# US 11,297,851 B2 · Animal nutrition compositions and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,297,851 B2 - Document ID: US11297851B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/860,376 - Filed: 2020-04-28 - Published: 2020-08-13 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-27 - Assignees: Cytozyme Laboratories, Inc. - Applicants: Cytozyme Laboratories, Inc. - Inventors: Elizabeth Maria Wozniak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11297851B2 ## CPC - A23K 10/18: of live microorganisms - A23K 50/75: for poultry - A23K 10/12: by fermentation of natural products, e.g. of vegetable material, animal waste material or biomass - A23K 20/22: Compounds of alkali metals - A23K 20/28: Silicates, e.g. perlites, zeolites or bentonites - A23K 30/00: Processes specially adapted for preservation of materials in order to produce animal feeding-stuffs - A23V 2400/113: Acidophilus - A23K: FODDER - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract Animal nutrition compositions include a carrier and a fermentation product applied to the carrier. Liquid fermentation products are fluidly applied to dry carriers, such as phyllosilicates or other earthen components, while mixing and applying air flow, under appropriate temperature and pH conditions, to bind the fermentation product to the carrier and dry the reaction product to appropriate moisture content. Fermentation products are also mixed with liquid carriers, such as water. Fermentation products include components of a microbial fermentation culture, such as liquid medium, microbial cellular components, and fermentation metabolites produced by microorganisms. Some compositions include a pH buffering agent and/or additional components to further enhance beneficial effects of the composition, such as improved weight gain and feed conversion, reduced gut lesions, harmful gut bacteria count, and decreased mortality. Compositions can be mixed with animal feeds or otherwise administered. Compositions can inhibit fungal growth on animal feeds. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An animal nutrient composition, comprising: a combination product having a moisture content less than or equal to about 20%, by weight, the combination product comprising: a solid carrier comprising one or more (i) phyllosilicate(s), (ii) plant material(s), or (iii) plant extract(s); and a microbial fermentation product adsorbed to a surface of the solid carrier and/or absorbed below the surface of the solid carrier, the microbial fermentation product comprising: lysed microorganisms; fermentation medium; and fermentation metabolites, wherein les than about 50%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product comprises living or viable microorganisms. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein less than about 25%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product is living or viable microorganisms. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein less than about 1%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product is living or viable microorganisms. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the microbial fermentation product comprises a whole culture lysate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the lysed microorganisms are of Lactobacillus acidophilus and optionally one or more additional microbial species or strains. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the microbial fermentation product further comprises aerobically produced metabolites or cellular metabolites produced aerobically. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 15% by weight. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 5% by weight. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 10% by weight. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, further comprising a buffering agent mixed with the combination product, the buffering agent comprising one or more electrolytic substances selected from the group consisting of sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, further comprising granular or powdered sodium sesquicarbonate mixed with the combination product. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing the composition of claim 1, comprising: applying the microbial fermentation product in liquid form to the solid carrier such that the fermentation product is adsorbed to the surface of the solid carrier and/or absorbed below the surface of the solid carrier; and allowing the solid carrier with fermentation product applied thereto to at least partially dry, thereby producing the combination product having a moisture content less than or equal to about 20% by weight. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising cultivating a microbial fermentation culture, the microbial fermentation culture comprising the fermentation medium and microorganisms, and producing the fermentation metabolites; and lysing at least some of the microorganisms in the microbial fermentation culture to produce the lysed microorganisms, wherein, following the step of lysing at least some of the microorganisms, less that about 50% of the microorganism of the microbial fermentation culture are living or viable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein, following the step of lysing at least some of the microorganisms, less than about 25% of the microorganisms of the microbial fermentation-culture are living or viable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein, following the step of lysing at least some of the microorganisms, less than about 1% of the microorganisms of the microbial fermentation culture are living or viable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising one or more steps selected from the group consisting of: maintaining the solid carrier with the fermentation product applied thereto at a temperature below about 60° C. for a first period of time; and maintaining the carrier with the fermentation product applied thereto at a pH between about 2-10. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising one or more steps selected from the group consisting of: mixing the solid carrier while applying the microbial fermentation product thereto; and applying a flow of air to the solid carrier: (i) while applying the microbial fermentation product thereto and/or after applying the fermentation product thereto, and/or (ii) over a period of time between about 12-120 hours and/or until the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 20%, by weight. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method comprising administering the composition of claim 1 to an animal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A method of inhibiting fungal growth on an animal feed product, the method comprising mixing or admixing the animal feed product with the composition of claim 1. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein less than about 10%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product is living or viable microorganisms.