to animal feed to improve animal performance. This is surprising because it would be expected that sophorolipids, especially the acidic form, would be destroyed by gastric acid in the animal's stomach, resulting in minimal, if any, effect on the animal's body weight. Previously, oral administration of sophorolipids had not been considered because they are readily hydrolyzed in both the stomach and intestines. Natural sophorolipids containing approximately 50% of the acidic and lactonic forms can be used as a feed additive. Lactonic sophorolipids are preferred. Example 1: Trial to demonstrate the increase in animal performance in birds treated with an animal feed containing a feed additive that is outside the scope of the present invention, said additive comprising a mixture of sophorolipids and lysolecithin, compared to a control group of birds that did not receive the feed additive. The birds were fed identical diets for 35 days, but the diet of the treated birds was supplemented with 125 g of a sophorolipid / lysolecithin mixture per tonne of feed, obtained by culturing C. bombicola. Fifty percent of the sophorolipids were in lactone form, so the feed contained 62.5 g per tonne of feed. The mixture contained 75% lysolecithins and 25% sophorolipids, with an inclusion level range of up to 250 ppm. Each of the control and treated groups consisted of replicates of 10 birds, for a total of 100 birds in each group. The three phases of the trial were BOOST (days 1–14), START (days 15–28), and FINISH (day 35). The data obtained for the control group and the treated group are shown in the following tables: I. CONTROL GROUP. Weight (kg) Initial Rep Reinforcement Start End 1 0, 047 0, 343 1, 360 1, 691 2 0, 047 0, 339 1, 261 1, 745 3 0, 046 0, 336 1, 206 1, 608 4 0, 045 0, 355 1, 226 1, 698 5 0, 047 0, 381 1, 322 1, 752 6 0, 046 0, 365 1, 238 1, 658 7 0, 046 0, 335 1, 220 1, 672 8 0, 046 0, 368 1, 327 1, 771 9 0, 046 0, 379 1, 326 1, 766 10 0, 047 0, 388 1, 336 1, 778 0, 046 0, 359 1, 282 1, 714 Consumption (kg) Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 1 0, 465 1, 437 0, 963 2, 865 2 0, 446 1, 463 1, 002 2, 911 3 0, 463 1, 387 0, 919 2, 769 Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 4 0, 455 1, 434 0, 996 2, 885 5 0, 482 1, 461 0, 940 2, 882 6 0, 460 1, 409 1, 057 2, 926 7 0, 528 1, 440 0, 936 2, 903 8 0, 468 1, 523 1, 013 3, 003 9 0, 500 1, 540 0, 925 2, 965 10 0, 495 1, 476 1, 089 3, 060 0, 476 1, 457 0, 984 2, 917 FCR Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 1 1,569 1,413 2,905 1,742 2 1,528 1,587 2,068 1,714 3 1,597 1,594 2,286 1,772 4 1,468 1,647 2,108 1,745 5 1,443 1,551 2,187 1,690 6 1,444 1,614 2,511 1,815 7 1,827 1,626 2,070 1,785 8 1,452 1,588 2,280 1,741 9 1,500 1,626 2,100 1,723 10 1,448 1,557 2,464 1,767 1,523 1,578 2,278 1,749 Weight gained (kg) Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 1 0, 296 1, 017 0, 332 1, 645 2 0, 292 0, 922 0, 485 1, 698 3 0, 290 0, 870 0, 402 1, 562 4 0, 310 0, 871 0, 473 1, 653 5 0, 334 0, 942 0, 430 1, 705 6 0, 319 0, 873 0, 421 1, 612 7 0, 289 0, 886 0, 452 1, 627 8 0, 322 0, 959 0, 444 1, 725 9 0, 333 0, 947 0, 441 1, 721 10 0, 342 0, 948 0, 442 1, 732 0, 313 0, 923 0, 432 1, 668 Channel yield Rep Carcass yield (%) Weight 1 80,000 1,400 2 76, 744 1, 650 3 77, 778 1, 400 4 78, 378 1, 450 5 78, 947 1, 500 6 80,000 1,400 7 75, 000 1, 350 8 77, 143 1, 350 9 76, 923 1, 500 10 75, 676 1, 400 84,020 1,440 II. TREATY GROUP Weight (kg) Initial Rep Reinforcement Start End 1 0, 046 0, 341 1, 305 1, 733 2 0, 046 0, 345 1, 197 1, 648 3 0, 045 0, 364 1, 290 1, 711 4 0, 045 0, 322 1, 215 1, 726 5 0, 047 0, 368 1, 227 1, 638 6 0, 047 0, 362 1, 294 1, 766 7 0, 046 0, 382 1, 262 1, 716 8 0, 047 0, 349 1, 219 1, 736 9 0, 046 0, 339 1, 237 1, 743 10 0, 047 0, 369 1, 241 1, 653 0, 046 0, 354 1, 248 1, 70 Consumption (kg) Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 1 0, 505 1, 506 0, 935 2, 945 2 0, 430 1, 398 0, 933 2, 760 3 0, 456 1, 506 0, 954 2, 916 4 0, 418 1, 446 1, 029 2, 893 5 0, 508 1, 413 0, 937 2, 858 6 0, 479 1, 460 0, 940 2, 879 7 0, 533 1, 451 0, 929 2, 913 8 0, 444 1, 456 0, 995 2, 894 9 0, 426 1, 428 1, 027 2, 881 10 0, 504 1, 392 0, 904 2, 799 0, 470 1, 445 0, 958 2, 874 FCR Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 1 1,710 1,562 2,183 1,745 2 1,438 1,639 2,070 1,723 3 1,428 1,626 2,263 1,749 4 1,506 1,619 2,014 1,720 5 1,581 1,644 2,279 1,795 6 1,518 1,567 1,994 1,675 7 1,585 1,649 2,046 1,744 8 1,470 1,673 1,922 1,713 9 1,452 1,590 2,030 1,697 10 1,565 1,595 2,193 1,742 1,526 1,615 2,090 1,730 Weight gained (kg) Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 1 0, 295 0, 964 0, 428 1, 687 2 0, 299 0, 853 0, 451 1, 602 3 0, 319 0, 926 0, 422 1, 667 4 0, 278 0, 893 0, 511 1, 682 5 0, 321 0, 859 0, 411 1, 592 6 0, 316 0, 932 0, 472 1, 719 7 0, 336 0, 880 0, 454 1, 670 Rep Reinforcement Start Finish Total 8 0, 302 0, 870 0, 518 1, 690 9 0, 293 0, 898 0, 506 1, 697 10 0, 322 0, 873 0, 412 1, 607 0, 308 0, 895 0, 458 1, 661 Channel yield Rep Carcass yield (%) Carcass weight 1 82, 051 1, 600 2 78, 378 1, 450 3 77, 778 1, 400 4 77, 778 1, 400 5 80,000 1,400 6 80, 000 1, 600 7 77, 778 1, 400 8 75, 676 1, 400 9 75, 000 1, 350 10 77, 778 1, 400 84,368 1,440 These results are shown graphically in Figures 1 to 6 of the attached drawings, with the line graphs presenting the results of the 10 replicates ordered from highest to lowest to demonstrate the consistency of the treated group compared to the control group. The overall feed conversion ratio (FCR) was shown to be lower in the treated group than in the control group (see Figures 1 to 3), especially during the finishing phase, indicating that the treated group converted feed more efficiently. The benefit of the feed additive was also evident in the final body weight of the two groups, which was generally the same, and in the lower feed intake of the treated group compared to the control group (see Figures 4 and 5). Carcass yield was also higher in the treated group (see Figure 6). Modifications of sophorolipid molecules have also been carried out in the prior art, and these modified sophorolipids are also suitable for use in animal feed supplements. Examples of such modified sophorolipids are provided below (ia vii). Their production methods are described in articles such as “Enzymatic Synthesis of a Galactopyranose Sophorolipid Fatty Acid Ester,” Nunez, Foglia, and Ashby, Biotechnology Letters (2003), 25: 1291–1297, and “Enzyme-catalyzed regioselective transesterification of peracylated sophorolipids,” Carr and Bisht, Tetrahedron 59 (2003), 7713–7724. Example 2: Trial to demonstrate the increase in animal performance in birds treated with an animal feed containing a feed additive according to an embodiment of the invention, comprising only sophorolipids, compared to a control group of birds that did not receive the feed additive. Another trial was conducted in a manner similar to that described above in Example 1, with control and treated groups of birds. The birds were fed identical experimental diets for a period of 35 days, but the diet of the treated birds was supplemented with a pure sophorolipid (SPL) supplement with an inclusion level range of up to 250 ppm. The sophorolipid was provided in powder form, composed of 50% liquid sophorolipids and 50% silicon dioxide. The composition of the experimental diet is provided below: Start Growth End Ingredients Corn (3 mm) 52, 45 7, 83 Corn (5 mm) 39. 99 18. 60 Corn (7 mm) 8. 00 40. 00 SBM (husked) 39. 15 35. 55 32. 05 Soybean oil 3. 59 4. 36 5. 33 L-lysine sulfate 55 0. 31 0. 21 0.21 DL-methionine 98 0.38 L-methionine 99 0.32 0.31 Threonine 98 0.10 0.07 0.06 Choline chloride 50 0.07 0.07 0.08 MCP 1.75 MDCP 1.68 1.60 Limestone (fine) 1.54 1.25 1.10 Salt 0.30 0.25 0.25 Start Growth Finish NaHCO 0.10 0.19 0.19 Broiler Vitamin Premix 0.14 0.14 0.12 Poultry Mineral Premix 0.11 0.11 0.11 Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 Calculated Values ​​(%) AMEn (kcal / kg) 3,000 3,100 3,200 CP 23.00 21.50 20.00 Lis 1.44 1.29 1.19 Met 0.71 0.64 0.61 Met + cis 1.08 0.99 0.94 Ca 0.96 0.87 0.81 P available 0.48 0.43 0.41 Results: Effect of pure SPLs on growth performance in broiler chickens. Table 1 below provides the average daily gain (ADG) (g) of the control and treated birds. Table 1 Table 2 below provides the feed intake (FI) (g) of the control and treated birds. Table 2 Table 3 below provides the feed efficiency (FE) (g) of the control and treated birds. Table 3 Examples 1 and 2 above demonstrate that sophorolipids, both alone and in combination with lysolecithin, improve the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of animals. Example 2 shows that incorporating 25–250 ppm of pure sophorolipid into animal feed consistently improves the FCR of animals compared to control birds, particularly during days 8–21 of the trial, as illustrated in Table 4 below and shown graphically in Figures 7–10. Table 4

Claims

1. A sophorolipid composition comprising at least one sophorolipid having the following general formulas (1) or (2): (1) (2) wherein R represents hydrogen or an acyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R1 represents hydrogen or an acetyl group; R2 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms; R3 represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms; and X represents a functional group selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a hydroxyl, a carboxylic acid, an acyl group, an amide, and a monosaccharide having a glycosidic linkage, characterized in that the composition is a powder consisting of the sophorolipids and silicon dioxide.

2. A sophorolipid composition according to claim 1,wherein at least one sophorolipid has the following general formula (1) or (2): (1) (2) wherein R¹ represents hydrogen or an acetyl group; R² represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 9 carbon atoms; and R³ represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms.

3. Sophorolipid composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein R² is a hydrogen or a methyl group.

4. Sophorolipid composition according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein R³ is a hydrocarbon group containing from 16 to 18 carbon atoms, more preferably 16 carbon atoms, preferably wherein R³ has an unsaturated site (C=C bond).

5. Sophorolipid composition according to claim 1, wherein the sophorolipid has at least one of the following formulations: (1) or (2) 6. Ingredient, premix or supplement for an animal feed suitable for feeding mammals, birds and fish,comprising at least one sophorolipid having the following general formulas (1) or (2): wherein R represents hydrogen or an acyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R¹ represents hydrogen or an acetyl group; R² represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms; R³ represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms; and X represents a functional group selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a hydroxyl, a carboxylic acid, an acyl group, an amide, and a monosaccharide having a glycosidic linkage, characterized in that the ingredient, premix, or supplement is a powder consisting of sophorolipids and silicon dioxide, and wherein the dosage of said sophorolipid in said animal feed is 0.01% by weight or higher, with respect to the total weight of said ingredient, premix, or supplement, wherein said ingredient,The premix or supplement further comprises at least one selected from vitamins, trace elements, minerals, and organic acids.

7. A method for reducing the feed conversion ratio of an animal comprising feeding a mammal, bird, or fish with the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or with the ingredient, premix, or supplement according to claim 6.

8. Use of a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 to improve the feed efficiency of an animal by reducing the animal's feed conversion ratio.