ANIMAL FEED PELLETS INCLUDING A FEED ADDITIVE, METHOD OF MAKING AND OF USING SAME
There is provided an animal feed pellet comprising viable non-pathogenic E. coli bacteria incorporated into the feed pellet in an amount sufficient for affording a benefit to an animal having ingested the animal feed. There is also provided methods of making same and uses thereof.
1 . An animal feed pellet, comprising viable non-pathogenic E. coli bacteria incorporated into the pellet.
2 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 1 , wherein the bacteria is in an amount of at least 1×10 5 CFU/g.
3 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 1 , wherein the viable non-pathogenic E. coli is embedded in a feed additive incorporated into the animal feed pellet.
4 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 3 , wherein the feed additive includes a matrix, wherein the matrix has a water activity (a w ) of ≤0.3 prior to incorporation into the pellet.
5 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 4 , wherein the matrix comprises a hydrocolloid-forming polysaccharide.
6 . (canceled)
7 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 5 , wherein the hydrocolloid-forming polysaccharide is a first polysaccharide, wherein the feed additive further comprises a coating disposed on at least a portion of a surface thereof, and wherein the coating comprises a second polysaccharide which is different from the first polysaccharide.
8 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 7 , wherein the matrix comprises pores.
9 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 7 , wherein the coating comprises a particulate calcium-containing compound.
10 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 9 , wherein the calcium-containing compound includes calcium lactate.
11 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 10 , wherein the hydrocolloid-forming polysaccharide includes alginate.
12 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 11 , wherein the feed additive further includes a disaccharide.
13 . The animal feed pellet according to 12 , wherein the disaccharide includes sucrose, trehalose, or a combination thereof.
14 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 13 , wherein the feed additive further includes a salt of an amino acid.
15 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 14 , wherein the salt of the amino acid includes a salt of L-glutamic acid.
16 - 32 . (canceled)
33 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 15 , wherein the second polysaccharide includes maltodextrin, dextran or a combination thereof.
34 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 33 , wherein the disaccharide and the second polysaccharide are present in a ratio disaccharide/second polysaccharide (wt. %/wt. %) of less than 10.
35 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 11 , wherein the coating further includes a disaccharide.
36 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 35 , wherein the disaccharide includes sucrose, trehalose, or a combination thereof.
37 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 34 , wherein the bacteria is in an amount of at least 1×10 5 CFU/g.
38 . The animal feed pellet according to claim 34 , wherein the bacteria is in an amount of from 1×10 5 to 1×10 11 CFU/g.