Sugar Alcohol Feed for Ruminant Milk Production
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for enhancing milk production and component concentrations in ruminants are not economically, efficiently, or effectively increasing the amount of milk produced or the concentration of milk components, leading to health issues such as ruminal keratosis and laminitis.
Innovation Solution
Feeding ruminants a diet that includes sugar alcohols, specifically sorbitol, during the pre-partum and early post-partum periods, which improves energy balance and increases fat-corrected milk production and milk component concentrations without the need for rumen protection, thereby avoiding health complications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rumen-inert feed components or additives are used to prevent digestion in the rumen, then digestion in other stomach components is improved, but health problems such as ruminal keratosis, abomasal displacement, or laminitis may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the feed component by using esterified fatty acids (rumen-protected fatty acids) instead of traditional rumen-inert components. This parameter change allows the feed to resist rumen digestion while avoiding the harmful effects associated with conventional rumen-inert additives, thus resolving the contradiction between digestion efficiency and animal health
2Productivity
If feed composition is modified to increase milk production, then milk yield is improved, but health problems such as ruminal keratosis and laminitis may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the feed composition by incorporating rumen-protected fatty acids with specific esterification parameters. This parameter change enables increased milk production through improved energy availability while avoiding the metabolic disruptions that cause health problems like ruminal keratosis and laminitis
Solution Approach 2:
The esterified fatty acids act as an intermediary substance that bridges the need for increased energy intake (for higher milk production) and the need to avoid harmful metabolic effects. The esterification serves as a protective mechanism that allows the fatty acids to pass through the rumen undigested, then be hydrolyzed in the abomasum to provide energy without causing health issues
3Productivity
If conventional feeding methods are used to enhance milk production, then some increase in milk yield is achieved, but the increase is not economically or efficiently sufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the energy availability parameter in the feed by using rumen-protected fatty acids that are hydrolyzed in the abomasum. This parameter change improves energy efficiency by directing fatty acid digestion to a location where it can be more effectively utilized for milk production, reducing energy losses associated with conventional feeding methods
Data Source
AI summary
A method of feeding a ruminant that entails providing a feed that comprises sugar alcohol and at least one additional feed component, where the feed is free of rumen-protected fatty acid or comprises less than 10 weight percent rumen-protected fatty acid, based on the total weight of the feed and further entails orally supplying the feed to the ruminant during a pre-partum period when the ruminant is pregnant, where the ruminant ingests the feed and sugar alcohol during the pre-partum period.