Fermented Seaweed Feed for Piglet Diarrhoea
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current animal feed products face challenges in reducing the incidence of nutritional induced diarrhoea in piglets and weaning pigs without compromising growth, and without the need for antibiotics or medicinal zinc.
Innovation Solution
A feed product comprising a basic feed ingredient and a fermented composition of fermented seaweed and/or algae combined with fermented plant material from the family Fabaceae, which reduces protein content to less than 25% (w/w) and increases cereal product content to more than 30% (w/w), thereby addressing the issue of nutritional induced diarrhoea.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high protein content (18.5-23% or more) is used in feed to satisfy growth requirements of piglets and weaned pigs, then growth performance is improved, but nutritional induced diarrhoea occurs due to toxic metabolism in the guts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the protein content parameter from conventional high levels (18.5-23% or more) to a reduced level (10-20%, preferably 12-18%). This parameter change resolves the contradiction by demonstrating that lower protein content can maintain growth performance while preventing nutritional induced diarrhoea, particularly when combined with fermented seaweed and cereal products
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite feed formulation combining fermented seaweed (containing protein, amino acids, and bioactive compounds) with cereal products (containing carbohydrates and fiber). This composite material provides balanced nutrition that supports growth while the fermented components help prevent diarrhoea, resolving the contradiction between growth performance and diarrhoea prevention
2Object-affected harmful factors
If protein content is reduced to avoid nutritional induced diarrhoea, then incidence of diarrhoea decreases, but growth performance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the protein content parameter to a specific range (10-20%, preferably 12-18%) that is lower than conventional feeds but sufficient for growth when combined with fermented seaweed and cereal products. This parameter change allows diarrhoea prevention while maintaining growth performance
Solution Approach 2:
The fermented seaweed acts as an intermediary substance that bridges the gap between reduced protein content and growth requirements. It provides essential amino acids, proteins, and bioactive compounds that compensate for lower overall protein levels while supporting growth and preventing diarrhoea
3Productivity
If antibiotics or medicinal zinc are added to feed to maintain high protein content and reduce diarrhoea, then growth is maintained and diarrhoea incidence is reduced, but microbial resistance is induced and additional costs are imposed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates antibiotics and medicinal zinc from the feed formulation. Instead, it uses fermented seaweed and cereal products as natural alternatives that provide growth support and diarrhoea prevention without inducing microbial resistance or imposing additional costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive antibiotics and medicinal zinc with more economical fermented seaweed and cereal products. These natural ingredients provide the necessary functional benefits at lower cost without the negative side effects of antibiotic resistance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The feed product effectively reduces the incidence of nutritional induced diarrhoea, maintains animal growth, and eliminates the need for antibiotics or medicinal zinc, while also improving feed utilization and reducing feed consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a fermented composition, wherein the fermented composition comprising a fermented seaweed and/or algae, in combination with a fermented plant material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a feed product comprising at basic feed ingredient and a fermented composition, wherein the fermented composition comprising a fermented seaweed and/or algae, in combination with a fermented plant material, wherein the fermented plant material is selected from the family Fabaceae, the feed product comprises less than 25% (w/w) crude protein and more than 30% (w/w) cereal product.