WARF: P97114US
Animal Feed Containing Carboxylic Acids

INVENTORS

•

Hector DeLuca, David Baker

Up to 80 percent of the phosphorus (P) in plant-derived animal feeds exists as phytate. The P in phytate cannot be completely digested by poultry.  It passes through the GI tract and is excreted in the feces, producing P saturated soils and polluting the environment. This creates a substantial regulatory and financial issue for poultry producers worldwide. UW-Madison researchers have developed an animal feed containing carboxylic acids. Phytate is solubilized by the addition of carboxylic acid, especially citric acid, making the P contained in phytate complexes more bioavailable for animals. The carboxylic acids that are useful as active ingredients are di- and tri-carboxylic acids, which are derived from hydrocarbons by replacing two (di-) or three (tri-) hydrogen atoms with a carboxyl group (COOH). The carboxylic acid is incorporated into the animal feed to provide approximately 0.5 to 10 percent carboxylic acid in the diet.

• Animal feed

• The use of carboxylic acid, especially citric acid, could eliminate the need for supplemental inorganic P in animal feeds and thereby greatly reduce excess P in poultry houses. 
• Carboxylic acid removes calcium from plant-based phytate complexes, allowing the phytate to solubilize and making the P more bioavailable.
• Although citric acid is preferred, several di- or tri-carboxylic acid may be used to achieve the advantages of the invention .
• The carboxylic acid may be administered alone, in an edible carrier or in combination with other feed additive agents.

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