Feed for livestock and use thereof, method of feeding livestock, method of improving the weight gain of livestock, and method of increasing the feed efficiency in livestock

Abstract

This invention provides a livestock feed that promotes excellent weight gain and improves feed efficiency. The invention relates to a composition for adding livestock feed, a livestock feed characterized by containing abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid; a method for raising livestock, a method for improving livestock weight gain, and a method for improving livestock feed efficiency, wherein the methods are characterized by inducing livestock to consume the livestock feed; and an application of the livestock feed for improving livestock weight gain and for improving livestock feed efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This patent application claims priority and interest under the Paris Convention based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-208573 (filed on December 16, 2020) and Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-023484 (filed on February 17, 2021), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] This invention relates to a livestock feed. More specifically, this invention relates to a livestock feed formulated with abscisic acid (hereinafter also referred to as "ABA") and / or its salts and glutamic acid. Prior Technology

[0003] Livestock are animals domesticated by humans for the purpose of utilizing their products (milk, meat, eggs, wool, hides, fur, labor, etc.) and reproduced under human care. On the other hand, in recent years, the term "industrial animals" has become more popular. Industrial animals are mammals and birds that are raised or kept for industrial use.

[0004] Depending on their intended use, livestock can be broadly categorized into agricultural livestock, pets, and laboratory animals. However, in a narrower sense, livestock sometimes refers only to agricultural livestock. Agricultural livestock is further divided into breeding livestock that produce the aforementioned products and draft animals that provide labor.

[0005] Livestock are fed with feed to supplement their nutrition orally. Depending on the purpose of feeding the animals or the breed, the demand for mixed or formulated feeds, which combine various feeds, has increased significantly. Commonly used feeds include sorghum, corn, oats, wheat, barley, soybean meal, sesame meal, flaxseed meal, cottonseed meal, peanut meal, fish meal, meat meal, blood meal, rice bran, wheat bran, and starch residue.

[0006] Feed additives are formulated into feed through addition, mixing, wetting, and other methods to prevent feed quality degradation, supplement the feed with nutrients and other active ingredients, and promote the effective utilization of the nutrients contained in the feed. Feed additives used to prevent feed quality degradation include antioxidants, mold inhibitors, binders, emulsifiers, and conditioners. Feed additives used to supplement the feed with nutrients and other active ingredients include vitamins, minerals, and color fortifiers (carotenoids). Feed additives used to promote the effective utilization of the nutrients contained in the feed include synthetic antibacterial agents, antibiotics, flavoring agents, taste enhancers, enzymes, and organic acids.

[0007] Abscisic acid is a natural plant hormone that is widely found in plants. It is a substance that carries out physiological activities and signal transduction between cells.

[0008] Abscisic acid is synthesized intracellularly in plants when they are subjected to environmental stresses such as dryness and low temperatures, and plays a role in drought tolerance, growth inhibition, and seed dormancy. Commercially available formulations containing abscisic acid are used in agriculture and horticulture as so-called plant growth regulators, for example, to improve stress tolerance at or near harvest time and planting time, and to slow down growth rate to regulate flowering time.

[0009] Furthermore, abscisic acid or its salts or esters can be used to treat vitamin deficiencies (Patent Document 1), diabetes or immune system diseases (Patent Document 2), and neurodegenerative diseases (Patent Document 3). Reports indicate that abscisic acid and flavin, as a precursor in its biosynthesis, are inhibitors of the human bitter taste G-protein coupled receptor (Non-Patent Document 1). Phaseic acid, a metabolite of abscisic acid, has been shown to have neuroprotective effects against ischemic encephalopathy (Non-Patent Document 2).

[0010] As examples of the use of abscisic acid in livestock and fish, patent documents 4-8 can be cited. According to patent document 4, by feeding livestock and fish with feed characterized by abscisic acid as an active ingredient, the feeding efficiency, weight gain and meat gain of livestock and fish can be improved, the rearing time can be shortened, and the amount of antibiotics administered can be reduced or eliminated.

[0011] Patent document 5 discloses a composition comprising abscisic acid, its salts, derivatives and analogs, and a method for using the composition to improve the weight gain of animal offspring after birth.

[0012] Patent document 6 discloses a composition comprising abscisic acid, its salts and derivatives, and a method for improving feed efficiency, the method comprising administering abscisic acid, its salts and derivatives to livestock or fish.

[0013] Patent document 7 discloses a composition comprising abscisic acid, its salts, derivatives and analogs, and a method for improving the reproductive productivity of animals, the method comprising administering abscisic acid to pregnant animals.

[0014] Patent document 8 discloses a composition comprising abscisic acid, its salts and derivatives, and a method for reducing mortality, the method comprising administering abscisic acid, its salts and derivatives to chickens. [Previous Technical Documents] [Patent Literature]

[0015] [Patent Document 1] US Patent No. 3958025 [Patent Document 2] US Patent No. 7741367 [Patent Document 3] US Patent No. 7718699 [Patent Document 4] WO2012037561 [Patent Document 5] US Patent No. 9591867 [Patent Document 6] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0250209 [Patent Document 7] US Patent No. 10238613 [Patent Document 8] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0030269 [Non-patent literature]

[0016] [Non-Patent Literature 1] Pydi, et al., Biochemistry, 2015, 54, 2622-2631 [Non-Patent Literature 2] Hou, et al., The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2016, 291, 27007-27022 Summary of the Invention

[0017] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0018] As mentioned above, various feed additives are added to livestock feed to prevent a decline in feed quality. There is a need for a feed that can efficiently increase livestock weight and improve their productivity. [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0019] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors conducted intensive research and found that feed containing abscisic acid and / or its salts and glutamic acid is more effective in increasing the weight of livestock in a small amount with high efficiency, thus completing the present invention.

[0020] That is, the present invention relates to: a composition for adding livestock feed, characterized in that it contains: abscisic acid and / or its salt, and glutamic acid; a livestock feed, characterized in that it contains: abscisic acid and / or its salt, and glutamic acid; a method for raising livestock, a method for improving the weight gain of livestock, and a method for improving the feed efficiency of livestock, all of which are characterized in that the livestock ingest the livestock feed.

[0021] Therefore, the present invention includes the following. [1] A composition for adding to livestock feed, characterized in that it contains: abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid. [2] A livestock feed, characterized in that it contains: abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid. [3] As described in [2], the livestock feed contains 0.01 to 100 ppm of abscisic acid and / or its salts. [4] As described in [2], the livestock feed contains 0.1 to 30 ppm of abscisic acid and / or its salts. [5] As described in [2], the livestock feed contains 0.1 to 10 ppm of abscisic acid and / or its salts. [6] As described in [3], the livestock feed contains abscisic acid and / or its salts in a weight ratio of 1: about 360 to 3,700,000 to glutamic acid. [7] As described in [4], the livestock feed contains abscisic acid and / or its salts in a weight ratio of 1:about 3,600 to 1,110,000 glutamic acid. [8] As described in [5], the livestock feed contains abscisic acid and / or its salts in a weight ratio of 1:about 3,600 to 370,000 to glutamic acid. [9] Livestock feed as described in any of [2] to [8], which is used for mammals.

[10] A method for raising livestock, characterized in that: the livestock are fed with livestock feed as described in any one of [2] to [9].

[11] A method for improving the weight gain of livestock, characterized in that: the livestock are fed with livestock feed as described in any one of [2] to [9].

[12] A method for improving the feed efficiency of livestock, characterized in that: the livestock consumes livestock feed as described in any one of [2] to [9].

[13] An use of livestock feed as described in any of [2] to [9] for improving the weight gain of livestock.

[14] An use for livestock feed as described in any of [2] to [9], for improving the feed efficiency of livestock. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] This invention achieves a synergistic effect in weight gain and feed efficiency by combining abscisic acid and / or its salts with glutamic acid in feed, compared to the case where abscisic acid and / or its salts and glutamic acid are separately formulated into feed.

[0023] According to the present invention, by feeding livestock with feed containing abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid, the weight gain of livestock can be improved and the feed efficiency of livestock can be increased. Implementation

[0024] The "abscisic acid and / or its salt" formulated in the livestock feed of the present invention is preferably (S)-(+)-abscisic acid (hereinafter also referred to as "S-abscisic acid" or "S-ABA") and / or its salt, which is a mirror isomer of abscisic acid, and particularly preferably S-ABA. S-abscisic acid has the following structure. [Chemistry 1]

[0025] Examples of abscisic acid salts that can be used in this invention include: inorganic salts, such as ammonium salts, lithium salts, sodium salts, potassium salts, and magnesium salts; and organic salts, such as triethanolamine salts, diethanolamine salts, and ethanolamine salts. This invention is not limited to these salts, and other salts may also be used. In this invention, ammonium salts are preferred. Other preferred salts in this invention are sodium and potassium salts. The salt can be prepared by contacting the abscisic acid with a sufficient amount of the desired alkali using conventional methods. The free acid can be regenerated by treating the salt with a suitable diluted acid solution, such as diluted sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or phosphoric acid. Free acids differ in certain physical properties, such as solubility in polar solvents, and the form of their respective salts, but all can be used in this invention. The abscisic acid salts that can be used in this invention are pharmaceutically permissible salts.

[0026] There are no particular limitations on the manufacture of abscisic acid itself, and previously known methods can be used. For example, the manufacturing method using Botrytis fungi (Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-35838) and the manufacturing method using Cercospora rosicola [Experimenta 33,1556 (1977), Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-36393, Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-160996] are well known.

[0027] There are no particular limitations on the bacteria used in the production of ABA, as long as they are abscisic acid-producing bacteria belonging to the genera *Botrytis* or *Cercospora*, including common variants or bacteria produced through mutation treatment. A specific example of an abscisic acid-producing strain belonging to the genus *Botrytis* is *Botrytis cinerea* FERM P-6156. The bacteriological properties of this abscisic acid-producing *Botrytis* have been studied in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-35838.

[0028] The culture medium used to generate abscisic acid can be a solid or liquid medium. This medium may contain, individually or in combination with two or more of the following components: carbon sources such as wheat bran, wheat, rice, sugarcane, potato, glucose, maltose, malt extract, sucrose, dextrin, molasses, and starch; and nitrogen sources such as defatted soybean flour, soybean flour, gluten, yeast extract, peptone, meat broth, and corn extract. In addition, inorganic substances such as magnesium salts, potassium salts, sodium salts, and phosphates may be added, as well as vitamins, oils, and other substances.

[0029] The culture medium obtained in this way is sterilized using conventional methods to prepare a substantially sterile medium before inoculation. The method involves using a sterilizing solution containing the spores of an abscisic acid-producing strain belonging to the genus *Botrytis* to evenly disperse the spores in the medium, thereby inoculating the sterilized medium with the fungal spores. In this case, the presence of mycelial components other than spores is not a problem. By inoculating and culturing the fungal spores, a more uniform culture can be achieved, allowing for a rapid accumulation of abscisic acid to a high concentration.

[0030] Regarding culture conditions, the culture temperature is typically 10–40°C, preferably 20–30°C; the pH of the culture medium is typically 3–12, preferably 4–8; and the culture time is typically 1–30 days, preferably 5–15 days. A culture system that eliminates the possibility of contamination by other microorganisms should be used. Furthermore, aerated and agitated culture is particularly preferred. Abscisic acid will also be generated during static culture, but aerated and agitated culture can significantly promote its formation.

[0031] Subsequently, after cultivation, to isolate abscisic acid from the culture medium, conventional methods can be used, such as the methods described below. First, the bacterial cells are removed from the culture medium by centrifugation, the supernatant is adsorbed onto activated carbon, and then dissolved using an organic solvent. For example, acetone, methanol, or ethanol can be used as the dissolution solvent. The abscisic acid transferred to the dissolution solution can then be isolated and purified from the culture mixture using general purification methods and common organic compound purification methods. These purification methods include, for example, fractional extraction, adsorption, partitioning, thin-layer chromatography, and distillation.

[0032] The livestock feed of the present invention is characterized by containing abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid. By combining abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid, a synergistic effect can be obtained in terms of weight gain and feed efficiency compared to the case where abscisic acid and / or its salts and glutamic acid are separately formulated into the feed. Hereinafter, the livestock feed of the present invention will sometimes be referred to as "ABA-formulated feed".

[0033] The ABA-formulated feed of the present invention can be prepared by adding abscisic acid and / or its salts and glutamic acid to commonly used livestock feed (hereinafter, sometimes also referred to as "basal feed"). As a method for preparing the ABA-formulated feed of the present invention, a composition of livestock feed containing abscisic acid and / or its salts and glutamic acid can be formulated into the basal feed, or abscisic acid and / or its salts and glutamic acid can be formulated separately into the basal feed. There are no particular restrictions on the administration of the ABA-formulated feed of the present invention to livestock, but feeding livestock an ABA-formulated feed made by mixing abscisic acid and / or its salts and glutamic acid into the basal feed is simpler and therefore preferred. The amount of abscisic acid and / or its salts is preferably 0.01 to 100 ppm, more preferably 0.1 to 30 ppm, and even more preferably 0.1 to 10 ppm. The formulation contains approximately 360 to 3,700,000, more preferably approximately 3,600 to 1,110,000, and even more preferably approximately 3,600 to 370,000 glutamic acid relative to abscisic acid and / or its salts. That is, the weight ratio of abscisic acid and / or its salts to glutamic acid is preferably 1:approximately 360 to 3,700,000, more preferably 1:approximately 3,600 to 1,110,000, and even more preferably 1:approximately 3,600 to 370,000. By such a formulation containing a very small amount of abscisic acid and / or its salts relative to glutamic acid, increased weight gain and feed efficiency can be achieved. In particular, by using the formulation ratio of abscisic acid and / or its salts to glutamic acid as described above, a superior effect on weight gain and feed efficiency is observed compared to the prediction based on the individual formulation of each component in the basal feed; this is known as a synergistic effect.

[0034] The basal feed used in the ABA-formulated feed of this invention is not particularly limited, and may contain at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of: (examples include) Abyssinian oats, millet, barnyard millet, extruded wheat, extruded rice, extruded soybeans, extruded corn, peas, oats, barley, sugar-treated and heat-treated soybeans, sweet potatoes, soybean flour, millet, cassava, cassava flour, millet (milo), brown rice, sesame, wheat, wheat flour, and finger grains. Millet, wheat bran, Sudan grass, fine-stalked millet, polished white rice, buckwheat, broad beans, soybeans, hulled lupins, millet-like grains, dextrin, barnyard millet (pearl millet), corn, corn flour, quinoa (tiger claw bean), rye, potato starch, bread flour, barnyard millet, chickpeas, puffed soybeans, puffed hulled soybeans, rice, sorghum, rye, lupins, and other grains; rice bran, barley distillers' grains, barley distillers' grains, barley distillers' grains solubles, barley soluble distillers' grains, gluten-based fermented meal, citric acid fermented meal, gluten-based fermented meal, brown rice distillers' grains, brown rice distillers' grains solubles, wheat / brown rice distillers' grains, wheat distillers' grains, wheat distillers' grains solubles, wheat / corn distillers' grains solubles, rice distillers' grains, rice bran, rice germ, corn bran flour, distillers' grains, liquor distillers' grains, soy sauce meal, screening Pellets, refined white rice / wheat brewing lees, refined white rice / wheat / brown sugar syrup brewing lees, soluble refined white rice brewing lees, soybean hulls, beet syrup / wheat brewing lees, beet syrup brewing lees, starch residue (sweet potato starch residue, cassava starch residue, potato starch residue), molasses-soluble brewing lees, corn / barley brewing lees, soluble corn / barley brewing lees, soluble corn / barley brewing lees, corn brewing lees, soluble corn brewing lees, malt roots, brewer's grains, wheat bran, puffed wheat bran, corn grits, wheat bran (barley coarse bran, mixed barley bran, refined barley bran, mixed rye bran), lysine fermented meal, and other bran products; oil palm hollow fruit bunch extract, linseed oil. Soybean meal, extruded soybean meal, extruded peeled soybean meal, extruded rapeseed meal, pea protein, humidified and heated soybean meal, sugar-treated extruded peeled soybean meal, sugar-treated and heated rapeseed meal, sugar-treated and heated soybean meal, kapok seed meal, crushed soybean meal, sesame meal, wheat gluten, wheat gluten enzyme digests, corn gluten meal, corn germ meal (corn sauce meal), safflower meal, peeled safflower meal, soybean meal, peeled soybean meal, soybean germ meal, soybean whey, rapeseed meal, concentrated rice protein, concentrated soybean protein, fermented peeled soybean meal, enzyme-digested peeled soybean meal, potato protein, palm kernel meal, sunflower seed meal, isolated soybean protein, puffed peeled soybean meal, cottonseed meal, coconut meal, peanut meal, and other vegetable oil meals;Shrimp meal, krill meal, chicken meal, whole chicken meal, casein, crab shell meal, dried pupae, dried whey, fish meal, white fish meal, egg meal, plasma protein, blood meal, enzyme-treated fish protein, enzyme-decomposed dried pig small intestine, pupae powder, gelatin, whole egg enzyme decomposition products, skim milk powder, meat and bone meal, concentrated whey protein, fish sol, fish sol adsorbed feed, feather meal, hydrolyzed pig blood protein, and other animal feeds; as well as flax stalks, flaxseed oil saponification, maltose residue, alfalfa, alfalfa meal, three-fortune beans, L-lactic acid, L-lysine acid, famine peas, cocoa bean shells, pastry crumbs, small sweet bread crumbs, fructose, turnips, sugarcane tops (cane Top of the ingredients: dried enoki mushroom substrate, cassava stem and leaf powder, Bermuda grass, fish oil esters, silver acacia stem and leaf powder, kudzu, small black beans, glutamic acid fermentation by-products, alfalfa, green algae, mulberry branch and leaf powder, astragalus, yeast extract, coconut residue, coffee meal, corn cob powder. (meal), corn extract, konjac powder, sugar, silkworm excrement, diureoisobutane, calcium fatty acid, argan nut residue, food by-products, vegetable oil saponification, vegetable rubber substances, vegetable oils, shelled round yeast, round yeast, baker's yeast, brewer's yeast, purified fish meal, flour scraps, soybean germ, soybean oil residue, multi-corona oleifera, medium- and long-chain calcium fatty acids, tempura batter powder, corn germ (corn sauce), DL-methionine, beet stems and leaves, beet sugar by-product liquid, soybean residue, tofu residue, animal oils, molasses, trehalose, rapeseed oil residue, hairy vetch, locust stem and leaf powder (; [locust]leaf meal), lactic acid fermented soy sauce meal / tofu residue, lactose, urea, tropical kudzu, pineapple meal, sugarcane bagasse, pasta residue, fermented tofu residue, beet powder, beet pulp, fescue, wine lees, glucose, indigo, brome (Bromus L.), feed beet (Mangelwurzel), orange peel (dried tangerine peel), orange juice residue, trefoil, Lespedeza sarmentosum, cottonseed, cottonseed hulls, wood pulp, rice hulls, wild cabbage, L-lysine sulfate, apple juice residue, turnip, lupin hulls, and other feeds are appropriately mixed to prepare feed. The livestock feed used in this invention includes corn, wheat, sorghum, oats, barley, soybeans, soybean oil meal, rapeseed oil meal, corn distillers' grains solubles, corn bran, wheat bran, and rice bran.

[0035] The ABA-formulated feed of this invention may further contain vitamins, minerals, guanidine acetic acid, etc. Examples of the aforementioned vitamins include: L-ascorbic acid, L-calcium ascorbate, sodium L-ascorbate, magnesium L-ascorbate-2-phosphate, acetome naphthone, inositol, dibenzothiamine hydrochloride, vitamin D2, choline chloride, thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, β-carotene, vitamin D3, dl-α-tocopherol acetate, retinyl acetate, vitamin B12, thiamine nitrate, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, p-aminobenzoic acid, retinyl palmitate, D-calcium pantothenate, DL-calcium pantothenate, d-biotin, vitamin A powder, vitamin A oil, vitamin D powder, vitamin D3 oil, vitamin E powder, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, retinyl propionate, menadione sodium bisulfite, menadione nicotinamide sulfite, folic acid, riboflavin, riboflavin butyrate, etc. Examples of the aforementioned minerals include: zinc chloride, potassium chloride, ferric chloride, copper chloride, alkaline copper chloride, ferric citrate, ferric ammonium citrate, calcium gluconate, sodium ferric citrate succinate, zinc acetate, cobalt acetate, copper acetate, zinc oxide, copper oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum hydroxide, manganese hydroxide, selenium, zinc carbonate, cobalt carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, ferric carbonate, magnesium carbonate, manganese carbonate, zinc 2-deamino-hydroxymethionine, DL-threonate, calcium lactate, ferrous fumarate, zinc peptide, iron peptide, copper peptide, manganese peptide, molybdenum, potassium iodide, potassium iodate, calcium iodate, zinc sulfate, zinc methionine sulfate, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, cobalt sulfate, ferric sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper lysate complex, potassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen sulfate, etc.

[0036] The ABA-formulated feed of this invention may further contain flavoring agents, taste agents, enzymes, organic acids, etc. Examples of fragrance agents mentioned above include: esters, ethers, ketones, fatty acids, aliphatic higher alcohols, aliphatic higher aldehydes, aliphatic higher hydrocarbons, terpene hydrocarbons, phenolic ethers, phenols, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, lactones, etc. Examples of flavoring agents mentioned above include sodium saccharin. Examples of the aforementioned enzymes include: amylase, alkaline protease, galactosidase, xylanase, xylanase-pectinase complex enzyme, β-glucanase, acidic protease, cellulase, cellulase-protease-pectinase complex enzyme, neutral protease, phytase, mannitol-degrading enzyme, lactase, lipase, etc. Examples of organic acids mentioned above include: calcium formate, sodium gluconate, potassium diformate, fumaric acid, etc.

[0037] Furthermore, the ABA-formulated feed of this invention can be used in conjunction with synthetic antibacterial agents and antibiotics. Examples of the aforementioned synthetic antibacterial agents include: methyl methacrylate-ethoxybenzoate, methyl methacrylate-sulfaquinoline, chlorophenidine hydrochloride, Moronide citrate, diclazuril, decaoxyquin ester, nacarbazin, chrysanthemin hydrobromide, and chrysanthemin polystyrene sulfonate calcium. Examples of the aforementioned antibiotics include: bacitracin zinc, bacitracin, alkyltrimethylammonium calcium oxytetracycline, enramycin, chlortetracycline, sodium chlortetracycline, sedulin sodium, nanidin, nasitin, dicycline, flavomycin, maduramycin ammonium, monensin sodium, lasalidin sodium, and tylosin phosphate.

[0038] Furthermore, in order to prevent the feed quality from deteriorating, the ABA-formulated feed of this invention may further contain antioxidants, binders, emulsifiers, regulators, etc. Examples of the aforementioned antioxidants include: ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, α-tocopherol, ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxytoluene, ascorbate palmitate, butylated hydroxymethoxybenzene, etc. Examples of such binders include sodium alginate, sodium caseinate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, propylene glycol, and sodium polyacrylate. Examples of emulsifiers mentioned above include: glycerol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene glycerol fatty acid esters. Examples of such modifiers include formic acid.

[0039] In addition to the above, the ABA-formulated feed of the present invention may use the following ingredients alone, or in combination or in combination with several of the following ingredients: Acorus calamus, Allium sativum, Dill, Artemisia absinthium, Carum carvi, Cinnamomum, Coriandrum sativum, Cuminum cyminum, Curcuma longa, Cymbopogon citratus, Artichoke, Echinacea, Elettaria cardamomum, Foeniculum vulgare, Ginkgo biloba, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Hypericum perforatum, and Laurus. nobilis, Levisticum officinale, Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), Melissa officinalis, Mentha spicata, Mentha x piperita, Myristica fragrans, Basil (Ocimum basilicum), Marjoram (Origanum majorana), Origanum vulgare, Panax ginseng, Parsley (Petroselinum sativum), Allspice (Pimenta dioica), Anise (Pimpinella anisum), Pepper (Piper nigrum), Pogostemon cablin, Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Stevia rebaudiana, Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), Tanacetum vulgare, Taraxacum Herbs such as *Zingiber officinale*, thyme, *Trachyspermum ammi*, and ginger.In addition to being used in powder form, the aforementioned herbs can also be extracted and processed into essential oils (fragrant oils) for use.

[0040] Furthermore, the ABA-formulated feed of the present invention can also be further supplemented with excipients such as solid carriers and liquid carriers or water to produce tablets, powders, granules, capsules, water-soluble agents, liquids, hydrating agents, or suspensions for use. Examples of excipients include: gum arabic, albumin, ethyl cellulose, kaolin, casein, active gluten, carrageenan, caramel, carnauba wax, hydrated silica, hydrated amorphous silica, liver powder, agar, saffron, polyglucosamine, soybean flour, guar gum, glycerin, glucomannan, gluten, gluten flour, silicic acid, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, light anhydrous silicic acid, light liquid paraffin, diatomaceous earth, hydrogenated oil, higher saturated fatty acids, wheat flour, medium-grade wheat flour, rice bran, rice bran meal, corn cob flour, corn bran flour, corn flour, mushroom cultivation log flour, distiller's grains, distiller's grains solubles, fatty acids, calcium fatty acids, salt, vegetable oils, calcium stearate, zeolite, gelatin, cellulose, and soybean seed flakes. Miruran), sorbitol, defatted fish meal, defatted milk powder, calcium carbonate, soybean oil meal, soybean hulls, soybean flour, tamarind seed polysaccharides, talc, sodium carbonate, dextran, dextrin, natural aluminum silicate, starch, α-starch, animal fats, corn flour, tragacanth gum, round yeast, lactose, concentrated soybean protein, maltose, white sugar, vermiculite, baker's yeast, brewer's yeast, red algae gum, wheat bran, glucose, polyglucose, pectin, modified edible starch, bentonite, potato pulp, white fish meal, D-mannitol, silicic anhydride, anhydrous silicates, rice husk, rice husk powder, calcium lignosulfonate, sodium lignosulfonate, liquid paraffin, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, lecithin, locust bean gum, etc.

[0041] The ABA-formulated feed of this invention can be used as livestock feed to increase livestock weight and improve feed efficiency. Furthermore, the ABA-formulated feed of this invention can enhance the reproductive productivity of livestock.

[0042] In this instruction manual, "daily weight gain" is a unit representing the growth rate (weight gain) of livestock, and is generally expressed in grams per day. It is also referred to as the average weight gain per day or daily weight gain.

[0043] In this specification, the term "feed conversion ratio (FCR)" refers to the amount of feed required to produce 1 kg of livestock product. It is the inverse of feed efficiency and is expressed by the following formula. Feed conversion ratio = [Feed intake (or consumption) (kg) / Livestock product yield (kg)] On the other hand, in this specification, "feed efficiency" means "livestock product yield (kg) / feed intake (or consumption) (kg)". "Livestock product yield" refers to the weight gain during the rearing process, also known as "weight gain".

[0044] In this specification, "livestock" refers to animals bred under human care, including: mammals such as cattle, Balinese cattle, yaks, buffalo, sheep, goats, dromedary camels, Bactrian camels, llamas, alpacas, reindeer, pigs, horses, donkeys, dogs, mink, ferrets, cats, hamsters, mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits; birds (poultry) such as chickens, quails, turkeys, guinea fowl, pigeons, ducks, musk ducks, geese, and canaries; fish such as carp and goldfish; and insects such as silkworms and bees, but not limited to these. The ABA-formulated feed of this invention is preferably used as feed for mammals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and horses, more preferably as feed for monogastric mammals, and especially preferably as feed for pigs. [Example]

[0045] The present invention will be further described in detail below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following examples, rats were used as subjects to verify the effect of adding ABA and glutamic acid to the feed, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the same effect can be obtained by other mammalian feeds.

[0046] Experimental Example 1 The effects of adding ABA and glutamic acid to feed were verified in the following manner. (1) Materials and Methods Two 7-week-old female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used in each experiment. Two rats were housed in each cage. The rats were fed the diet shown in Table 1 three times a week for three weeks, allowing them free access to the food.

[0047] [Table 1] No. Basic feed (per serving) Glutamic acid (parts) ABA (ppm) 1-1 100 0 0 1-2 100 0 10 1-3 100 3.616 0 1-4 100 3.616 10

[0048] (2) Observation and measurement items (i) Clinical symptoms: Observe daily. (ii) Body weight: The body weight of rats was measured three times a week, and the weight gain of each individual was calculated. (iii) Feed intake: The amount of leftover feed and the amount of feed given to each cage were measured three times a week. The average feed intake per animal per day was calculated using the following formula. (Previous feeding amount - remaining feed amount) / (Number of rats in 1 cage × time)

[0049] (Clinical symptoms) No abnormalities were found in any of the individuals.

[0050] (Weight gain) The results of weight gain after 19 days of feeding are shown in Table 2. Compared with the experiment with only basal diet (No. 1-1), weight gain was observed in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-2), only glutamate added to the basal diet (No. 1-3), and both glutamate and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-4). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamate and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-4), a weight gain exceeding the results predicted based on No. 1-2 and No. 1-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing the experiment with only glutamate added to the basal diet (No. 1-3) with the experiment with both glutamate and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-4), a further weight gain was observed in the latter compared to the former. Therefore, it can be seen that, according to the present invention, adding abscisic acid in addition to glutamate can achieve a significant weight gain. That is, it was confirmed that combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid would have a synergistic effect.

[0051] [Table 2] No. Increase quantity (g) Difference from No.1-1 (g) 1-1 40.5 - 1-2 43.5 3.0 1-3 52.5 12.0 1-4 63.5 23.0

[0052] (Feed Conversion Rate (FCR)) The feed conversion ratio (FCR) results after 19 days of feeding are shown in Table 3. FCR is the feed intake required to gain 1 kg of body weight, expressed as feed intake divided by the weight gain. Compared to the experiment with only a basal diet (No. 1-1), a decrease in FCR was observed in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-2), only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-3), and both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-4).

[0053] [Table 3] No. FCR Difference from No.1-1 1-1 6.70 - 1-2 4.99 -1.71 1-3 4.48 -2.22 1-4 4.00 -2.70

[0054] (Production Index) The production index results after 19 days of rearing are shown in Table 4. The production index is expressed as survival rate × weight gain per animal per day ÷ feed conversion ratio. The survival rate in this experiment was 100%, and the production index for each experiment was calculated using survival rate (100) × weight gain (Table 2) ÷ 19 days ÷ feed conversion ratio (Table 3). The production index increased in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-2), the experiments with only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-3), and the experiments with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-4) compared to the experiment with only basal diet (No. 1-1). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 1-4), an improvement in the production index exceeding the results predicted based on No. 1-2 and No. 1-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing experiments (No. 1-3) in which only glutamic acid was added to the basal feed with experiments (No. 1-4) in which both glutamic acid and abscisic acid were added to the basal feed, a further improvement in the production index was observed in the latter compared to the former. This demonstrates that, according to the present invention, adding abscisic acid in addition to glutamic acid can achieve a significant improvement in the production index. That is, it is confirmed that a synergistic effect is achieved by combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid.

[0055] [Table 4] No. Production Index Difference from No.1-1 1-1 3.2 - 1-2 4.6 1.4 1-3 6.2 3.0 1-4 8.4 5.2

[0056] Experimental Example 2 The effects of adding ABA and glutamic acid to feed were verified in the following manner. (1) Materials and Methods Two 7-week-old female SD rats were used in each experiment. Two rats were housed in each cage. The rats were fed the diet shown in Table 5 three times a week for three weeks, allowing them free access to the food. [Table 5] No. Basic feed (per serving) Glutamic acid (parts) ABA (ppm) 2-1 100 0 0 2-2 100 0 0.1 2-3 100 3.616 0 2-4 100 3.616 0.1

[0057] (2) Observation and measurement items (i) Clinical symptoms: Observe daily. (ii) Body weight: The body weight of rats was measured three times a week, and the weight gain of each individual was calculated. (iii) Feed intake: The amount of leftover feed and the amount of feed given to each cage were measured three times a week. The average feed intake per animal per day was calculated using the following formula. (Previous feeding amount - remaining feed amount) / (Number of rats in 1 cage × time)

[0058] (Clinical symptoms) No abnormalities were found in any of the individuals.

[0059] (Weight gain) The results of weight gain after 12 days of feeding are shown in Table 6. Compared with the experiment with only basal diet (No. 2-1), weight gain was observed in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-2), only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-3), and both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-4). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-4), a weight gain exceeding the results predicted based on the results of No. 2-2 and No. 2-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing the experiment with only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-3) with the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-4), a further weight gain was observed in the latter compared to the former. Therefore, it can be seen that, according to the present invention, by adding abscisic acid in addition to glutamic acid, a significant effect of weight gain can be obtained. That is, it was confirmed that combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid would have a synergistic effect.

[0060] [Table 6] No. Increase quantity (g) Difference from No. 2-1 (g) 2-1 24.5 - 2-2 26.0 1.5 2-3 30.0 5.5 2-4 39.5 15.5

[0061] (Feed Conversion Rate (FCR)) The feed conversion ratio (FCR) results after 12 days of feeding are shown in Table 7. FCR is the feed intake required to gain 1 kg of body weight, expressed as feed intake divided by the weight gain. Compared to the experiment with only a basal diet (No. 2-1), the FCR was lower in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-2), only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-3), and both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-4). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 2-4), a lower FCR than predicted based on the results of No. 2-2 and No. 2-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing experiments (No. 2-3) in which only glutamic acid was added to the basal feed with experiments (No. 2-4) in which both glutamic acid and abscisic acid were added to the basal feed, a further decrease in feed conversion rate was observed in the latter compared to the former. This demonstrates that, according to the present invention, adding abscisic acid in addition to glutamic acid can achieve a significant reduction in feed conversion rate. That is, it is confirmed that a synergistic effect is achieved by combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid.

[0062] [Table 7] No. FCR Difference from No. 2-1 2-1 5.53 - 2-2 5.26 -0.27 2-3 4.35 -1.18 2-4 3.30 -2.23

[0063] (Production Index) The production indicators after 12 days of rearing are shown in Table 8. The survival rate of this experiment was 100%, and the production index for each experiment was calculated using survival rate (100) × weight gain (Table 6) ÷ 12 days ÷ feed conversion ratio (Table 7). Compared with the experiment with only basal feed (No. 2-1), the production index increased in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal feed (No. 2-2), the experiments with only glutamic acid added to the basal feed (No. 2-3), and the experiments with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal feed (No. 2-4). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal feed (No. 2-4), an improvement in the production index exceeding the results predicted based on the results of No. 2-2 and No. 2-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing experiments (No. 2-3) in which only glutamic acid was added to the basal feed with experiments (No. 2-4) in which only glutamic acid and abscisic acid were added to the basal feed, a further improvement in the production index was observed in the latter compared to the former. This demonstrates that, according to the present invention, adding abscisic acid in addition to glutamic acid can achieve a significant improvement in the production index. That is, it is confirmed that a synergistic effect is achieved by combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid.

[0064] [Table 8] No. Production Index Difference from No. 2-1 2-1 3.7 - 2-2 4.1 0.4 2-3 5.8 2.1 2-4 10.0 6.3

[0065] Experimental Example 3 The effects of adding ABA and glutamic acid to feed were verified in the following manner. (1) Materials and Methods Two 7-week-old female SD rats were used in each experiment. Two rats were housed in each cage. The rats were fed the diet shown in Table 9 three times a week for three weeks, allowing them free access to the food. [Table 9] No. Basic feed (per serving) Glutamic acid (parts) ABA (ppm) 3-1 100 0 0 3-2 100 0 30 3-3 100 3.616 0 3-4 100 3.616 30

[0066] (2) Observation and measurement items (i) Clinical symptoms: Observe daily. (ii) Body weight: The body weight of rats was measured three times a week, and the weight gain of each individual was calculated. (iii) Feed intake: The amount of leftover feed and the amount of feed given to each cage were measured three times a week. The average feed intake per animal per day was calculated using the following formula. (Previous feeding amount - remaining feed amount) / (Number of rats in 1 cage × time)

[0067] (Clinical symptoms) No abnormalities were found in any of the individuals.

[0068] (Weight gain) The results of weight gain after 15 days of feeding are shown in Table 10. Compared with the experiment with only basal diet (No. 3-1), weight gain was observed in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-2), only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-3), and both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-4). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-4), a weight gain exceeding the results predicted based on the results of No. 3-2 and No. 3-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing the experiment with only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-3) with the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-4), a further weight gain was observed in the latter compared to the former. Therefore, it can be seen that, according to the present invention, in addition to glutamic acid, the addition of abscisic acid can achieve a significant effect in weight gain. That is, it was confirmed that combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid would have a synergistic effect.

[0069] [Table 10] No. Weight gain (g) The difference (g) between No. 3-1 and No. 3-1 3-1 38.5 - 3-2 46.0 7.5 3-3 46.0 7.5 3-4 57.5 19.0

[0070] (Feed Conversion Rate (FCR)) The feed conversion ratio (FCR) results after 15 days of feeding are shown in Table 11. FCR is the feed intake required to gain 1 kg of body weight, expressed as feed intake divided by the weight gain. Compared to the experiment with only a basal diet (No. 3-1), the FCR was lower in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-2), only glutamic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-3), and both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-4). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal diet (No. 3-4), a lower FCR than predicted based on the results of No. 3-2 and No. 3-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing experiments (No. 3-3) in which only glutamic acid was added to the basal feed with experiments (No. 3-4) in which both glutamic acid and abscisic acid were added to the basal feed, a further decrease in feed conversion rate was observed in the latter compared to the former. This demonstrates that, according to the present invention, by adding abscisic acid in addition to glutamic acid, a significant reduction in feed conversion rate can be achieved. That is, it is confirmed that a synergistic effect is achieved by combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid.

[0071] [Table 11] No. FCR Difference from No. 3-1 3-1 4.53 - 3-2 4.24 -0.29 3-3 4.13 -0.40 3-4 3.86 -0.67

[0072] (Production Index) The production indicators after 15 days of rearing are shown in Table 12. The survival rate of this experiment was 100%, and the production index for each experiment was calculated using survival rate (100) × weight gain (Table 10) ÷ 15 days ÷ feed conversion ratio (Table 11). Compared with the experiment with only basal feed (No. 3-1), the production index increased in the experiments with only abscisic acid added to the basal feed (No. 3-2), only glutamic acid added to the basal feed (No. 3-3), and both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal feed (No. 3-4). Furthermore, in the experiment with both glutamic acid and abscisic acid added to the basal feed (No. 3-4), an improvement in the production index exceeding the results predicted based on the results of No. 3-2 and No. 3-3 was observed. In particular, when comparing experiments (No. 3-3) in which only glutamic acid was added to the basal feed with experiments (No. 3-4) in which both glutamic acid and abscisic acid were added to the basal feed, a further improvement in the production index was observed in the latter compared to the former. This demonstrates that, according to the present invention, adding abscisic acid in addition to glutamic acid can achieve a significant improvement in the production index. That is, it is confirmed that a synergistic effect is achieved by combining glutamic acid with a very small amount of abscisic acid relative to glutamic acid.

[0073] [Table 12] No. Production Index Difference from No. 3-1 3-1 5.7 - 3-2 7.2 1.5 3-3 7.4 1.7 3-4 9.9 4.2 [Industrial Applicability]

[0074] The livestock feed containing abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid of the present invention can be used to feed livestock as an excellent livestock feed in terms of weight gain and feed efficiency. According to the present invention, by using feed containing abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid to feed livestock, the weight gain of livestock can be improved and the feed efficiency of livestock can be increased.

Claims

1. A feed for monogastric mammals, characterized in that it contains: 0.1 to 30 ppm of abscisic acid and / or its salts, and glutamic acid, wherein the weight ratio of abscisic acid and / or its salts to glutamic acid is 1:3,600 to 1,110,000.

2. The monogastric mammal feed as requested in item 1 contains 0.1 to 10 ppm of abscisic acid and / or its salts.

3. As requested in item 2, the feed for monogastric mammals, wherein the weight ratio of abscisic acid and / or its salts to glutamic acid is 1:3,600 to 370,000.

4. A method for raising a monogastric mammal, characterized in that: the monogastric mammal is fed with monogastric mammal feed as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A method for improving weight gain in monogastric mammals, characterized in that: the monogastric mammals are fed monogastric mammal feed as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A method for improving feed efficiency in monogastric mammals, characterized in that: the monogastric mammals ingest monogastric mammal feed as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.