U.S. patent application number 11/331245 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-12 for electrolyte supplement and method of use.
This patent application is currently assigned to Land O'Lakes Purina Feed LLC. Invention is credited to Thomas Johnson, Bill L. Miller.
Application Number | 20070160683 11/331245 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38232990 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070160683 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Johnson; Thomas ; et
al. |
July 12, 2007 |
Electrolyte supplement and method of use
Abstract
A method of managing dehydration in an animal includes
administering a first electrolyte solution having an SID range at
or below 25 mEq/l. After administering the first electrolyte
solution, the animal's health condition is observed to determine
the effect of the first solution. If the animal's health condition
has not sufficiently improved, a second solution comprising the
first electrolyte solution supplemented with a second electrolyte
supplement is administered to the animal wherein the second
electrolyte supplement raises the SID of the second solution to at
least 50 mEq/l.
Inventors: |
Johnson; Thomas; (Thor,
IA) ; Miller; Bill L.; (Fort Dodge, IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WESTMAN CHAMPLIN & KELLY, P.A.
SUITE 1400
900 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-3319
US
|
Assignee: |
Land O'Lakes Purina Feed
LLC
Arden Hills
MN
|
Family ID: |
38232990 |
Appl. No.: |
11/331245 |
Filed: |
January 12, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
424/641 ;
424/679; 424/680; 424/717; 514/23; 514/54; 514/561 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61K 31/715 20130101;
A61K 33/20 20130101; A61K 33/00 20130101; A61K 45/06 20130101; A61K
33/30 20130101; A61P 3/12 20180101; A61K 31/198 20130101; A61K
31/70 20130101; A61K 33/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
424/641 ;
424/680; 424/679; 514/054; 424/717; 514/561; 514/023 |
International
Class: |
A61K 33/14 20060101
A61K033/14; A61K 31/70 20060101 A61K031/70; A61K 31/715 20060101
A61K031/715; A61K 31/198 20060101 A61K031/198; A61K 33/32 20060101
A61K033/32 |
Claims
1. A method of managing dehydration in an animal, the method
comprising: administering to the animal a first electrolyte
solution having an SID range at or below 25 mEq/l; observing the
animal's health condition to determine the effect of the first
solution; and administering a second solution based upon the
animal's health, the second solution comprising the first
electrolyte solution supplemented with a second electrolyte
supplement that raises the SID of the second solution to at least
50 mEq/l.
2. The method of claim 1 and wherein the first electrolyte solution
comprises a selected amount of water and a selected amount of a
first electrolyte supplement.
3. The method of claim 2 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of sodium.
4. The method of claim 3 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises between about 3.5 weight percent and about
10.0 weight percent sodium.
5. A method of claim 2 and wherein the first electrolyte supplement
comprises a selected amount of chloride.
6. The method of claim 5 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises between about 5.0 weight percent and about 15
weight percent chloride.
7. The method of claim 2 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of potassium.
8. The method of claim 7 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises between about 0.5 weight percent and about 5.0
weight percent potassium.
9. The method of claim 2 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of a simple
carbohydrate.
10. The method of claim 2 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of dextrose.
11. The method of claim 10 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises between about 50 weight percent and about 90
weight percent dextrose.
12. The method of claim 2 and wherein the first electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of a suspension agent.
13. The method of claim 12 and wherein the suspension agent
comprises selected amount of a gum ingredient.
14. The method of claim 13 and wherein the gum ingredient comprises
xanthan gum, guar gum or hemicellulose extract or any combination
thereof.
15. The method of claim 13 and wherein the gum ingredient comprises
between about 0.1 weight percent and about 1.5 weight percent of
the solution.
16. The method of claim 1 and wherein the first electrolyte
solution comprises a selected amount of zinc oxide.
17. The method of claim 1 and wherein the first electrolyte
solution comprises a first distinguishing color.
18. The method of claim 1 and wherein the second electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of sodium bicarbonate.
19. The method of claim 18 and wherein the second electrolyte
supplement comprises between about 25.0 weight percent and about
50.0 weight percent sodium bicarbonate.
20. The method of claim 1 and wherein the second electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of glycine.
21. The method of claim 20 and wherein the second electrolyte
supplement comprises between about 40.0 weight percent and about
60.0 weight percent glycine.
22. The method of claim 1 and wherein the second electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of alkalyzing agent.
23. The method of claim 22 and wherein the second electrolyte
supplement comprises a selected amount of sodium bicarbonate,
sodium citrate or sodium acetate.
24. The method of claim 23 and wherein the second electrolyte
supplement comprises between about 25.0 weight percent and about
50.0 weight percent sodium bicarbonate.
25. The method of claim 17 and wherein the second solution
comprises a second distinguishing color that differs from the first
distinguishing color.
26. A kit for managing dehydration in an animal, the kit
comprising: a first electrolyte mix having a SID of 25 mEq/l or
less for aqueous administration to the animal in need of hydration;
and a second electrolyte mix for adding to the first electrolyte
mix to increase the SID to 50 mEq/l or greater and suitable for
aqueous administration to the animal having severe dehydration.
27. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of a sodium salt which when mixed into
the aqueous solution forms the sodium ion through a dissociation of
the salt.
28. The kit of claim 27 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises between about 3.5 weight percent and about 10.0 weight
percent sodium.
29. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of a chloride salt wherein when the
chloride salt is mixed into an aqueous solution, the salt
dissociates to form a chloride ion.
30. The kit of claim 29 and wherein the first electrolytic mix
comprises between about 5.0 weight percent and about 15.0 weight
percent chloride.
31. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of a salt containing potassium wherein
when the salt containing potassium is mixed into an aqueous
solution, the salt dissociates to form potassium ion.
32. The kit of claim 31 and wherein the first electrolytic mix
comprises between about 0.5 weight percent and about 5.0 weight
percent potassium.
33. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of a simple carbohydrate.
34. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of dextrose.
35. The kit of claim 34 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises between about 50 weight percent and about 90 weight
percent dextrose.
36. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises a suspension agent.
37. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of a gum.
38. The kit of claim 37 and wherein the gum comprises about between
about 0.1 weight percent and about 1.5 weight percent of the first
electrolyte mix.
39. The kit of claim 37 and wherein the gum comprises xanthan gum,
guar gum, or hemicellulose extract or any combination thereof.
40. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the first electrolyte mix
comprises an effective amount of zinc oxide.
41. The kit of claim 40 and wherein the zinc oxide comprises up to
about 10,000 ppm on a weight percent basis of the first electrolyte
mix.
42. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the second electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of a sodium salt that mixes into the
aqueous solution to form a sodium ion through dissociation of the
salt.
43. The kit of claim 42 and wherein the second electrolyte mix
comprises sodium bicarbonate in a range between about 25.0 weight
percent and about 50.0 weight percent of the second electrolyte
mix.
44. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the second electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of glycine.
45. The kit of claim 44 and wherein the second electrolyte mix
comprises between about 40 weight percent and about 60 weight
percent glycine.
46. The kit of claim 26 and wherein the second electrolyte mix
comprises a selected amount of an alkalyzing agent.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to feed for an animal. More
particularly, the present invention relates to an electrolyte
supplement that is orally administered to an animal in an aqueous
solution and the method of using the electrolyte supplement.
[0002] Young animals such as bovine calves are susceptible to
diarrhea. Diarrhea are caused by a number of infectious agents
including bacteria such as Escherichia coli, salmonella species,
viruses such as Rotavirus, Coronavirus, and Torovirus and other
pathogens. Each of these pathogens causes symptoms including
dehydration, acidosis, electrolyte abnormalities and hyperglycemia.
In the case of severe diarrhea, a young calf may suffer permanent
internal injuries which may result in lower weight gain and/or milk
production as an adult mammal. In some instances, severe diarrhea
can result in the death of a young animal.
[0003] Aqueous supplements containing simple carbohydrates, such as
glucose, fructose and/or dextrose, and electrolytes can be given to
the calves with diarrhea to treat the symptoms caused by diarrhea,
namely dehydration, acidosis, lack of energy and a reduction in
electrolyte levels. There are several aqueous electrolyte
supplements that are currently being fed to calves including
supplements containing electrolyte concentrations of less than 20
strong ion difference (SID). The SID of a solution is determined by
adding the mEq/l of sodium ion with the mEq/l of potassium ion and
subtracting the mEq/l of chloride ion. An electrolyte supplement
having a SID of 20 or less is considered to be "weak" by industry
standards. In some instances, "weak" electrolyte supplements
provide adequate amounts of water, simple carbohydrates and
electrolytes to treat the symptoms associated with diarrhea.
However, if the calf has a severe case of diarrhea, a "weak"
electrolyte supplement may not provide an adequate remedy for the
young animal to reverse the effects of diarrhea.
[0004] When a "weak" electrolyte supplement does not provide an
adequate remedy for diarrhea, a "strong" aqueous electrolyte
supplement may be orally administered to the calf. "Strong"
electrolyte supplements have ion concentrations of between about 50
and about 80 SID. "Strong" electrolyte supplements generally
replenish electrolyte levels in the calf and remedy the calf's
other symptoms associated with diarrhea.
[0005] However, "strong" electrolyte supplements typically contain
ingredients that address virtually every symptom associated with
diarrhea which may not be necessary to cure a particular calf of
diarrhea. Because "strong" electrolyte supplements are designed to
treat virtually every symptom associated with diarrhea, "strong"
electrolyte supplements are expensive relative to "weak"
electrolyte supplements. Because of the difference in cost, the
producer is left with a decision of feeding the calf a "strong"
supplement that will reduce the effect of diarrhea but will cost a
significant amount of money or feeding the calf a "weak" supplement
which costs considerably less money but may or may not improve the
dehydration caused by diarrhea.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention includes a method of managing
dehydration in an animal which includes administering a first
aqueous electrolyte solution to the animal having a SID range at or
below 25 mEq/l. After administering the first aqueous electrolyte
solution, the animal's health is observed to determine the effect
of the first electrolyte solution. A second aqueous electrolyte
solution may be administered to the animal based on the animal's
health conditions where the second solution comprises the first
electrolyte solution supplemented with electrolyte components that
raise the SID of the second aqueous electrolyte solution to at
least 50 mEq/l.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention includes an aqueous electrolyte
supplement that is fed to young animals, and preferably young
bovine calves, to prevent the dehydration caused by diarrhea,
shipping and hot weather. The electrolyte supplement includes a
base electrolyte supplement that mixes into a selected amount of
water for oral administration of dehydrated calves. Depending upon
the results of the base solution on the symptoms of diarrhea, an
additional electrolyte supplement can be added to the base solution
to increase the electrolyte concentration of the supplement to a
"strong" solution which is orally administered to the calf.
[0008] The base electrolyte supplement and the additional
electrolyte supplement are preferably in powder form prior to use.
However the base electrolyte supplement and the additional
electrolyte can be provided in a concentrated aqueous form or a
ready to use solution.
[0009] The base electrolyte supplement contains selected amounts of
simple carbohydrates and electrolytes including but not limited to,
salts of sodium, potassium and chloride. A selected amount of the
base electrolyte supplement is added to a selected amount of water
such that salts disassociate to produce a base solution with a SID
of preferably less than or equal to 25 mEq/l. While a SID
concentration of less than or equal to 25 is preferred, the aqueous
base solution may have a SID of up to and including 35.
[0010] The simple carbohydrate is preferably dextrose which the
calf quickly processes to provide a quick supply of energy. Other
simple carbohydrates or sugars such as, but not limited to, glucose
and fructose may also be added to the base to provide a readily
accessible supply of energy. While providing readily accessible
energy, the simple carbohydrate also helps with the transport of
sodium ions within the young animal.
[0011] The sodium ions aid in absorbing the water into the young
animal's body to combat dehydration. The potassium ions and the
chloride ions are included in the base solution to replace the ions
lost due to the diarrhea. The preferred ranges of the ingredients
for the base electrolyte supplement follows in Table 1:
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Preferred Range Ingredient Weight % Weight %
Sodium 5.6 3.5-10.0 Chloride 8.35 5.0-15.0 Potassium 1.98 0.5-5.0
Dextrose 75 50-90 Gum 0.75 0.1-1.5
[0012] The sodium is provided in a salt form including, but not
limited to, sodium chloride, sodium citrate and monosodium
phosphate. The chloride is added in a salt form, including, but not
limited to, sodium chloride and potassium chloride. The potassium
is added in a salt form including, but not limited to, potassium
chloride, potassium citrate and potassium phosphate. The phosphate
ion and the citrate ions are not accounted for in Table 1. However,
an electrolyte solution having the above weight percentage is
within the scope of the present invention.
[0013] The gum is optionally added to retain the ingredients in
suspension in the base solution and to slow the rate of freezing.
However, the gum is not necessary to practice the present
invention. The gum can include xanthan gum, processed guar gum and
hemicellulose extract or any combination thereof. Other suspension
agents are also within the scope of the present invention.
[0014] After orally administering the aqueous base solution to the
calf, the calf's physical condition is monitored to determine
whether the calf's physical condition is improving over time. The
calf's symptoms show improvement when the severity of the diarrhea
normalizes the calf's energy increases and/or the calf's
temperature decreases.
[0015] When the calf shows improvement, the base solution will
continue to be orally administered to the calf until the calf
improves such that the base solution is not necessary to improve
the calf's physical condition. However, if the calf's physical
condition does not improve using the base solution alone as an
aqueous electrolyte supplement, the additional electrolyte
supplement is added to the base solution which is subsequently
orally administered to the calf.
[0016] The additional electrolyte supplement, which may
alternatively be referred to as an "add pack", includes an
effective amount of glycine that allows the calf to utilize the
simple carbohydrate and sodium more efficiently than an electrolyte
supplement that does not contain glycine.
[0017] A selected amount of sodium bicarbonate is also included in
the additional electrolyte supplement in an amount effective to
control acidosis. Sodium bicarbonate dissociates into a base or an
alkalynizing agent in an aqueous solution that aids in controlling
acidosis. However, other bases or alkalynizing agents which are
generally recognized as (GRAS) safe for the calf to ingest are also
within the scope of the present invention.
[0018] The additional electrolyte supplement also includes another
effective amount of sodium preferably in a salt form. The sodium
salt dissociates into its ionic form in an aqueous solution. The
sodium in the additional electrolyte supplement is in the form of a
salt including, but not limited to, sodium bicarbonate, sodium
citrate, and sodium acetate.
[0019] The additional electrolyte supplement includes at least the
following ingredients listed in Table 2. However, other ingredients
may be included in the additional electrolyte supplement while
practicing the present invention. TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Ingredient
Preferred Weight % Weight % Glycine 53.2 40.0-60.0 Sodium
Bicarbonate 42.5 25.0-50.0
[0020] The additional electrolyte solution is not fed directly to
the dehydrated calf, but orally administered as a supplement to the
aqueous base solution. The aqueous supplement, having the
additional electrolyte supplement added to the base solution forms
a "strong" solution having about 64.4 mEq/l. However the strong
solution of the present invention may have a SID in a range of
between about 50 and about 80. Table 3 is a tabulation of the
concentrations of the critical ingredients in powdered form of the
combined base electrolyte supplement and additional electrolyte
supplement that are mixed into a selected amount of water to form
the strong electrolyte solution of the present invention.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Preferred Weight % Weight Ingredient
Inclusion Dextrose 60.0 50.0-90.0% Glycine 9.4 5.0-12.0% Sodium
Bicarbonate 7.7 5.0-10.0% Gum 0.62 0.4-0.9% Product Specification
Sodium 6.59 5.0-9.0% Chloride 6.84 5.0-9.0% Potassium 1.63 0.7-2.3%
SID 64.4 50-80 mEq/l
[0021] The strong aqueous solution is orally administered to the
calf to remedy diarrhea. However, while remedying diarrhea, the
additional ingredients also significantly increase the cost of the
electrolyte supplement. Therefore, initially administering the base
solution provides a cost-effective method for attempting to remedy
diarrhea and its symptoms. If the base solution does not adequately
remedy diarrhea or does not cause improvement in the calf's
condition, the additional electrolyte supplement is added to the
base solution containing the base electrolytes. The additional
electrolyte supplement includes the more expensive ingredients such
as glycine and sodium bicarbonate which increases the cost of
combating diarrhea in a calf while resulting in the improvement of
the calf's physical condition.
[0022] The ingredients of the base electrolyte supplement and the
additional electrolyte supplement both mix into water without
changing the color of the water. If more than one container is
being utilized, the person tending to the calves may become
confused whether the base electrolyte supplement has been added to
the water to form the base solution and/or whether the additional
electrolytic supplement has been added to the base solution to form
the strong solution. To remedy the lack of color, a GRAS dye is
optionally but typically added to both the base electrolyte
supplement and to the additional electrolyte supplement.
[0023] Typically, when the base electrolyte supplement is mixed
into water, the base solution turns a distinguishing color such as
yellow. While yellow is a typical color because it is easily
viewed, other colors for the base solution are within the scope of
the present invention.
[0024] When the additional electrolyte supplement is added to the
base solution, the additional electrolyte supplement turns the
"strong" SID solution to a different color than the color of the
aqueous base solution. Typically, when the additional electrolyte
supplement is added to the "weak" base solution, the solution
changes from a yellow color to an orange color. By adding different
dyes to both the base electrolyte supplement and the additional
electrolyte supplement, the administrant of the electrolyte
supplement will be readily able to ascertain whether the container
contains water, the "weak" electrolyte supplement or the "strong"
electrolyte supplement.
[0025] The base solution optionally includes a suspension agent or
mixture of suspension agents that prevent insoluble ingredients or
soluble ingredients at saturation concentrations from settling out
of the aqueous solution over time and to slow rate of freezing.
While the suspension agent is not necessary to practice the present
invention, the suspension agent maintains the ingredients in
suspension in the aqueous solution such that the particles are
substantially evenly dispersed within the aqueous solution. A
typical suspension agent is a gum or combination of gums. The
typical gums are xanthan gum, guar gum and hemicellulose extract or
any combination thereof. Other suspension agents are also within
the scope of the present invention.
[0026] The suspension agent allows non-soluble ingredients to be
added to the electrolytes supplement, such as zinc oxide, kaolin,
pectin, and activated charcoal. Zinc oxide is known to be used
successfully in the farm industry to reduce diarrhea when fed to
swine in nursery diets. However, zinc oxide is insoluble in water
and quickly settles out of an aqueous solution which limits the
effectiveness of zinc oxides in threatening diarrhea in bovine
calves. It has been discovered that the gum or combination of gums
adequately suspends an amount of zinc oxide in solution that is
effective to treat diarrhea when ingested by calves. Zinc oxide can
be included in the base electrolyte solution in concentrations up
to 10,000 ppm. The effect of zinc oxide being included with the
base solution was tested on calves having diarrhea.
Trial 1
[0027] Sixty-two calves that were 3 to 10 days of age weighing an
average of 100 pounds were purchased through sale barns in
Wisconsin. Each of the calves had diarrhea and were observed to
determine the effectiveness of the addition zinc oxide to the base
solution in treating diarrhea. The calves were fed a standardized
milk replacer diet. Diarrhea scores were taken daily. Thirty-one
calves received the base solution without zinc oxide and the other
thirty-one calves received the base solution with zinc oxide. Both
sets of calves were provided the base solution as needed for
diarrhea and dehydration. The results of the experiment are listed
below in Table 4. TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Base Solution Base
Solution Item Without ZnO.sup.A With ZnO.sup.B No. of Calves 31 31
Ave. Diarrhea Score.sup.C 2.10 2.08 Total Diarrhea Days.sup.D 6.77
6.16 Diarrhea Severity Index.sup.E 14.27 12.98 .sup.ABase solution
without ZnO. .sup.BBase solution with 5000 ppm ZnO. .sup.CDiarrhea
Score = 1-4 scale; 1 = normal, 2 = loose, 3 = water separation, 4 =
3 with severe dehydration. For this evaluation, only calves with a
diarrhea score of 2 or higher were included. .sup.DDiarrhea Days
calculated by totaling the days that calves had a diarrhea score of
2 or higher. .sup.EDiarrhea Severity Index places a value on
intensity of the diarrhea combined with the duration of diarrhea
days. Diarrhea Severity Index is calculated by multiplying the
Average Diarrhea Score by the Total Diarrhea Days.
[0028] The results of the experiment showed that calves ingesting
the base solution with zinc oxide had lower diarrhea scores, fewer
diarrhea days and lower diarrhea severity index. In conducting this
trial, gum suspension agents were included in the base solution to
retain zinc oxide in solution.
Trial 2
[0029] A trial was performed to determine the effectiveness of the
base solution with zinc oxide performed in comparison to Merrick's
Blue Ribbon electrolyte supplement manufactured by Merrick's, Inc.
of Middleton, Wis. In the trial, 55 calves between 3 and 10 days of
age weighing an average of about 100 pounds were purchased from
sale barns in Wisconsin and were evaluated. Only calves with
diarrhea were evaluated where the calves were fed a standardized
milk replacer diet. Thirty-three calves ingested the base solution
of the present invention with zinc oxide as needed for diarrhea and
dehydration and thirty-two calves ingested Merrick's Blue Ribbon
electrolyte supplement as needed for diarrhea and dehydration.
Diarrhea scores were taken daily. The performance of the calves
consuming the "weak" SID electrolyte supplement of the present
invention with zinc oxide and the calves fed Merrick's Blue Ribbon
electrolyte supplement are listed as follows: TABLE-US-00005 TABLE
5 Base Merrick's Item W/ZnO.sup.A Blue Ribbon.sup.B P-value C.V No.
of calves 33 32 Ave. Diarrhea Score.sup.C 2.12 2.14 0.04905 6.30
Total Diarrhea Days.sup.D 7.15 9.09 0.0575 49.89 Diarrhea Severity
Index.sup.E 15.38 19.75 0.0610 52.69 .sup.ABase solution containing
0.5% Zinc Oxide (5000 ppm). .sup.BMerrick's Blue Ribbon,
Non-Gelling, commercial product, Merrick's Inc. of Middleton,
Wisconsin. .sup.CDiarrhea Score = 1-4 scale; 1 = normal, 2 = loose,
3 = water separation, 4 = 3 with severe dehydration. For this
electrolyte evaluation, only calves with a diarrhea score of 2 or
higher were included. .sup.DDiarrhea Days were calculated by
totalling all days calves had a diarrhea score of 2 or higher.
.sup.EDiarrhea Severity Index puts a value on intensity of the
diarrhea combined with the duration of diarrhea days. Diarrhea
Severity Index was calculated by multiplying the Average Diarrhea
Score by the Total Diarrhea Days.
[0030] The results of this trial showed that the base with zinc
oxide reduced diarrhea days and diarrhea severity index as compared
to an electrolyte supplement without zinc oxide.
Trial 3
[0031] A trial was conducted to determine the palatability of the
base solution with the zinc oxide as compared to Merrick's Blue
Ribbon electrolyte supplement and Re-sorb.RTM. electrolyte
supplement manufactured by Pfizer, Inc. of New York, N.Y. Sixteen
calves between 3 and 10 days of age weighing an average of about
100 pounds were purchased from sale barns in Wisconsin and were
evaluated in the trial. The calves had diarrhea and were fed a
standardized milk replacer diet. Only calves that were trained to
drink out of a pail were utilized in the trial. Eight calves were
chosen per comparison where one pail of the base solution with zinc
oxide and one pail of the commercially available electrolyte system
were offered side by side to each of the calves. The calves were
given an equal time to choose between the base solution with zinc
oxide and the other commercially available electrolyte supplements.
A total of four offerings were given over two days with a minimum
of 8 hours between offerings. The results are as follows in Table
6. TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Consumption Lbs/fdg Preference Preference
Product Description (solution) Ratio.sup.A P-value Incidence.sup.B
Base.sup.C with ZnO 2.12 1.14:1.00 0.3107 34 Re-sorb .RTM..sup.D
electrolyte 1.85 22 supplement Base w/ ZnO 1.15 1.15:1.00 0.4926 25
Merricks Blue Ribbon.sup.E 1.33 31 electrolyte supplement
.sup.ADetermined by dividing the intake of the preferred product by
that of the less preferred product. .sup.BPercentage of feedings
that calves preferred each product. Total does not Equal 100 due to
ties. .sup.CBase solution contained 0.5% Zinc Oxide (5000 ppm).
.sup.DRe-sorb .RTM. commercial product manufactured by Pfizer, Inc.
of New York, New York. .sup.EMerrick's Blue Ribbon, Non-Gelling,
commercial product, manufactured by Merrick's Inc. of Middleton,
Wisconsin.
[0032] The results show that there was a statistically equal
preference for both the base solution with zinc oxide and the
commercially available electrolyte supplements. The results
indicate that the inclusion of zinc oxide at 5000 ppm does not
hinder the palatability of the electrolyte system while the
previous trials indicate that zinc oxide increases the
effectiveness of the electrolyte supplement in reducing
diarrhea.
Trial 4
[0033] A trial was conducted to determine the costs of using the
base solution of the present system with zinc oxide as compared to
Merrick's Blue Ribbon electrolyte supplement. In the trial,
fifty-five calves between 3 and 10 days of age weighing an average
of about 100 pounds were purchased from sale barns in Wisconsin and
were evaluated. The calves were fed a standardized milk replacer
diet where only calves with diarrhea were used during the trial.
Diarrhea scores were taken daily. Thirty-three of the calves
received the base solution with zinc oxide and thirty-two calves
received Merrick's Blue Ribbon electrolyte supplement as needed for
diarrhea and dehydration. The cost the of electrolyte supplement
per calf was calculated including the cost of freight. The results
of the trial are as follows: TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Base Merrick's
Blue Item w/ZnO.sup.A Ribbon.sup.B P-value C.V. No. of Calves 33 32
"Base" Electrolyte 4.07 10.46 0.0001 72.24 Cost.sup.C "AddPack"
Electrolyte 0.42 -- -- -- Cost.sup.D Total Cost Per Calf.sup.E 4.49
10.46 0.0001 60.41 .sup.ABase solution containing 0.5% Zinc Oxide
(5000 ppm). .sup.BMerrick's Blue Ribbon, Non-Gelling, commercial
product manufactured by Merrick's Inc. of Middleton, Wisconsin.
.sup.C"Base" cost/dose mimicked retail pricing F.O.B. farm. Base =
$0.29/dose and Merrick's Blue Ribbon = $0.57/dose. .sup.D"Add Pack"
cost/dose mimicked retail pricing F.O.B. to location of experiment
= $0.28. Merrick's Blue Ribbon is formulated complete so no Add
Pack was ever added. .sup.ETotal Electrolyte Cost is "Base" + "Add
Pack" (if used).
[0034] The results of the trial indicate that the base with zinc
oxide including the additional electrolyte supplement indicated by
the term "Add Pack" was more cost effective than Merrick's Blue
Ribbon electrolyte supplement. The cost per calf using the
electrolyte solution with zinc oxide and the "Add Pack" was less
than half of the cost per calf when compared to using Merrick's
Blue 20 Ribbon electrolyte supplement. Significant economic savings
were realized by utilizing the base solution with zinc oxide and
the "Add Pack" of the present invention to minimize the effects of
diarrhea and dehydration.
Trial 5
[0035] A trial was conducted to determine the costs of using the
base of the present system with zinc oxide and the Add Pack as
compared to Pfizer's Re-sorb.RTM. electrolyte supplement. Fifty-one
calves, 3 to 10 days of age and weighing an average of 100 pounds,
were purchased from sale barns in Wisconsin and were evaluated.
During the trial, 27 calves were fed the base solution with zinc
oxide and 24 of the calves were fed the Re-sorb.RTM. electrolyte
system. Only calves with diarrhea were used during the trial and
the calves were fed standardized milk replacer diet. Diarrhea
scores were taken daily. Retail costs were calculated and included
freight costs to the location of the trial. TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8
Base Item w/ZnO.sup.A Resorb.sup.B P-value C.V. No. of Calves 27 24
"Base" Electrolyte Cost.sup.C 2.93 16.24 0.0001 91.95 "Add Pack"
Electrolyte 0.18 -- -- -- Cost.sup.D Total Cost Per Calf.sup.E 3.11
16.24 0.0001 85.16 .sup.ABase solution contained 0.5% Zinc Oxide
(5000 ppm). .sup.BRe-sorb .RTM., commercial product, manufactured
by Pfizer, Inc. of New York, New York. .sup.C"Base" cost/dose
mimicked retail pricing F.O.B. base solution w/ZnO = $0.29 and
Re-sorb .RTM., = $1.78/dose. .sup.D"Add Pack" cost/dose mimicked
retail pricing F.O.B. = $0.28/dose. Re-sorb .RTM. electrolyte
system is formulated complete so no "Add Pack" was ever added.
.sup.ETotal Electrolyte Cost is "Base" + "Add Pack" (if used).
[0036] The base solution with zinc oxide including the "Add Pack"
electrolyte system cost a total of about $3.11 per calf while
Pfizer's Re-sorb.RTM. electrolyte supplement cost on average $16.24
per calf. The trial indicated that using the base solution with
zinc oxide of the present invention with the "Add Pack" or
additional electrolyte system saves approximately $13.13 per calf
when compared to the cost of using Pfizer's Re-sorb.RTM.
electrolyte supplement. The trial also indicated that utilizing the
base solution with zinc oxide resulted in a statistically
significant reduction in cost when compared to the Re-sorb.RTM.
electrolyte supplement.
[0037] Trial 8
[0038] A trial was run to determine the effectiveness of a
suspension agent on the suppression of the freezing point of the
base solution. Suppressing the freeze point is beneficial when
feeding the electrolyte system to calves in an outdoor environment
in colder climates. The base solution is typically made available
to the calves in a pail for an extended period of time at or below
freezing temperature. In colder climates, the aqueous electrolyte
base solution has a tendency of forming an ice layer on the surface
thereby making the electrolyte system undrinkable for the calf.
[0039] A comparison was conducted by mixing 77 grams of the base
electrolyte supplement without and with the suspension agents
separately into two quarts of water at a temperature of
111.3.degree. F. The base electrolyte system was mixed into the
water for about 15 seconds with a whisk in a black 10-quart calf
pail after which the electrolyte solutions were allowed to sit for
5 minutes. Both solutions were remixed with a whisk and then placed
side by side in a walk-in freezer maintained at about 5.degree. F.
The results of the trial are as follows. TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9
Base Solution Base Solution w/o Suspension with suspension
Ingredient Ingredient Hour .degree. F. Comments .degree. F.
Comments 0.0 101 101 0.5 76 88 1.0 65 76 1.5 50 61 2.0 43 56 2 mm
ice crystals along inside pail rim 2.5 36 49 2 mm ice crystals
along inside pail rim 3.0 32 Slushy ice layer 45 1.5 cm ice
crystals along inside across pail rim 3.3 -- Solid ice layer across
3.5 -- Solid ice layer 38 2.5 cm ice crystals along inside across
pail rim 4.0 -- Solid ice layer 37 5 cm ice crystals long inside
across pail rim 4.5 -- Solid ice layer 34 6 cm ice crystals along
inside across pail rim 5.0 -- Solid ice layer 31 Slushy ice layer
across across 5.08 -- Solid ice layer -- Solid ice layer across
across
[0040] The results of the trial indicate that the electrolyte
system without suspension formed a solid ice layer across the
surface in about 3.3 hours while the electrolyte system with the
suspension agent formed a solid ice layer across the surface in
about 5.08 hours. While wishing to not be bound by theory,
applicants believe that the increased time needed to form a solid
ice layer caused by the suspension agent was the result of
retaining more ions in solution and thereby suppressing the
freezing point of the base solution. Especially in cold climates
where calves can be fed in outdoor conditions at temperatures below
freezing, suppressing the freeze point of the solution provides a
benefit in increasing the effectiveness of the electrolyte system
because the calf has a longer time period to consume the aqueous
electrolyte system.
[0041] It is believed that once the electrolyte system has a solid
layer across the surface of the solution, the calves will be unable
to consume the electrolyte system. Therefore, the addition of the
gum suspension ingredients allow the calves more time to consume
the electrolyte system which increases the effectiveness of the
electrolyte solution and counteracting the effects of diarrhea.
[0042] Data for parameters presented in the Tables above was
analyzed using the general linear model (GLM) statistical procedure
of SAS/STAT. Statistical analysis software for a randomized
complete block design that included both the particular feed
regimen and the week of the test period in the model statement. The
SAS/STAT statistical analysis software is available from SAS
Institute, Inc. of Cary, N.C. Additionally, all data was analyzed
to determine the mean of the data for each variable under
consideration during the collection period for the particular
data.
[0043] Additionally, the PDiff function of the GLM statistical
procedure was used to characterize the mean values of the data by
providing for comparisons between mean data values for the calves
of different treatments for particular test parameters or
variables.
[0044] P used in the Tables above is a probability value. For
purposes of comparing data in this document, P values of 0.10, or
lower, are considered to be statistically significant.
[0045] Also, the Tables include a coefficient of variation (CV) for
data in a particular row. The coefficient of variation is the
standard deviation of a particular variable divided by the mean of
the variable and then multiplied by 100.
[0046] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will
recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *