Lignocellulosic Biomass Feed Additive for Monogastric Digestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Monogastric animals, such as swine and poultry, cannot digest and absorb glucose from lignocellulose due to the lack of necessary enzymes and limited retention time in the intestine, making it difficult to replace cereal grains in animal feed with cheaper cellulosic materials.
Innovation Solution
A method involving physical, chemical, or biological pre-treatment of lignocellulosic biomass followed by treatment with pre-digestive enzymes and in-feed glycosyl hydrolases, ensuring enzyme activity primarily occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby solubilizing biomass into oligosaccharides and monosaccharides, improving nutritional value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If lignocellulosic biomass is used to replace cereal grains in animal feed, then feed cost is reduced and land resources are conserved, but animals cannot digest and absorb glucose from the biomass due to lack of enzymes and limited retention time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating lignocellulosic biomass through physical, chemical, or biological methods before feeding to animals. This pre-treatment breaks down the complex lignocellulosic structure into more accessible forms, and further treatment with pre-digestive enzymes converts cellulose into soluble sugars that animals can directly absorb, thereby resolving the digestibility issue while maintaining the cost advantage of using lignocellulosic biomass.
2Reliability
If lignocellulosic biomass is pre-treated and treated with enzymes to improve digestibility, then nutritional value is enhanced, but the process complexity and treatment steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the digestion process into two distinct stages: pre-treatment (physical, chemical, or biological) followed by enzyme treatment. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently - the pre-treatment prepares the biomass structure, and the enzyme treatment specifically targets cellulose conversion. This modular approach enhances nutritional value while making the overall process more manageable and controllable.
3Use of energy by moving object
If enzymes are added to lignocellulosic biomass to enable glucose absorption, then energy utilization is improved, but the retention time in the intestine remains insufficient for complete conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing enzyme treatment outside the animal's digestive system, before feeding. This converts cellulose into soluble sugars in advance, eliminating the need for extensive intestinal retention time. The pre-converted sugars are immediately absorbable, thereby resolving the time constraint while maximizing energy utilization.
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
This approach allows lignocellulosic biomass to serve as a viable replacement for starch from grains, reducing feed costs, conserving resources, and enhancing nutrient digestibility and growth performance in animals.
Implementation Method 1
treating the physically and/or chemically and/or biologically pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass with at least one pre-digestive enzyme
Implementation Method 2
the at least one in-feed glycosyl hydrolase enzyme is functional, or primarily functional, in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal such that prior to entering the gastrointestinal tract the level of enzyme activity defined as the amount of solubilisation of biomass material to oligosaccharides and monosaccharides
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a feed additive composition comprising: a. physically and/or chemically and/or biologically treating lignocellulosic biomass;and b. admixing the physically and/or chemically and/or biologically treated lignocellulosic biomass from step a. with at least one in-feed glycosyl hydrolase enzyme, c. and optionally packaging. The present invention further relates to a feed additive composition or a feed ingredient comprising a physically and/or chemically and/or biologically treated lignocellulosic biomass in combination with at least one in-feed glycosyl hydrolase enzyme and use of said feed additive composition or feed ingredient to improving a biophysical characteristic of an animal.