# US 10,869,882 B2 · Animal feed compositions and methods of using the same

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- Number: US 10,869,882 B2
- Document ID: US10869882B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/290,699
- Filed: 2019-03-01
- Published: 2019-08-29
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2012-02-22
- Assignees: Kemin Industries, Inc.
- Applicants: Kemin Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Jeffrey Richard LeBrun; Robert Levine; Geoffrey Paul Horst
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869882B2

## CPC

- A61K 31/716: Glucans
- A23K 10/12: by fermentation of natural products, e.g. of vegetable material, animal waste material or biomass
- A23K 10/16: Addition of microorganisms or extracts thereof, e.g. single-cell proteins, to feeding-stuff compositions (A23K10/12 takes precedence)
- A23K 20/163: Sugars; Polysaccharides
- A23K 20/30: {Oligoelements}
- A23K 50/10: for ruminants
- A23K 50/60: for weanlings
- A61K 45/06: Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A23K: FODDER

## Abstract

Immune function of an animal can be modulated by administration of a composition that includes beta glucan. The beta glucan can be derived from Euglena, which provides a form of beta glucan that is different from other organisms, where the beta glucan is predominantly unbranched beta-(1,3)-glucan. Beta glucan can also be complexed with a metal, such as zinc, and/or can combined with an animal feed component to form an animal feed composition. Use of such compositions can improve the well being of an animal, and may augment or even replace the use of antibiotics in certain circumstances.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of stimulating an immune response in an animal, the method comprising feeding to the animal a composition comprising (i) heterotrophically grown Euglena comprising greater than 20 weight % beta-(1,3)-glucan, wherein the Euglena is grown and fermented in a fermenter under sterile conditions and dried to contain less than 10% moisture, and (ii) an animal feed component, wherein the beta-(1,3)-glucan is present in an amount from 0.001% to 0.020% of the total weight of the animal feed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the beta glucan consists essentially of unbranched beta-(1,3)-glucan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the beta glucan comprises greater than about 90% unbranched beta-(1,3)-glucan.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the beta glucan comprises paramylon.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the administering comprises adding the composition to the animal's diet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the animal feed component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, omega 3 fatty acid, omega 6 fatty acid, alpha tocopherol, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the beta-(1,3)-glucan is separated from other Euglena components.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the Euglena is reduced to less than 500 μm.

### Claim 9

A method of stimulating an immune response in an animal, the method comprising feeding to the animal a composition comprising (i) heterotrophically grown Euglena comprising greater than 20 weight % beta-(1,3)-glucan, wherein the Euglena is grown and fermented in a fermenter under sterile conditions and dried to contain less than 10% moisture, and (ii) an animal feed component, wherein the beta-(1,3)-glucan is at about 10 ppm to about 200 ppm in the animal feed, said beta glucan comprising greater than about 90% unbranched beta-(1,3)-glucan.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the beta glucan consists essentially of unbranched beta-(1,3)-glucan.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the beta glucan comprises paramylon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the administering comprises adding the composition to the animal's diet.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the animal feed component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, omega 3 fatty acid, omega 6 fatty acid, alpha tocopherol, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the composition comprises an additional immune modulating, stress reducing, or other stimulant ingredient selected from the group consisting of alpha tocopherol, cholecalciferol, zinc, chromium, selenium, arginine, ascorbic acid, alklyglcerol, caffeine, kava kava, curcuma longa, spirulina, calcium D-glucarate, coenzyme Q10, peptides, dimethglycine, docosahexaenoic acid, ecosapentaenoic acid, alpha-lineolenic acid, astaxanthin, beta carotene, lutein, lactobacillus probiotics, bifidobacterium probiotics, mannoliggosaccharide, fructooliggosacharides, Astragalus, Echinacea, Esberitox, garlic, glutathione, kelp, L-arginine, L-ornithine, lecithin granules, extracts from maiitake, reishi or shiitake mushrooms, manganese, quercetin, bromelain, Olive Leaf, Sambucus, Umcka, panthothenic acid, quercetin, alpha lipoic acid, essential oils, fish oils, spices and their derivatives, pterostilbene, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the beta-(1,3)-glucan is separated from other Euglena components.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the average particle size of the Euglena is reduced to less than 500 μm.