Composition for inhibiting disease of livestock

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a probiotic feed composition that, while having immediate effects on livestock including recently born young, also maintains the effects even if the feeding period is long. The aforementioned purpose is achieved by, inter alia: a composition for inhibiting livestock diseases, the composition containing, as an active ingredient, fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) GG strain (ATCC53103); and a method for inhibiting livestock diseases, the method comprising feeding livestock with fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain.

Description

Composition for controlling diseases in livestock

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for suppressing diseases in livestock, which is used to suppress diseases in livestock.

[0002] For livestock farmers raising cattle, pigs, chickens, and other animals, maintaining their health and promoting their growth leads to increased productivity. However, maintaining and promoting the stable health and growth of livestock is difficult even for adult animals, and even more so for young animals, which are more susceptible to the influence of their living environment both physically and mentally.

[0003] Compared to adult animals, calves are more prone to diarrhea due to factors such as weaker immunity, inability to properly digest feed, and inability to absorb nutrients adequately. For example, it is said that the majority of calf deaths are caused by diarrhea and indigestion.

[0004] In addition to livestock farming, dairy farming, which involves raising dairy cows, suffers significant economic losses due to calf diarrhea. Therefore, antibiotics are used in dairy farming to prevent and treat calf diarrhea. However, excessive use of antibiotics can induce the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can reduce or neutralize the effectiveness of the antibiotics.

[0005] Therefore, probiotic-based live bacterial preparations are attracting attention as a means of suppressing diarrhea that does not rely on antibiotics. For example, as a type of probiotic-based live bacterial preparation, those that utilize a culture or processed product thereof of lactic acid bacteria include a sterilized culture supernatant obtained by centrifugation of a culture obtained by culturing Lactobacillus gasseri (see, for example, Patent Document 1); and a freeze-dried solution containing bacterial cells recovered from a culture of Lactobacillus plantarum, skim milk, and monosodium glutamate (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0006] Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus plantarum, described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, are both species of microorganisms belonging to the genus Lactobacillus. There are many Lactobacillus microorganisms in the world, with more than 30 classified species. One example of a Lactobacillus microorganism is Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

[0007] There are various research reports on Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103) among the Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains. These include reports that when milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cells is fed to calves, the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain can maintain its viability in the calves' digestive tract (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1) and can improve fecal scores (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 2).

[0008] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-305128 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-048683

[0009] Julia B Ewaschuk et al., Can J Vet Res. 2004 Oct;68(4):249-53.Liyang Zhang et al., J Anim Sci. 2019 May 30;97(6):2598-2608.

[0010] Newborn calves experience a rapid decline in immunity within a few days. In such calves, the incidence of diarrhea due to infection increases. However, most commercially available probiotics use inactive lactic acid bacteria spore powder for preservation and convenience, meaning they require a certain amount of time for the bacteria to exert their diarrhea-suppressing effect, resulting in a lack of immediate efficacy.

[0011] The probiotic described in Patent Document 1 is administered to calves two weeks after birth (14 days old or older), but not to calves a few days old. Furthermore, even when administered to calves two weeks after birth, the rate of developing diarrhea within two weeks after administration exceeds 50%, indicating that the probiotic described in Patent Document 1 has a low effect in suppressing diarrhea.

[0012] The probiotic described in Patent Document 2 is given to Holstein male calves purchased on the market. Holstein calves typically traded on the market are 10 days old or older, and are not given to calves of a few days old. Furthermore, even when given to calves 10 days old or older, the diarrhea and loose stool index increases when comparing the feeding period of 0-7 days with that of 22-35 days, indicating that the probiotic described in Patent Document 2 has difficulty in continuously suppressing diarrhea.

[0013] Non-patent document 1 does not specifically describe whether milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cells can suppress diarrhea in calves. Furthermore, non-patent document 2 describes feeding milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cells to calves 9 days old or older, but not to calves younger than a few days. Moreover, even when fed to calves 9 days old or older, the fecal score increased more after two weeks than after one week, indicating a problem with the effectiveness of suppressing diarrhea.

[0014] Furthermore, there is little known about probiotic feed compositions that are fast-acting for calves a few days old, yet maintain their diarrhea-suppressing effect even over long feeding periods.

[0015] Therefore, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a probiotic feed composition that is fast-acting for livestock, including newborn calves, and whose effects are sustained even over a long period of feeding.

[0016] The inventors, after diligently studying to solve the above problems, focused on Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain from among numerous probiotic candidates. During their investigation, they concluded that methods using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cells, as described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, would be ineffective in suppressing diarrhea in calves several days old. Indeed, as described in the examples below, the inventors' investigations revealed that dried Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cell powder did not have any effect in suppressing diarrhea in calves.

[0017] Therefore, the inventors continued to experiment and produced fermented milk using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. When they fed this fermented milk to calves a few days old, they were surprised to find that the fecal score improved immediately after feeding, and they succeeded in suppressing the onset of diarrhea. Even more surprisingly, the diarrhea-suppressing effect of the fermented milk using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain persisted even over a long period of feeding.

[0018] Based on these findings and success stories, the inventors have finally succeeded in creating a livestock composition containing fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, which can solve the problems of the present invention. The present invention is completed based on the findings and success stories that were first discovered by the inventors.

[0019] Accordingly, the present invention provides the following embodiments: [1] A composition for suppressing diseases in livestock, comprising fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103) as an active ingredient. [2] The composition according to item [1], wherein the composition is a disease-suppressing composition for suppressing at least one disease selected from the group consisting of diarrhea and the common cold. [3] The composition according to any one of items [1] to [2], wherein the composition is used for young animals from birth to weaning. [4] The composition according to item [3], wherein the young animal is a calf. [5] A feed composition comprising fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103). [6] The feed composition according to item [5], further comprising milk replacer. [7] A method for controlling diseases in livestock, comprising feeding livestock fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103).

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the onset of diseases such as diarrhea and colds in livestock, including newborn calves, in a way that is both immediate and long-lasting. One embodiment of the present invention contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, which has a long history of safe consumption in livestock and humans. Therefore, it is expected that this composition can be used not only to maintain the health and promote growth in healthy livestock, but also to improve the health of livestock whose health has already deteriorated.

[0021] Figure 1 is a photograph of fecal samples with scores 1 to 4, which serve as the basis for evaluating the fecal score, as described in the examples below. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the daily changes in the average fecal score for the test group and the control group, as described in the examples below. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the daily changes in the proportion of calves for each fecal score in the test group and the control group, as described in the examples below. Figure 4 is a diagram summarizing the number of calves that excreted diarrheal stool over the test period for each test group and the control group, as described in the examples below. Figure 5 is a diagram summarizing the number of calves that developed a cold over the test period for each test group and the control group, as described in the examples below.

[0022] The various aspects of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the present invention can take various forms insofar as it achieves its objective.

[0023] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, each term is used in the sense commonly used by those skilled in the art in the fields of dairy farming, livestock farming, food processing, etc., and should not be interpreted as having an unreasonably restrictive meaning. Furthermore, since the assumptions and theories made herein are based on the inventors' prior knowledge and experience, the present invention is not limited solely to such assumptions and theories.

[0024] "Composition" is not particularly limited in its usual sense, but for example, it refers to a substance made up of two or more components (raw materials) combined. "And / or" means any one of the listed related items, any combination of two or more, or all of the combinations. "Content" is synonymous with concentration and amount used (amount added), and means the ratio of the amount of component to the total amount of composition. The total amount of component content shall not exceed 100%. The "~" in a numerical range means a range that includes the numbers before and after it, and also includes the range excluding one of the limits that they include. For example, "0% to 100%" may be 0% or more, 100% or less, or 0% or more and 100% or less. "Exceeding" and "less than" mean the lower limit and upper limit, respectively, without including the number before them. For example, "exceeding 1" means a number greater than 1, and "less than 100" means a number less than 100. "Approximately" means an amount within ±10% of the quantity that follows the term. For example, "approximately 100" means 100 ± 10%, i.e., 90 to 110. "Includes" means that elements other than those explicitly included can be added (synonymous with "at least include"), but it also includes "consists of" and "essentially consists of". That is, "includes" can mean including the explicitly included elements and any one or more of those elements, consisting of the explicitly included elements, or essentially consisting of the explicitly included elements. Elements include components, processes, conditions, parameters, and other limitations. The number of digits in an integer value matches the number of significant figures. For example, 1 has one significant figure, and 10 has two significant figures. Also, the number of digits after the decimal point in a decimal value matches the number of significant figures. For example, 0.1 has one significant figure, and 0.10 has two significant figures. The digit below the significant figure is rounded. For example, 0.1 is a number in the range of 0.05 to 0.14. Throughout this specification, unless the context clearly indicates a singular term, it shall be understood to include plural terms.

[0025] In this specification, terms whose meanings are defined in the "Order Concerning Standards for Ingredients, etc., of Milk and Dairy Products" (Ministry of Health and Welfare Ordinance No. 52 of 1951; hereinafter also referred to as the Milk and Dairy Products Order) shall be interpreted as having the meanings defined in the Milk and Dairy Products Order.

[0026] "Disease control" includes preventing and delaying the onset of disease in healthy and diseased individuals, reducing the risk of disease development in healthy and diseased individuals, preventing and delaying the worsening of disease in diseased individuals, reducing the risk of disease worsening in diseased individuals, alleviating and improving disease in diseased individuals, and improving the health of diseased individuals. In other words, "disease control" means disease prevention, and this does not preclude it from also meaning disease treatment.

[0027] [Summary of the Invention] The present invention is characterized by the fact that fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103) has a disease-suppressing effect on livestock, including newborn calves. One aspect of the present invention is a composition for suppressing diseases in livestock. Another aspect of the present invention is a feed composition. Another aspect of the present invention is a method for suppressing diseases in livestock.

[0028] [Fermented milk using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain] Fermented milk using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain is obtained by subjecting raw materials containing milk components and sugars to a fermentation process using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. In other words, fermented milk using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain contains a larger amount of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain than the initial amount through the fermentation process.

[0029] The milk components can be any components found in milk, such as milk fat and non-fat milk solids. Specific examples of milk components include raw milk, cow's milk, special milk, raw goat's milk, pasteurized goat's milk, raw sheep's milk, adjusted milk, low-fat milk, non-fat milk, and processed milk; and dairy products such as concentrated milk, skimmed concentrated milk, unsweetened condensed milk, unsweetened skimmed condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, sweetened skimmed condensed milk, whole milk powder, skimmed milk powder, sweetened milk powder, prepared milk powder, prepared liquid milk, cream, and butter. The milk components may be one of these alone or a combination of two or more. However, fermented dairy products such as cheese and fermented milk are excluded. The milk components are more preferably skimmed, and even more preferably skimmed milk powder. In the Milk and Dairy Products Act, the milk solids content of skim milk powder is defined as 95.0% or more. Since the manufacturing process involves virtually no fat, the non-fat milk solids content of skim milk powder is generally around 95%.

[0030] The milk component content in the raw materials should be such that it is sufficient to produce fermented milk that has a disease-suppressing effect on livestock, including newborn calves. For example, the non-fat milk solids content is preferably 3% to 15% by mass, more preferably 8% to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 12% to 15% by mass, relative to the total amount of raw materials.

[0031] The sugars used are those that Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain can utilize. Specifically, these include galactose, glucose, fructose, mannose, dulciitol, mannitol, sorbitol, N-acetylglucosamine, arbutin, salicin, cellobiose, trehalose, melezitose, genthiobiose, and tagatose. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cannot utilize sucrose. However, a certain amount of sucrose is useful in suppressing the decrease of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain during refrigerated storage. Therefore, sucrose may be included among the sugars used.

[0032] The saccharide may be a saccharide-containing material including the above-described saccharides. Examples of the saccharide-containing material include high-fructose corn syrup, granulated sugar, fine granulated sugar, maple syrup, honey, corn syrup and the like.

[0033] The content of the saccharide in the raw material only needs to be an amount suitable for the proliferation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. For example, the content is preferably 1% by mass to 3% by mass relative to the total amount of the raw material, and more preferably 1.5% by mass to 3.0% by mass for more appropriately culturing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. These amounts represent the amount of liquid sugar or solid sugar having a Brix of 73% or more. When a saccharide having a Brix of less than 73% is used, an amount corresponding to the above amount in terms of Brix may be used.

[0034] Examples of other raw material components other than milk components and saccharides include raw material components that are commonly used when producing fermented milk. Examples of other raw material components include, but are not limited to, water, alcohol, sweeteners (such as aspartame and acesulfame potassium), fruit juices (such as apple juice, grape juice, lemon juice, orange juice, kiwi juice, pear juice, carrot juice, and tomato juice), plant materials (such as ginger powder), pH adjusters (such as citric acid, lactic acid, and malic acid), emulsifiers (such as sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, and lecithin), thickeners (such as carrageenan, xanthan gum, and guar gum), minerals (such as calcium, iron, manganese, and zinc), vitamins, flavors, pigments, and other food additives.

[0035] The fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain can be produced by subjecting a raw material containing a milk component, a saccharide, and optionally one or more other raw material components to fermentation treatment with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. Before being subjected to the fermentation treatment with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, the raw material is preferably subjected to sterilization treatment such as heating to a temperature of 60°C to 130°C, preferably 115°C to 125°C, and holding at the temperature for 1 second to 30 minutes.

[0036] The fermentation treatment using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain is carried out by inoculating the raw material with the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain and culturing the same under conditions suitable for proliferation of the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, such as temperature, pH and aeration.

[0037] The fermentation treatment can be carried out, for example, by static culture at 30°C to 40°C, preferably about 37°C, with an initial pH of 3 to 7, preferably pH 3 to 6. The duration of the fermentation treatment only needs to be a time period in which a sufficient increase in the cell mass of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain is observed; for example, it is a time period that allows the cell mass to increase to 5 to 100 times the initial cell mass, preferably 18 hours or more, more preferably 24 hours or more. The upper limit of the culture time is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 100 hours or less in consideration of production efficiency, energy cost and the like. As the culture apparatus and culture method used for the fermentation treatment, any apparatuses and methods used for culturing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain may be used.

[0038] The Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain to be subjected to fermentation treatment is preferably precultured in order to induce an early logarithmic growth phase in the fermentation treatment. Preculture of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain can be carried out under the same conditions as the fermentation treatment, using a medium suitable for proliferation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (e.g., MRS medium, etc.) or using the same raw material as that used for the fermentation treatment.

[0039] The cell mass of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain to be subjected to fermentation treatment only needs to be the cell mass of lactic acid bacteria that is normally used in the production of fermented milk, for example, 1×10 ７ CFU / ml to 1×10 ８ CFU / ml. The cell mass of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain in the fermented milk obtained after fermentation treatment only needs to be at least 5 times the initial cell mass, for example, it is preferably 5 to 100 times the initial cell mass, and depending on the initial cell mass, it is 1×10 ８ CFU / ml to 5×10 ９ CFU / ml, preferably 5×10 ８ CFU / ml to 5×10 ９more preferably CFU / ml, 1×10 ９ CFU / ml to 5×10 ９ CFU / ml is even more preferred.

[0040] Fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain can be produced, for example, by the following method. A raw material containing 12% by mass of skim milk powder as a milk component and 2% by mass of fructose as a saccharide is heat-sterilized under conditions of 65°C to 130°C for 1 second to 30 minutes, and then cooled to 30°C to 45°C. In the raw material after cooling (pH unadjusted), the bacterial cell mass in the raw material is 1×10 ７ CFU / ml to 1×10 ８ CFU / ml, a preculture solution of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain is inoculated at 1 v / w% to 5 v / w%. The raw material after inoculation is subjected to static culture at 30°C to 40°C for 18 hours or more to perform fermentation treatment, and then cooled to 4°C to 10°C. The obtained fermented product is used as it is without processing, or subjected to homogenization treatment to obtain fermented milk.

[0041] The properties of the fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain are not particularly limited as long as it is fermented milk in which the bacterial cell mass of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain is increased through fermentation under the above conditions. For example, the pH is preferably 4.0 to 4.5, more preferably 4.0 to 4.2.

[0042] The fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain is defined as "fermented milk" in the Ordinance on Milk and Milk Products, etc., so it is in paste or liquid form, and is preferably in thick paste form.

[0043] The amount of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain in fermented milk can be measured by streaking the fermented milk onto a culture plate and counting the number of colonies formed. For example, 10g to 25g of fermented milk is taken and diluted 10-fold with appropriate amounts of sterile saline. The resulting diluted fermented milk is then homogenized in a stomacher and serially diluted with sterile saline. Next, 0.1 ml of the resulting test sample is streaked onto an MRS agar plate. The streaked medium is then incubated at 37°C for 72 hours, and the number of colonies formed is counted to calculate the number of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG cells based on the dilution ratio.

[0044] [Composition for suppressing diseases in livestock] A composition for suppressing diseases in livestock according to one aspect of the present invention contains fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain as an active ingredient. A composition for suppressing diseases in livestock according to one aspect of the present invention has a disease-suppressing effect on livestock.

[0045] Fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain contains, in addition to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, components derived from raw materials such as milk components and sugars, as well as metabolites, and is itself in the form of a composition. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention's composition for suppressing diseases in livestock may consist of fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, or it may contain fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain and other components. Other components may be those that do not hinder the solving of the problem of the present invention, and examples include components contained in the feed composition described later. One embodiment of the present invention's composition for suppressing diseases in livestock is in the form of a paste or liquid, following the form of fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain.

[0046] A composition for suppressing diseases in livestock according to one aspect of the present invention can suppress diseases in livestock when administered to them.

[0047] The livestock to which the disease-suppressing composition for livestock according to one aspect of the present invention is fed can be any animal that can be raised by humans, such as cattle, horses, goats, sheep, pigs, buffalo, and camels. The livestock can be adult animals or calves, but calves are preferred because they are sensitive to changes in their rearing environment and prone to developing diseases, and calves from birth to weaning are more preferred. Among calves, calves are preferred because the economic losses due to disease are significant.

[0048] The method of administering the disease-suppressing composition for livestock according to one aspect of the present invention to livestock is not particularly limited. For example, the disease-suppressing composition for livestock according to one aspect of the present invention can be administered to livestock by mixing it with basic feed such as milk replacer, water, etc.

[0049] The amount of the disease-suppressing composition for livestock according to one aspect of the present invention to be given to livestock should be an amount that exerts the disease-suppressing effect of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. For example, in the case of calves several days old, the daily dose of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain per calf is preferably 10 ml to 50 ml, more preferably 20 ml to 40 ml, in liquid volume; and preferably 2 × 10⁶ of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. １０ CFU or higher, more preferably 3 × 10 １０ CFU or higher, more preferably 4 × 10 １０ CFU or higher or 4 x 10 １０ CFU ~ 2 x 10 １１ This refers to CFU (Cell Fuel Undigested) levels. However, these amounts are merely guidelines and can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the growth stage, condition, breed, size, symptoms, and rearing environment of the livestock. In some cases, these ranges may be exceeded.

[0050] A composition for suppressing diseases in livestock according to one aspect of the present invention can suppress diseases such as diarrhea and colds in calves, as described in the examples below. The diseases targeted by the composition for suppressing diseases in livestock according to one aspect of the present invention include diarrhea and colds in livestock, as well as diseases and symptoms associated therewith. Another aspect of the present invention is a composition for suppressing diarrhea in livestock and a composition for suppressing colds in livestock.

[0051] The degree of disease-suppressing effect of the livestock disease-suppressing composition according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably such that it suppresses disease more effectively than when the livestock are not given the livestock disease-suppressing composition according to one aspect of the present invention, more preferably such that it suppresses disease more effectively than when any of the commercially available diarrhea suppressants 1 to 3 described in the examples below are given, and even more preferably such that it suppresses disease more effectively than when a combination of the diarrhea suppressants 1 to 3 is given. The livestock disease-suppressing composition according to one aspect of the present invention contains fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain as an active ingredient, which includes Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cells as well as components and metabolites derived from raw materials such as milk components and sugars. Therefore, it has a greater disease-suppressing effect on livestock than compositions that use Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain cells or their powder as an active ingredient.

[0052] The disease-suppressing effect of a disease-suppressing composition for livestock according to one aspect of the present invention may be evaluated by the maintenance of the health of the livestock or by the growth of the livestock as planned. From these viewpoints, other aspects of the present invention include compositions for maintaining the health of livestock, compositions for preventing lethality in livestock, compositions for promoting the growth of livestock, and compositions for increasing the weight of livestock.

[0053] [Feed Composition] A feed composition according to one aspect of the present invention contains fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. The feed composition according to one aspect of the present invention is given to livestock as feed.

[0054] A feed composition according to one aspect of the present invention may consist of fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, but it is preferable to further include a base feed.

[0055] The basal feed can consist of components that are mainly found in ordinary livestock feed. However, since the fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain is paste-like or liquid, it is preferable that the basal feed is also paste-like or liquid. In this way, the feed composition of one embodiment of the present invention may be paste-like or liquid. Paste-like or liquid feed compositions facilitate feeding to young animals, for example, calves of several days old.

[0056] The basal feed is preferably a milk replacer in which the amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, dietary fiber, minerals, etc. are adjusted according to the type of livestock. However, when feeding a feed composition according to one aspect of the present invention to adult livestock, the basal feed may be solid feed such as pasture grass, grains, vegetables, root vegetables, or dairy products such as skim milk.

[0057] A feed composition according to one aspect of the present invention may contain, in addition to fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain and basic feed, other components such as enzymes, antioxidants, emulsifiers, thickeners, vitamins, minerals, sugars, and flavors.

[0058] A feed composition according to one aspect of the present invention can be produced by mixing fermented milk and basal feed produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, along with any other components. This feed composition according to one aspect of the present invention can be administered to livestock in the same manner as ordinary feed.

[0059] The amount of fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain in the feed composition according to one embodiment of the present invention is such that the amount of fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain administered is equal to the amount described above, and can be appropriately set according to the amount of feed given per day.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, when distributed in the market, it is preferable that the feed composition be packaged in a sealed container. The feed composition may be subjected to treatments such as freezing or freeze-drying after being packaged and sealed in a container. The container is not particularly limited, but examples include packaging containers made of paper, plastics such as PET or PTP, glass, metals such as aluminum, etc. In this way, the packaged feed composition can be independently distributed and sold commercially.

[0061] [Method for controlling diseases in livestock] By utilizing the disease-suppressing effect of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain, the present invention can take various forms. For example, another aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling diseases in livestock using fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain. One aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling diseases in livestock, which includes feeding fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain to livestock, preferably young animals, and more preferably newborn calves.

[0062] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples, and can take various forms as long as it can solve the problems of the present invention.

[0063] Unless otherwise specified, "%" in this embodiment means "mass%".

[0064] [1. Production of LGG Fermented Milk] Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103) was cultured on MRS agar plate at 37°C for 24 hours to obtain a single colony. This colony was isolated and inoculated into skim milk medium containing 2% sucrose, 2% fructose, and 1% fermentation accelerator, which had been sterilized at 121°C for 15 minutes. The culture was then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours to obtain a pre-culture. Whey peptide (manufactured by Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd.) was used as the fermentation accelerator.

[0065] The resulting pre-culture solution is added to a raw material (non-fat milk solids 14%) containing 15% milk components (skim milk powder), 2% sucrose, and 2% fructose, which has been sterilized at 105°C for 3 minutes, to obtain a mixture with a final concentration of 1%. This mixture is then subjected to a fermentation process at 37°C for 18 hours or more to produce a paste-like LGG fermented milk (1.5 × 10⁻⁶). ９ A CFU / ml (pH 4.1) solution was obtained.

[0066] [2. Preparation of Test Feed] The milk replacer was prepared by dissolving commercially available powdered milk ("Calf Top ET," manufactured by Nippon Milk Replacer Co., Ltd.) in eight times the amount of warm water (47°C) and stirring thoroughly. The test feed was prepared by adding LGG fermented milk to the milk replacer and mixing. The positive control feed was prepared by adding commercially available diarrhea suppressants 1 to 3 to the milk replacer and mixing. Diarrhea suppressant 1 contained lactic acid bacteria (Streptococcus faecalis) 1 x 10⁶. ８ Clostridium butyricum 1×10 ６ One or more of these, and 1 x 10⁶ saccharifying bacteria (Bacillus mesentericus) ６ This is a mixed feed containing live bacteria, with a minimum of 10 units. Diarrhea inhibitor 2 contains Lactomin (lactic acid bacteria) 7 x 10 units. ６ Clostridium butyricum 2×10 ５ More than one, and 3 x 10 saccharifying bacteria ５ This is a mixed feed containing live bacteria, with a minimum of [number] cells. Diarrhea inhibitor 3 is a mixed feed containing live bacteria, with five strains of Bacillus bacteria (four strains of Bacillus subtilis and one strain of Bacillus licheniformis).

[0067] The amount of test feed given was 30 ml of LGG fermented milk per animal per day (6.6 g as solid content; approximately 4.5 x 10) １０ The amount was set to result in CFU / day. The amount of positive control feed was set so that the daily dose of commercially available diarrhea suppressants 1-3 per animal was 20g, 20g, and 2g, respectively.

[0068] [3. Evaluation of the disease-suppressing effect on calves] Female Holstein suckling calves aged 2 to 8 days were used as test calves. The test calves, each housed individually in a calf hutch, were divided into two groups. Seventeen calves in the test group (average age at introduction: 3.9 days, 2 to 7 days) were fed the test feed, while 13 calves in the control group (average age at introduction: 4.0 days, 2 to 8 days) were fed the positive control feed.

[0069] The experiment lasted 15 days, during which the test feed and the positive control feed were given to the calves twice a day (morning and evening). Feces from all calves in both the test and control groups were visually observed daily, and fecal scores were recorded according to the following criteria. Scores of 2 and 3 were considered abnormal feces and classified as diarrhea. Examples of feces with scores 1-4 are shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 is taken from the literature by Renaud, DL, et al. (Renaud, DL, et al., 2020. J. Dairy Sci. 103:10709-10714.). Score 0: Normal stool; Score 1: Soft stool; Score 2: Muddy stool; Score 3: Watery stool.

[0070] Throughout the trial period, all calves in both the test and control groups were observed daily by visual inspection for nasal discharge, drooping ears, and / or remaining still in the back of the calf hutch. Calves exhibiting these symptoms were classified as having bovine respiratory syndrome (common cold).

[0071] Figure 2 shows the daily changes in the average fecal score for the test group and the control group. Surprisingly, as shown in Figure 2, the test group fed the test feed tended to have a lower average fecal score over the entire study period compared to the control group fed a positive control feed containing a diarrhea suppressant.

[0072] Figure 3 shows the daily changes in the proportion of calves with each fecal score in the experimental and control groups. As shown in Figure 3, in the experimental group, no calves excreted watery stools with a score of 3, and only a few calves excreted muddy stools with a score of 2. In contrast, in the control group, a large proportion of calves excreted diarrheal stools with scores of 2 and 3.

[0073] Figure 4 shows the number of calves that excreted diarrheal stools during the trial period, categorized by the experimental group and the control group. Note that Figure 4 excludes data from individuals exhibiting abnormal conditions such as colds, and is therefore based on data from 17 calves in the experimental group and 13 calves in the control group. As shown in Figure 4, the number of calves that developed diarrhea was significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. Furthermore, the average number of days of diarrhea per calf (total days of diarrhea / number of calves with diarrhea) was 1.6 days in the experimental group and 2.8 days in the control group. Additionally, four calves in the control group experienced diarrhea for three days, while none in the experimental group did. Thus, the diarrhea symptoms in the experimental group calves were milder than those in the control group, indicating that LGG fermented milk not only suppresses diarrhea in calves but also reduces diarrheal symptoms.

[0074] Figure 5 shows the number of calves that developed the common cold during the trial period, broken down by the test group and the control group. As shown in Figure 5, the number of calves that developed the common cold in the test group was significantly lower than in the control group. It was found that using fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain improved the calves' immunity, avoided the use of antibiotics, and reduced the risk of pneumonia.

[0075] Furthermore, a test group (19 calves; average age at introduction 3.9 days; ages 1-8 at introduction) using fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain was prepared, and a control group (10 calves; average age at introduction 5.9 days; ages 2-9 at introduction) was administered dried bacterial powder of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain with the same bacterial count as the fermented milk was prepared. The test period was 19 days and the same procedure as described above was followed. As a result, the average fecal score in the test group was at most about 0.7, while in the control group there were four days when it exceeded 1.0.

[0076] The results above show that fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain has an effect of suppressing diseases such as diarrhea and colds in livestock, including newborn calves. Furthermore, this disease-suppressing effect was found to be significantly superior to that of conventional drugs.

[0077] By utilizing the composition and method according to one embodiment of the present invention, diseases such as diarrhea and colds in livestock can be suppressed, thereby maintaining the health of livestock, promoting growth, and increasing the productivity of livestock farming and dairy farming. Cross-reference of related applications

[0078] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-049242, filed on 25 March 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, the entire contents of all documents referenced in the detailed description of the invention of this application, including Patent Documents 1-2 and Non-Patent Documents 1-2, are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A composition for controlling diseases in livestock, containing fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103) as an active ingredient.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition is a disease-suppressing composition for suppressing at least one disease selected from the group consisting of diarrhea and the common cold.

3. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 2, which is used for young animals from birth to weaning.

4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein the livestock is a calf.

5. A feed composition containing fermented milk produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103).

6. The feed composition according to claim 5, further comprising milk replacer.

7. A method for controlling diseases in livestock, comprising feeding livestock fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (ATCC53103).

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