Feed additive composition

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the direct fed microbial comprises a bacterium from one or more of the following species:

• Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Enterococcus, Enterococcus spp, and Pediococcus spp, Lactobacillus spp, Bifidobacterium spp, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Pediococsus acidilactici, Lactococcus lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Propionibacterium thoenii, Lactobacillus farciminus, lactobacillus rhamnosus, Clostridium butyricum, Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. animalis, Lactobacillus reuteri, Bacillus cereus, Lactobacillus salivarius ssp. salivarius, Megasphaera elsdenii, Propionibacteria sp and combinations thereof.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the direct fed microbial is in the form of an endospore.

A feed additive composition according any one of the preceding claims wherein the xylanase is an endo-1,4-β-d-xylanase or a 1,4 β-xylosidase preferably an endo-1,4-β-d-xylanase.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the xylanase is from Bacillus, Trichoderma, Thermomyces, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Humicola.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the protease is a subtilisin, a bacillolysin, an alkaline serine protease, a keratinase or a Nocardiopsis protease.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the phytase is a 6-phytase or a 3-phytase.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the phytase is an E. coli phytase or a Buttiauxella phytase or Hafnia phytase or a Citrobacter phytase or a Aspergillus phytase or a Penicillium phytase or a Trichoderma phytase or a Hansenula phytase.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the amylase is selected from one or more of the group consisting of:

• an α-amylase, a G4-forming amylase, a β-amylase and a γ-amylases.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the amylase is from Bacillus licheniformis, B. amyloliquefaciens, Trichoderma spp. or Aspergillus spp.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the phytase is present at a dosage of between 200 FTU/g feed additive composition and 10000 FTU/g feed additive composition.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the amylase is present at a dosage of between 50 AU/g feed additive composition and 20000 AU/g feed additive composition.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the xylanase is present at a dosage of between 500 XU/g feed additive composition and 40000 XU/g feed additive composition.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the protease is present at a dosage of 1000 PU/g feed additive composition and 60000 PU/g feed additive composition.

A feed additive composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the DFM is present at a dosage of 3.75×107 CFU/g feed additive composition and 1×1011 CFU/g feed additive composition.

A method for improving the performance of a subject or for improving digestibility of a raw material in a feed (e.g. nutrient digestibility, such as amino acid digestibility), or for improving nitrogen retention, or for improving the subjects resistance to necrotic enteritis or for improving feed conversion ratio (FCR) or for improving body weight gain in a subject or for improving feed efficiency in a subject or for modulating (e.g. improving) the immune response of the subject, or for promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of a subject or for reducing populations of pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of a subject, or for reducing nutrient excretion in manure, which method comprising administering to a subject a direct fed microbial in combination with a protease, a xylanase, an amylase and a phytase.

Use of a direct fed microbial in combination with a protease, a xylanase, an amylase and a phytase for improving the performance of a subject or for improving digestibility of a raw material in a feed (e.g. nutrient digestibility, such as amino acid digestibility) or for improving nitrogen retention) or for improving the subject's resistance to of necrotic enteritis or for improving feed conversion ratio (FCR) or for improving weight gain in a subject or for improving feed efficiency in a subject or for modulating (e.g. improving) the immune response of the subject or for promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of a subject or for reducing populations of pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of a subject, or for reducing nutrient excretion in manure.

A kit comprising a direct fed microbial, a protease, a xylanase, an amylase, a phytase and instructions for administration.

A method of preparing a feed additive composition, comprising admixing a direct fed microbial with a protease, a xylanase, an amylase and a phytase and (optionally) packaging.

A premix comprising a feed additive composition comprising a direct fed microbial in combination with a protease, a xylanase, an amylase and a phytase, and at least one mineral and/or at least one vitamin.

A feed additive composition or feed or kit or method or use or premix as defined generally herein with reference to the Figures and the Examples.