BIOCIDAL COMPOSITIONS

Abstract: This invention relates to a composition comprising benzoic acid or a derivative of benzoic acid capable of giving rise to free benzoic acid in vivo for use as a medicament for animals, wherein said acid/derivative functions as an antibiotic, promotes growth, decreases feed conversion and improves digestibility of amino acids administered in animal feeds. The benzoic acid or its derivative can be administered to the animal either in its feed composition or in its drinking water. It is particularly effective in pigs.

Description: B1OCIDAL COMPOSITIONS This invention relates to the use of compositions comprising benzoic acid for use as a medicament for animals, especially pigs, at the same time promoting growth thereof and improving the digestibility of amino acids fed to such animals. It is known from our own prior published EP-A-0683985 that animal feed compositions comprising benzoic acid or salts thereof can be used to minimise the emission of odoriferous ammonia from organic wastes, especially animal excrements and manure. It has now been found that in addition to the above function, benzoic acid can be used instead of relatively expensive antibiotics for such animals and furthermore, such acid/salts have the advantage of being able to promote growth, decrease feed conversion and improve digestibility of amino acids in animal feeds. Accordingly, the present invention is a composition comprising benzoic acid or a derivative of benzoic acid capable of giving rise to free benzoic acid / ' // vivo for use as a medicament for animals Benzoic acid or a derivative thereof capable of giving rise to benzoic acid // • / vivo may be administered to the animals as a component of a composition which is conventionally fed to animals. Thus, benzoic acid and derivatives thereof may be suitably administered to the animals as a component of the animal feed or in their drinking water. Specific examples of derivatives of benzoic acid which can give rise to benzoic acid /// vivo include salts of benzoic acid such as eg the alkali metal- alkaline earth metal- and ammonium benzoates. The amount of benzoic acid oi a derivative thereof administered to the animal is suitably such that ii is sufficient to prevent/cure any infection in the animal in its capacity as a biocide Such an amount is suitably in the range from 0.001 - 5% based on the total weight of each feed fed to the animal. This amount may. however, be higher if the function of benzoic acid or a derivative thereof is not only to act as a biocide but also to control the pH of the animal excreta fed on such a diet in order to suppress the emission of ammonia from the excreta. Such higher amounts are suitably limited to a maximum of about 10% based on the total animal feed composition. The benzo e acid/salt functions inter alia as an antibiotic, promotes growth, decreases feed conversion and improves digestibility of amino acids administered in animal feeds. A typical formulation for an animal feed composition is shown in Table 1 below in which all the amounts shown in % by weight were fed to pigs: TABLE 1 Thus, benzoic acid or a derivative thereof may be used in combination with conventional ingredients present in an animal feed composition (diet) such as calcium carbonates, electrolytes such as eg ammonium chloride, proteins such as soya bean meal, wheat, starch, sunflower meal, corn, meat and bone meal, amino acids, animal fat, vitamins and trace minerals. In such a composition, the ratio of the electrolyte to the benzoic acid or a derivative thereof is suitably in the range from 0.5 : 1 to 5 : 1 w/w, preferably from 1.5 : 1 to 3 : I w/w. Benzoic acid or a derivative thereof is particularly effective as a medicament for animals such as poultry, pigs or cattle, especially pigs. The present invention is further illustrated with reference to the following Examples: EXAMPLE 1: The following feed compositions (shown in Table 2 below) in which all the amounts shown in % by weight were fed to pigs. TABLE 2 The pH of the urine of the pigs fed on these diets for two days was monitored over various durations and found to be as follows (see Table 3 below): TABLE 3 *First excretion by the pigs after the two day feeding stage. From these results it is abundantly clear that the use of the additives of the present invention gives rise to excrements of highly acidic and stable pH values and consequently gives rise to little or no ammonia emissions. EXAMPLE 2: In a further comparative test, a number of pigs were fed with a standard feed as shown below in Table 4 This was repeated in Example 2 except that 0.7% wt. of the wheat middlings in the standard feed was replaced with benzoic acid. The results are shown in Table 5 below: TABLE 4 TABLE S *0.7% wt of the wheat middlings in the standard fee replaced by benzoic acid. The above results show that pigs fed with a diet comprising benzoic acid have a much lower feed conversion (calculated as a ratio of feed intake over growth per pig per day) than those eel on a diet tree of such benzoic acid. This signifies that the feed to the pigs is being used more efficiently. Example 3: The effect of the experimental feed containing benzoic acid on the performance of the pigs was compared with the control feed which did not contain any benzoic acid. A pig room with six pens was used for this example during three periods. In three pens pigs were fed with the control feed, and in the other three pens pigs were fed with the experimental feed The feed compositions are shown in the Table 6 and the performance results are shown in Table 7 below. It, can be seen from Table 7 that the pigs fed on the experimental feed had a significant lower feed conversion ratio. This is probably due to the lower pH in the intestine which perhaps improves digestibility. TABLE 6 *-lt is a blend of Ca (25%) and a mixture of carboxylic acids (75%) - the acids and their amounts in the mixture being formic (30%). acetic (30%) propionic (30%) and citric (10%). Calculated Chemical Composition # - Unii Energy value = X X MJ net available energy for pigs for production and maintenance TABLE 7 Performance of Experimental Pigs

Claims: Claims 1 A composition comprising benzoic acid or a derivative of benzoic acid capable of giving rise to free benzoic acid /// vivo for use as a medicament for animals 2 A composition according to Claim 1 wherein benzoic acid or a derivative thereof capable of giving rise to benzoic acid /// vivo is administered to the animals as a component of an animal feed composition. 3 A composition according to Claim I wherein benzoic acid and derivatives thereof are administered to the animals as a component of the drinking water fed to the animals 4 A composition according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein derivatives of benzoic acid which can give rise to benzoic acid /// vivo are salts of benzoic acid selected from the alkali metal benzoates, alkaline earth metal benzoates and ammonium benzoate 5 A composition according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the amount of benzoic acid or a derivative thereof administered to the animal is such that it is sufficient to act as a biocide 6 A composition according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the amount of benzoic acid or a derivative thereof is limited to a maximum of about 10% based on the total animal feed composition 7 A composition according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the amount of benzoic acid or a derivative thereof administered to the animal is in the range from 0 001 - 5% based on the total weight of each feed fed to the animal. 8 A composition according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the benzoic acid or a derivative thereof is administered to the animal in combination with one or more of the following ingredients present in an animal feed composition (diet) calcium caibonates, electrolytes including inter alia ammonium chloride, pi tems including inl t alia soya bean meal, wheat, starch, sunflowei meal, corn, meat and bone meal, amino acids, animal fat, vitamins, and tiace minerals 9 A composition accoi ing to Claim 8 wheiem the ratio of the electrolyte to the benzoic acid oi a deπvalive theieof in the animal feed composition is in the range from 0 5 I to 5 1 w/w 10 A formulation foi an animal feed composition as shown in the Table below in which ail the amounts shown tn % by weight 1 1 A an animal feed composition compiismg benzoic acid or a derivative theieof whenevei admmistei ed as a medicament for animals selected from poultiy, pigs and cattle I 12 A composition accoi ing to any one of the piecedmg Claims wherein benzoic acid is used in a pig teed loi mulation compi ismg the components shown in Tables 4 and 8 below 20 TABLE 4 TABLE 8 "0.7% wt of the wheat middlings in the standard fee replaced by benzoic acid.

Inventors: VAN OOYEN JOHANNES ADRIANUS CO, VAN OOYEN, JOHANNES, ADRIANUS, CORNELIS
Applicants: DSM NV, OOYEN JOHANNES ADRIANUS CORNEL, DSM N.V., VAN OOYEN, JOHANNES, ADRIANUS, CORNELIS
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A61K31
IPC codes: A23K1, A61K31