Animal feed and process

An animal feed composition for increased production in healthy meat-producing, milk-producing or egg-laying animals comprising a compound of the formula:

• ##STR10## wherein R.sub.1 is a member selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, inclusive, including isomeric forms thereof, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are the same or different and are a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, provided that both R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are not hydrogen;
• alkyl of from 1 to 8 carbons, inclusive, including isomeric forms thereof, cycloalkyl of from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, alkyl substituted cycloalkyl of the formula ##STR11## wherein n is an integer of from 2 to 7, inclusive, and R.sub.7 is a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, inclusive, including isomeric forms thereof;
• alkenyl of from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, inclusive, including isomeric forms thereof, aralkyl wherein Ar is a member selected from the group consisting of phenyl, substituted phenyl wherein 1 or 2 hydrogens are replaced with chlorine, fluorine, bromine, iodine, R.sub.6, --OR.sub.6, or --CF.sub.3 and the substituents can be the same or different, and R.sub.6 is alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, inclusive, including isomeric forms thereof;
• and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 taken together with ##STR12## is a heterocyclic moiety of from 4 to 8, inclusive, ring atoms and 1 or 2 hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or a substituted heterocyclic moiety wherein 1, 2, or 3 of the carbon atoms of the heterocycle are substituted with R.sub.1 in combination with a nutrient feed, said compound being in a concentration of from about 50 to about 20,000 mg per ton.