Animal feed comprising grain and agaricus blazei extract and use of the feed material
The invention relates to the use of feed material comprising grain and Agaricus Blazei , comprising the Agaricus species in an amount between 10 to 50% by weight on dry matter, and the feed material having a moisture content of less than 10% (relative to dry matter), for administration to chicken for improvement of egg laying, preferably for improving shell quality and/or for extending the egg laying period. The invention further relates to a process for making the feed material, and feed for laying hens comprising the feed material.
1. A process for producing a feed material, consisting of:
a) fermenting mycelium of Agaricus blazei fungus on an amount of grain, wherein the moisture content by weight of the grain is between 10 wt % and 90 wt %, until the fermented grain comprises by dry weight thereof 15 wt % to 50 wt % mycelium content,
b) drying the fermented grain at a temperature between 25° C. and 90° C. and to reduce the moisture content thereof of less than 10 wt %, and
c) milling the so obtained fermented and dried material to a particle size with a d 50 between 0.01 mm and 10 mm thereby producing said feed material.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the grain is rye or oat.
3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the dried material has a particle size with a d 50 between 0.01 mm and 3 mm.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the drying temperature is below 50° C.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the feed material has a moisture content between 2 wt % and 8 wt %.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the feed material has a particle size with a d 50 between 0.01 mm and 3 mm.
7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the feed material comprises ergosterol in an amount of 100 mg and 600 mg per kg feed material.
8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the feed material comprises active cellulases having an activity between 0.1 to 0.8 unit/ml in an extract which is obtained if 10 g feed material is extracted with 20 ml water.
9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the feed material comprises an amount of 1,3- and 1,6-β-glucans of between 3 g and 100 g, per kg of the feed material.
10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the feed, per kg thereof, comprises:
an amount of ergosterol of 100 mg to 600 mg, and an amount of 1,3- and 1,6-β-glucans of between 3 g and 100 g per kg of the feed material.
11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the grain is rye or oat, wherein the dried material has a particle size with a d 50 between 0.01 mm and 3 mm, and wherein the feed material has a moisture content between 2 wt % and 8 wt %.