CA1069048A

CA1069048A - Method for reducing the incidence of scours and for treating scours in monogastric animals and in neo-natal ruminants

Info

Publication number: CA1069048A
Application number: CA262,774A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Bartley P. Cardon
Original assignee: Arizona Feeds Inc
Current assignee: Arizona Feeds Inc
Priority date: 1975-10-06
Filing date: 1976-10-05
Publication date: 1980-01-01
Also published as: BR7606686A; IT1195067B; AU1828676A; NL7611037A; IL50528A0; GB1569300A; DE2644197A1; AU507274B2; IL50528A; DK450176A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A composition for reducing the incidence of diarrhea and for treating diarrhea in monogastric animals and in neo-natal ruminants, comprising a liquid mixture containing an effective amount of pregelatinized starch, preferably pregelatinized corn starch.

Description

~ ,g(~8 Newborn pigs usually remain with the sow for approximately twenty to thirty days, at which time each weighs approximately fifteen pounds. me pigs are then taken from the sow, placed in community pens and fed a dry feed. This weaning of the pigs and placing them in community pens causes the pigs to become stressed, and it is not unusual for fifty percent (50%) of them to have scours or diarrhea within two or three days after being placed in the pens.
Of the fifty percent (50%) which develop diarrhea, it is not unusual for one fifth or twenty percent (20%) of the pigs with diarrhea to die, without treatment. Approximately twenty percent (20%) of the pigs -with diarrhea will recover without an appreciable loss of weight, but the other sixty (60%) of diarrhea inflicted pigs will lose a significant amount of weight through rapid dehydration, and this loss of weight must be made up through additional time and additional feed.
~bviously, there is a tremendous economic loss occasioned by the death of approximately ten percent of all weaned pigs, and a significant weight loss suffered by thirty percent (30%) of all weaned pigs.
Another animal which is troubled with diarrhea, is the neo-natal ruminant. By far, the main cause of death of neo-natal calves in the dairy industry is scours or diarrhea~ Millions of dairy calves (as differentiated from beef calves) are born each year, and it is estimated that fifty percent (50%) of these neo-natal calves usually develop diarrhea shortly after being taken away from the cow, i.e. after the intake of colostrum or ~lfirst milk~' is stopped.
Of the calves which develop diarrhea, forty percent (40%) usually die, and the other sixty percent (60%) which recover, are usually weak and "off~l feed, thereby losing as much as one or two months of growth. Thus, it will be readily apparent that the frequent occurrence of diarrhea in neo-natal dairy calves is a source of considerable expense and trouble to those 1~69~48 in the dairy industry.
As to monogastric animals, the invention is described as used with weaned pigs, but it is to be understood that the invention is equally ap-plicable for use with other newborn monogastric animals which are subject to ;
stress which causes scours or diarrhea, as for example, humans.
As mentioned above, pigs are weaned when they are about one monthof age, at which time they are placed in community pens and fed a dry feed - mix.
- At the present time, fifty percent ~50%) of the young pigs will develop diarrhea within two or three days. Of the diarrhea inflicted pigs, some will recover without treatment and without an appreciable weight loss, whereas a significant number will die and an even greater number will lose significant amount of weight before recovering.
Applicants have discovered that the incidence of diarrhea in such newly weaned pigs and other monogastric animals can be greatly reduced, and in many instances practically eliminated, by feeding to the animal a daily ration of pregelatinized starch. For newly weaned pigs the amount is approxi-mately five ~5) grams, and it is preferably fedin apaste form.
Thus the invention consists in a composition for reducing the in-cidence of diarrhea and for treating diarrhea in monogastric animals and in ; neo-natal ruminants, comprising a liquid mixture containing an effective amount of pregelatinized starch.
The pregelatinized starch which applicants have used with consider-able success is a pure, highly refined corn starch which is pregelatinized in water, dehydrated and pulverized to a white, finely granulated solid having a uniform particle size and a moisture content of about 3.5% to about 8.0%. The water absorption capacity of this pregelatinized starch is greater than 15 to 1.
Applicants have successfully administered the pregelatinized starch to newly weaned pigs by mixing it with enough water to form a viscous paste, inserting a soft piece of rubber tubing past the trachea and into the

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esophagus of the animal, and then forcing the appropriate amount of pre-gelatinized starch paste through the tube. Tes~s were made to determine the - 2a -~_?

effectiveness of the pregelatinized starch paste in reducing the incidence of diarrhea in weaned pigs, and the treatment of diarrhea inflicted pigs using the same composition and method.

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A group of newly weaned feeder pigs, approximately twenty (20) days of age and weighing between about thirteen and fifteen pounds each, were placed in steel cages and fed a 16% protein non-medicated pellet on a free choice basisO Water was also available on a free choice basis.
On the first day, each pig was assigned to one of the following groups:
(a) control: no pregelatinized starch, (b) 1.0 grams of pregelatinized starch per day, and (c) 5.0 grams of pregelatinized starch per day.
All pigs were observed for incidence of diarrhea, and those in-flicted pigs were immediately removed from the trial.
Set forth below are the tabulated results:
Grams of Pregelatinized Starch, Per Day O 1.0 5 Number of pigs 5 5 5 Number with diarrhea 5 2 0 Time to onset of diarrhea, hours1 36.0 ~8.0 From the time pigs were placed in cages until diarrhea was observed.
As shown by the tabulated results, all control pigs were observed to have diarrhea after thirty-six (36) hours on trial. Forty percent (40%) of the pigs given one (1) gram of pregelatinized starch per day, diarrheaed after forty-eight (48) hours on trial, and five (5~ grams of pregelatinized starch per day completely prevented any diarrhea.

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A further trial was conducted to determine the efficiency of the pregelatini7ed starch to control and stop the diarrhea.
For this purpose, twenty (20) newly weaned feeder pigs were sep-arated out as soon as diarrhea was detected.
Eight of the pigs were classified as control, and remained on normal free choice food and water, without any special medication.
The remaining twelve (12) pigs were each fed five (5) grams of pregelatinized starch in paste form, once a day, me twelve ~12) treated pigs fully recovered with an a~erage treatment of two (2) days or forty-eight (48) hours.
After the eight (8) control pigs remained untreated for forty-eight (48) hours, each was fed five (5) grams per day of pregelatinized starch in paste form, until fully recovered. The control pigs which did not receive the pregelatinized starch until a~ter becoming inflicted for forty-eight (48) hours, required an average of three ~3) days or three (3) dosages before they fully recovered.
mus, it has been clearly established that pregelatinized starch, fed to newly weaned pigs at a rate of about five (5) grams per day, will drastically reduce the incidence of diarrhea and if diarrhea occurs, will cause the diarrhea to stop within a matter of a few days and before there is any appreciable weight loss.
As to neo-natal ruminants, the invention is described as used with neo-natal dairy calves, but it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable for use with other newborn ruminants As is well known to those ~amiliar with the dairy industry, a newborn dairy calf is usually left with the cow for about twelve (12) hours, for the feeding of colostrum milk, often referred to as "first miIk", which miIk contains antibodies helpful for the protection of the newborn animal ~6g~
against sickness and diseases, including the aforementioned diarrheaO
After about twelve (12) hours, the calf is usually taken from the cow and the latter returned to the herd. In some instances, as where the cow refuses to accept the calf, the latter is fed first milk from the '~pooledl' first milk from other cows.
As mentioned above, after the day old calf is taken away from the cow, approximately fifty percent (50%) of these animals develop diarrhea or scours. This causes the animal to lose large quantities of body fluid, and usually in the neighborhood of forty percent (40%) of those so afflicted~
will die. The other sixty percent (60%) eventually recover without treatment, but because of their weakened condition, they are "off" feed, and lose approximately one or two months of growth time~
We have discovered that the incidence of diarrhea in such neo-natal dairy calves can be greatly reduced, and in many instances substantially eliminated, by feeding to the animal an aqueous mixture containing about thirty (30) grams of pregelatinized corn starch in a quart of liquid food, for example, whole milk or a so-called milk replacer product.
The aqueous mixture is fed to the calf for at least its first two feedings (during one day), following its removal from being fed colostrum or first milk. For these first feedings of the mixture, a nipple and bottle (or the equivalent of a bottle) arrangement is normally used.
~pplicants have also discovered that it is beneficial to the health of the animal and for substantially eliminating the incidence of diarrhea, to feed to the calf for the first two days (i.e. a total of four feedings) after being taken off of colostrum milk, a complete food supplement comprising an aqueous mixture containing both the aforementioned ration of pregelatinized starch as well as various vitamins and minerals and protein and energy sources which are physiologically beneficial to the ruminant animal.

6~9~4~3 The composition of such a dry food supplement~ sold by Arizona Feeds, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America under the trademark "Calf Booster~', and which is intended to be mixed with a liquid carrier to pro-vide two (2) ounces of dry composition per ~uart of aqueous mixture, preferably contains the following components on a dry weight percentage basis.

pregelatinized starch 55.00 cerelose 12.00 dried milk product 20.00 dried egg 5.75 sodium phosphate 2.00 salt 1.00 calcium lactate 1.00 potassium chloride 1.00 vitamin premix 2.00 chelated trace minerals (ruminant) 0.25 100. 00 The preferred chelated trace minerals can be obtained from Arizona Feeds, ~ucson, Arizona, under the designation "TM ~helated Trace Minerals (Ruminant)~'.
The vitamin pre-mix comprises a mixture of vitamins and minerals which are dietetically important to the health of the ruminant. Such a vitamin pre-mix can be obtained from Hoffman-Taff Inc., under the designation Ruminant VitamQn Pre-mix, and preferably includes vitamin A palmitate, D-activated animal sterol (source of Vitamin D), alpha tocopheryl acetate, riboflavin supplement, niacin, d-pantothenic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, and choline chloride (B complex vitamin).
The results of two typical trials of day-old Holstein bull and ~913~8 heifer calves, using control calves, calves fed an aqueous mixture containing pregelatinized starch, and calves fed an aqueous mixture containing Arizona Feeds "Calf Booster" food supplement, are tabulated below.
With the control calves, each had two feedings of colostrum milk or first milk the first day, followed by routine feedings of non-colostral milk for the duration of the trial.
For the calves fed an aqueous mixture containing pregelatinized starch, each had two feedings of colostrum milk the first day, as with the control calves, and thereafter, thirty (30) grams of pregelatinized starch was mixed into the first four feedings of non-colostral milk during the second and third days.
The calves were fed at ~:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day.
When diarrhea was observed in the control calves, four ounces of Arizona ~eeds "Calf Booster~' supplement was added to the non-colostral milk at each feeding until the diarrhea was stopped.
When calves being fed pregelatinized starch or "Calf Booster"
supplement developed diarrhea, they were continued on their routine test diet until the prescribed period was ended, at which time they received four (4) ounces of Arizona Feeds "Calf Booster" supplement at each feeding, in the same manner as with the control calves which had diarrhea.
EXAMPLE 1 Thirty (30) grams of Pregelatinized Starch Control Treatment Number of calves 4 4 Number with diarrhea 4 Time to onset of diarrhea, hours1 24 84 Severity of diarrhea2 3.8 2.0 Number of scoured calves treated for diarrhea3 4 Number of calves responding to treatment 4 Duration of diarrhea _ 78 48 ~ID6,9~
lFrom the time calves were received to the first sign of diarrhea.
20 = firm, 1 = pasty firm~ 2 = pasty, 3 = pasty watery, 4 = watery.
30nce diarrhea was confirmed, 4 ounces of Calf Booster supplement was administered at each feeding until diarrhea was stopped~
EXAMPLE 11Two Ounces of "Calf Booster" Supplement Containing 30.8 grams of pregelatinized starch Control Treatment Number of calves 5 5 Number with diarrhea 5 2 Time to onset of diarrhea, hours1 43.2 140.0 Severity of diarrhea2 2.1 0.4 Number of scoured calves treated for diarrhea3 5 2 Number of calves responding to treatment 5 2 Duration of diarrhea 52.4 18.0 ._ _ ........... _................................ .
1From the time calves were received to the first sign of diarrhea.
20 = firm, 1 = pasty firm, 2 = pasty, 3 = pasty watery, 4 = watery.
30nce diarrhea was confirmeda 4 ounces of Calf Booster was administered at each feeding until diarrhea was stopped.
The aforementioned trials utilizing pregelatinized starch and Arizona Feed "Calf Booster" supplement in the feeding of neo-rlatal dairy calves, showed a substantial decrease in the incidence of diarrhea and a significant increase in the time to onset of scours or diarrhea. Also, the severity of diarrhea, measured either at its peak or the average stool comp-osition from onset of diarrhea to the control thereof, was greatly reduced when either composition was used.
The use of two ounces of "Calf Booster" supplement for each feeding was selected on the basis that it contained approximately thirty (30) grams of pregelatinized starch, to compare the results of the use of pregelatinized ~L069~48 starch both with and without additional vitamins and minerals.
Comparing the results of the two trials, it appears that the use of l'Calf Boosterll supplement~ with its combination of pregelatinized starch and nutrients, is more effective than pregelatinized starch alone for increasing the time to onset of scours~ for reducing the severity of diarrhea, and for decreasing the recovery time of subsequent treatment for dlarrhea.

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A composition for reducing the incidence of diarrhea and for treat-ing diarrhea in monogastric animals and in neo-natal ruminants, comprising a liquid mixture containing an effective amount of pregelatinized starch.

2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the pregelatinized starch is corn starch.

3. A composition according to claim 1, which is in the form of a paste.

4. A composition according to claim 3, which contains at least five (5) grams of pregelatinized starch.

5. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is water.

6. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is non-colostrol milk.

7. A composition according to claim 5 or 6, which contains at least thirty (30) grams of pregelatinized starch.

8. A composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein the pregelatin-ized starch and the liquid are in the ratio of one (1) to thirty (30), by weight.

9. A composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein the pregelatin-ized starch is separate from the other constituents of the source plant ma-terial, is readily dispersible in a liquid, and forms a gel with water at ambient temperatures.

10. A composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6 in dosage unit form con-taining at least 30 grams of pregelatinized starch, wherein the pregelatinized starch is separate from the other constituents of the source plant material, is readily dispersible in a liquid, and forms a gel with water at ambient temperatures, and in which the pregelatinized starch and the liquid are in a ratio of about one (1) to thirty (30), by weight.

11. A composition for reducing the incidence of diarrhea and for treating diarrhea in monogastric animals and in neo-natal ruminants, com-prising a liquid orally acceptable carrier and, as the sole anti-diarrheal active ingredient, an effective amount of pregelatinized starch.

12. A composition for reducing the incidence of diarrhea and for treating diarrhea in monogastric animals and in neo-natal ruminants, com-prising a liquid orally acceptable carrier and, as the sole anti-diarrheal active ingredient, an effective amount of pregelatinized starch, and including also at least one suitable food supplement selected from vitamins and minerals.

13. A composition as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the starch is corn starch.

14. A composition as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the carrier is water.

15. A composition as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the carrier is non-colostrol milk.