JP2009011278A - Composition and method for reducing volume and nasty odor of excrement - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an animal food composition reducing an excretion amount and nasty odor of excrement through ingestion by animals, and containing high quality protein and high digestive carbohydrate, and to provide a method for using the food composition. <P>SOLUTION: This pet food composition contains about 15%-about 30% of high quality protein, about 25%-about 50% of high digestive carbohydrate, and has a dried food digestibility higher than about 88%. The pet food composition may contain whole dietary fiber, fat, mineral, vitamin, and amino acid. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a highly digestible pet food composition comprising a high quality protein and a highly digestible carbohydrate, and a method for reducing the volume and odor of pet feces by providing an animal with the composition of the present invention.

  Pets excrete feces, which are performed in various places (eg, outdoors, in a cat toilet, or on newspaper). Cleaning up pet feces is often uncomfortable, and many products are being sold to make this work as pleasant as possible, but these products can help reduce fecal excretion, excreted fecal volume, and fecal matter. The underlying problem of the unpleasant odor that comes with it is not addressed. As is generally known, food compositions can significantly affect the amount and characteristics of feces excreted by animals. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop compositions and methods for reducing the weight or volume of feces excreted by animals and for reducing fecal odor.

  The present invention relates to a highly digestible pet food composition comprising a high quality protein and a highly digestible carbohydrate. When the pet food composition is ingested, a smaller amount of a high quality protein and a less digestible carbohydrate are provided. Compared to feces excreted by an animal that receives a composition containing it, feces are formed of animals that have a smaller volume and less unpleasant odor. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention relates to a pet food composition comprising one or more high quality proteins and one or more highly digestible carbohydrates. In certain embodiments, the compositions of the present invention may comprise about 15% to about 30% high quality protein and about 25% to about 50% highly digestible carbohydrate. The high quality protein may have a true protein digestibility greater than about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, or 95%; the high digestible carbohydrate is about 90%, 92% It may have a digestibility greater than%, 94%, 95%, or 96%. The compositions of the present invention may have a dry matter digestibility greater than about 88%, 90%, or 95%. In certain embodiments, the composition of the present invention is a nutritionally complete pet food, more specifically a dog food.

  In certain embodiments, the present invention provides 36% sake rice, 16% egg, 16% corn starch, 14.5% corn gluten meal, 2.5% beet pulp, 2.5% soybean oil, 2% flaxseed , Carnitine, one or more amino acids, one or more minerals, and one or more vitamins. The composition in particular exhibits a dry matter digestibility, true protein digestibility, fat digestibility, carbohydrate digestibility, and energy digestibility of ≧ 88.0%.

  In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for reducing the volume of feces excreted by an animal comprising providing the animal with any of the highly digestible compositions of the invention.

  In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method for reducing the odor of feces excreted by an animal comprising providing the animal with any of the highly digestible compositions of the invention.

  In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to the use of high quality proteins and highly digestible carbohydrates in the manufacture of a food composition for feeding to an animal to reduce the volume of feces excreted by the animal.

  In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to the use of high quality proteins and highly digestible carbohydrates in the manufacture of food compositions for feeding to animals to reduce the stool odor excreted by the animals.

  Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  While not intending to be bound by any theory or specific mode of action of the present invention, the present invention shows that when an animal consumes a particular composition, the amount of feces excreted by the animal is reduced and excreted. It is based on the discovery that the fecal odor is reduced. In general, the compositions of the present invention are highly digestible and comprise one or more high quality proteins and highly digestible carbohydrates. As a result of the increased digestibility, the volume of feces excreted is reduced. In addition, the reduction in fecal odor is believed to be due to an increase in digestibility and, in that regard, a reduction in the amount of sulfur-containing compounds in the feces excreted by animals that have ingested the composition of the present invention.

  As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

  As used herein, “an amount effective”, “an effective amount”, and similar terms, achieve a particular biological result. Represents the amount of a compound, substance, or composition described herein that is effective (eg, to reduce fecal volume and odor). Such a result can be achieved, for example, by administering the composition of the present invention to an animal. The effective amount will depend on a number of factors, including animal type, gender, age, weight, and / or metabolic energy of the composition. As intended herein, the daily amount of food composition to be fed to an animal is well known to those skilled in the art.

  As used herein, “highly digestible diet” refers to a diet having a digestibility of 88.0% or higher. The term “nutrient digestibility” includes dry matter, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and energy digestibility.

  The present invention relates to all animals (preferably mammals, more preferably companion animals) that may benefit from being provided with the formulations disclosed herein. A “companion animal” refers to any animal living in close contact with humans, including, but not limited to, canines and felines of all breeds. For example, the term may encompass any animal whose diet can be controlled by a human and that can benefit from being provided with the formulations disclosed herein. These animals may include, for example, not only domestic animals (eg, cows, horses, and pigs) but also animals other than domestic animals (eg, in zoos) that are being raised.

  The present invention is suitable for use on animals at various stages of life, including the lactation stage, weaning stage, growth stage, adult stage, old age stage, and old age stage. The animal is preferably an adult animal, an elderly animal, or an old animal, and more preferably an adult animal.

  Unless otherwise specified, all percentages used herein are weight percent on a dry matter basis. “Dry matter basis” means the concentration of a component in the composition after removal of moisture in the composition.

  As used herein, “high quality protein” refers to “true protein digestibility” (“apparent protein digestibility”) (“apparent protein digestibility”) (“apparent protein digestibility”) (“apparent protein digestibility”) It represents all proteins or all protein mixtures that can be digested by (in contrast to “protein digestibility”).

Methods for measuring protein digestibility are known to those skilled in the art. For example, the protein content of a composition can be measured by a number of methods known to those skilled in the art [eg, the Association of Official Analytical Chemists in Official Methods of Analysis (“OMA”), Method 988.05). Thus, to measure “apparent protein digestibility”, one of ordinary skill in the art measures the protein content of the composition and the protein content of feces excreted by feeding the composition to the animal. Apparent protein digestibility is calculated as follows.

  As is well known, feces contain many other protein sources (eg, bacterial proteins, enzymes produced by the digestion process, and bile). Thus, protein digestibility can be altered somewhat by the presence of endogenous protein in the stool. Therefore, to determine the true protein digestibility, the apparent protein digestibility is often multiplied by a factor to take into account the presence of such endogenous proteins. Depending on the amount of endogenous protein present, the coefficient may be increased or decreased. In the present invention, the true protein digestibility is determined by multiplying the protein digestibility by a factor of 1.051. That is, the difference between the true protein digestibility and the apparent protein digestibility is about 1.051 (for example, the apparent protein digestibility of 88.5% is equal to the true protein digestibility of 93.0%).

  Sources of high quality protein for use in the present invention include plant sources, animal sources, or both. Animal sources include, for example, meat, meat by-products, seafood, dairy products (including powdered milk), and eggs. The plant source may include soy protein isolate. The high quality protein may be intact, almost completely hydrolyzed, partially hydrolyzed, or isolated. Preferably, the high quality protein is an egg (eg, a chicken egg that is substantially free of eggshell). Other sources of high quality protein include egg white, casein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, whey protein, ovalbumin, and lactalbumin. As contemplated herein, the composition of the present invention may be any mixture of high quality proteins. The composition of the present invention may comprise about 15-30% high quality protein.

  As used herein, “highly digestible carbohydrate” refers to greater than about 90%, greater than about 93%, preferably greater than about 95%, or about 96%, depending on the animal (eg, canine). It is a carbohydrate that can be digested more. Highly digestible carbohydrates can be any of a variety of sources known to those skilled in the art, including corn, wheat, rice (e.g., sake rice), starch (e.g., rice or corn starch), corn gluten meal, and distillers dried cereals. Can also be given by. As contemplated herein, the compositions of the present invention include any mixture of highly digestible carbohydrates. The compositions of the present invention may comprise about 25-50% highly digestible carbohydrates.

Methods for determining the digestibility of carbohydrates are known to those skilled in the art. The percent carbohydrate can be calculated as a nitrogen-free extract ("NFE") and can be calculated as follows: NFE = 100%-moisture%-protein%-fat%-ash%-crude fiber%. Thus, to determine carbohydrate digestibility, one of skill in the art determines the carbohydrate content of the composition and the carbohydrate content of feces excreted by feeding the composition to the animal. The carbohydrate digestibility is then calculated according to the following formula:

Dry matter digestibility (DMD) represents the amount of dry matter digested by an animal, based on the weight of the dry matter. The digestibility is generally determined by dividing [ingested content-feces content] by [ingested content]. Methods for determining DMD are well known in the industry. For example, the amount of food consumed on a dry matter basis is obtained, and the amount of feces excreted by consumption of the food (on a dry matter basis) is obtained. The DMD is then calculated as follows:

フードと糞便中の脂肪含量とエネルギー含量の決定は、当業者によく知られている従来の方法にしたがって行うことができる。 The digestibility of fat and energy can also be determined in the same manner as described above.

Determination of the fat content and energy content in food and feces can be performed according to conventional methods well known to those skilled in the art.

  The composition of the present invention not only reduces the volume of feces, but also reduces the odor of feces excreted by animals that have consumed the composition. Methods for testing fecal odor are well known to those skilled in the art. For example, a quantitative assessment using human panelists can be used to rank fecal odors (eg, as described in the examples herein). Furthermore, stool odor compounds can also be quantitatively measured using, for example, gas chromatography or mass spectrometry. Fecal odor compounds that are quantitatively tested in excreta include sulfur-containing compounds, phenols, heterocyclic compounds and indoles, carboxylic acid compounds, and ketone compounds.

  As contemplated herein, the compositions of the present invention include a nutritionally complete pet food diet. A “nutrientally complete diet” includes sufficient nutrients to maintain the normal health of a recipient animal (eg, a domesticated feline or canine) intended for a diet, A diet well known to those skilled in the art. For example, nutrients and ingredients (e.g., nutrients and ingredients disclosed herein, and nutrients and ingredients suitable for animal feed compositions) and their recommended amounts can be found in, for example, “Official Publication of the Associate of American Feed Control Officials” Inc., (“AAFCO”) ”,“ Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, 2006 ”.

  The nutritionally complete pet food composition disclosed herein may include fat. The fat source for the compositions of the present invention can be provided by any of a variety of sources known to those skilled in the art, including meat, meat by-products, fish oil, and plants. Plant fat sources are derived from wheat, flaxseed, rye, barley, rice, sorghum, corn, oats, millet, wheat germ, corn germ, soybeans, peanuts, and these and other plant fat sources. Oil. As contemplated herein, the compositions of the present invention may comprise about 11% to about 16% fat (preferably about 14% fat).

  In order to prevent deficiency and maintain health, vitamins and minerals can be incorporated into the compositions of the present invention in amounts known to those skilled in the art. For example, the National Research Council for Scientific Research (NRC) has clarified recommended amounts of such ingredients for livestock, and AAFCO [eg “Official Publication of the Associate of American Feed Control Officials Inc.,” (“AAFCO”) ” "Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, 2006"] clarifies recommended amounts of such ingredients for canines and felines. Vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin H (biotin), vitamin K, folic acid, inositol, niacin, and pantothenic acid. Examples of minerals include, for example, calcium, phosphorus, dicalcium phosphate, potassium citrate, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, sodium chloride; or sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, calcium, chloride, copper, zinc, choline, Phosphorus, iodine, or selenium salts;

  Fibers (including but not limited to dietary fiber) can be incorporated into the compositions of the present invention. Dietary fiber represents plant components that are resistant to digestion by animal digestive enzymes. The dietary fiber component in the food can be examined by various methods known to those skilled in the art [for example, OMA method 991.43 / 32.1.17 (1994)]. Total dietary fiber includes soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is resistant to digestion and absorption in the small intestine, but undergoes complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine. Sources of soluble fiber for use in the compositions of the present invention include beet pulp, guar gum, chicory root, plantain, blueberry, cranberry, pumpkin, apple, oats, beans, citrus, barley, or peas There is. Insoluble fibers are fibers that do not dissolve in water and tend to increase the speed at which the hood passes through the digestive tract. Examples of insoluble fibers include, for example, cellulose, whole wheat products, wheat, oats, corn bran, linseed, grapes, celery, green beans, cauliflower, potato skin, fruit skin, vegetable skin, peanut shell, and soy There are fibers, but it is not limited to these. As contemplated herein, the compositions of the present invention may comprise from about 3% to about 6% total dietary fiber.

  The compositions of the present invention may further comprise amino acids in amounts known to those skilled in the art to prevent deficiency and maintain health. The composition of the present invention preferably contains “essential amino acids”. Essential amino acids are amino acids that cannot be synthesized freshly or in sufficient quantities by the organism and therefore must be supplied in the diet. Essential amino acids vary depending on the metabolism of the organism. For example, as is generally recognized, the essential amino acids for dogs and cats (and humans) are phenylalanine, leucine, methionine, lysine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, histidine, and arginine. In addition, taurine (technically not an amino acid but a derivative of cysteine) is an essential nutrient for dogs and cats.

  The composition of the present invention may further contain, for example, carnitine, omega-3 fatty acid or omega-6 fatty acid in an amount known to those skilled in the art to prevent deficiency and maintain health. Carnitine, or L-carnitine, is a vitamin-like compound synthesized from lysine and methionine in the body. Carnitine may be naturally present in the ingredients of the present invention (eg flaxseed) or it may be added to the composition.

  The compositions of the present invention may further comprise additives, stabilizers, fillers, thickeners, flavors, palatability enhancers, and colorants, in combination with amounts well known to those skilled in the art. . Stabilizing materials may improve the shelf life of the composition and are known to those skilled in the art.

  As contemplated herein, the compositions of the present invention may comprise a metabolizable energy content of about 3500 kcal / kg to about 4500 kcal / kg. As used herein, “metabolizable energy” refers to the energy available to an animal when consuming a diet (or composition) after subtracting the energy excreted in feces, urine, and combustible gases. Represents. The metabolizable energy value can be determined according to protocols established by methods known to those skilled in the art (eg, according to official guidelines set forth from “Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)”).

  The highly digestible composition of the present invention resulting in reduced fecal volume and malodor includes, for example (but not limited to): 36% sake rice, 16% egg, 16% corn starch, 14.5% corn gluten meal Contains 2.5% beet pulp, 2.5% soybean oil, 2% flaxseed, carnitine, one or more amino acids, one or more minerals, one or more vitamins, and one or more palatability enhancers It is considered good. The composition in particular exhibits a dry matter digestibility, true protein digestibility, fat digestibility, carbohydrate digestibility, and energy digestibility of ≧ 88.0%.

  Although compositions having some consistency or moisture content are contemplated, the compositions of the present invention may be, for example, wet animal food compositions, semi-moistanimal food compositions, or It may be a dry animal food composition. “Wet” food refers to food having a moisture content of about 70-90%. “Semi-moist” food refers to food with a moisture content of about 15-40%. "Dry" food refers to a composition having a moisture content of about 5-15% and is often manufactured in the form of small pieces or kibbles. Furthermore, contemplated herein are compositions that may include ingredients having more than one consistency in addition to ingredients having various consistency (e.g., soft and chewy meat Like particles and kibbles having an outer cereal component and an inner cream component as described in US Pat. No. 6,517,877). The kibble may be further dried and optionally coated with one or more topical coatings known to those skilled in the art (eg, flavors, fats, oils, powders, etc.). The compositions of the present invention can be manufactured using conventional manufacturing methods.

  Of course, the present invention is not limited to the specific methods, protocols, and reagents described herein, which may vary. It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. That is not. Further, detailed descriptions of embodiments are provided to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the present invention in many ways when those skilled in the art can best adapt to the requirements of a particular application. It is intended only to inform the present invention, the principles of the invention, and the practical application of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and various modifications can be made.

  Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The entire contents of all patents, patent applications, publications, and other documents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

(実施例2) (Example 1)
According to “The Association of American Feed Control Officials 2005 Nutrient Guide for Dogs”, the foods in Table 1 are blended, made as kibbles, balanced to meet adult maintenance requirements, and extruded as dry kibbles according to conventional methods. Combine two compositions to meet or exceed AAFCO nutritional recommendations. Metabolizable energy is calculated according to conventional methods (eg, using the Atwater equation) and expressed as a percentage based on the weight of dry matter. Five high content components are also listed (in decreasing order).

(Example 2)

A digestibility experiment is performed to determine the digestibility of the control hood and the test hood of Example 1. The composition of Example 1 is given to two groups of dogs in five groups per 14 days. Over 7 days, one group of 5 dogs receives control A and another group of 5 dogs receives test composition B. After 7 days, change the food for the animals. On days 1 and 2, all feces are collected and analyzed for days 3-7, taking into account the adaptation to the food. On day 8, each group receives a second food (considering adaptation to the new food for the first two days) and stool samples are collected daily and analyzed for the remainder of the experiment. Collect feces over the course of the day and place them in a sealable plastic bag [24 hr or before cage washing the following morning]. Label the plastic bag with the animal ID #, date, and test #. Refrigerate stool samples requiring storage at 5 ° C. Measure fecal volume using the displacement method. Weigh the stool sample and add it onto the stool densitometer. Collect the excluded water and measure the volume with a graduated cylinder. Density measurements (g / cc) are obtained by dividing the weight (g) of the sample by the volume (ml) of excluded water. Data is analyzed using SAS's general linear model method to determine treatment means. All digestibility assays are performed according to conventional methods. Table 2 shows the digestibility values and fecal characteristics.

From these results it can be seen that animals given test composition B have less stool (relative to stool weight and volume) compared to dogs given control A.
(Example 3)

(実施例4) Test composition C is formulated according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials 2005 Nutrient Guide for Dogs, balanced to meet adult maintenance requirements, and extruded as a dryable according to conventional methods. The metabolizable energy content is calculated using the Atwater equation. The four high content ingredients are rice, egg, corn starch, and corn gluten meal. The content of test composition C is analyzed by methods known in the art and is shown on a dry matter basis in the table below.

(Example 4)

  A digestibility experiment is performed to compare test composition C of Example 3 with a commercial dog food (Eukanuba® Adult Maintenance Granules (“EU-SB”)). Calculate metabolizable energy content using Atwater equation. The four high content components of EU-SB are chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, and ground whole sorghum. The composition of EU-SB was analyzed by methods known in the art and shown in Table 4 along with the nutrient analysis of test composition C. The results of the digestibility experiment are shown in Table 5.

Digestibility experiments are performed as described in Example 2. In this case, test composition C or EU-SB is given to 2 groups of dogs in 5 groups per day for 14 days. Over 7 days, 5 dogs in one group receive composition C and 5 dogs in another group receive EU-SB. After 7 days, change the food for the animals. On days 1 and 2, all feces are collected on days 3-7, taking into account adaptation to the food. On day 8, give each group a second hood (considering adaptation to the new hood for the first two days). Fecal samples are collected daily and analyzed as described in Example 2 for the remainder of the experiment. For each 7 day test period, the stool collection is used on the first 3 days to measure stool volume, weight, and density. The stool measurement of these three items is performed every day, and the average for three days is calculated. Furthermore, in this experiment, stool odor is measured using the last two days of stool collection. A measurement of fecal odor is obtained using a two day composite (see Example 5 below). An experimental schedule (a study schedule) is shown below.

From the above results, it can be seen that when test composition C is given to dogs, the weight and volume of feces excreted is reduced compared to dogs given commercial food EU-SB.
(Example 5)

  The fecal odor is analyzed for the feces collected from the digestibility experiment described in Example 4. All stool samples should be kept refrigerated at 5 ° C prior to analysis. Samples are removed from the refrigeration apparatus and composited in polyethylene bags for each animal as needed. The fecal sample is then placed in a bag and the fecal material is broken apart and mixed. Fecal material is placed in a 10 ml polyethylene syringe and 5 g (+/− 0.01 g) is squeezed into a 20 ml headspace vial and the crimp is capped for analysis. Squeezing from the syringe helps to increase the surface area of the sample. This is important to fully equilibrate the volatile components in the stool sample. Sample preparation in this manner also helps to “normalize” the form of the sample in the headspace vial.

  The stool sample is loaded into a Leap Technologies Combi-PAL sampler. Samples are loaded into the sampler, incubated at 30 ° C., and sampled using Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) fiber (Supelco, 1 cm × 75 μm Carboxen / PDMS). The fiber is exposed to the headspace in the vial for 30 minutes before being injected into an Agilent 6890 Gas Chromatograph / 5973N Mass Selective Detector (GCMS). Separation is performed with an Agilent DB-WAXETR column (60m x 0.25mm x 0.25µm). Once the analysis is complete, the data is processed to determine the peak area for ions specific for each compound [Q Ion].

  A summary report of the total peak area is exported to the database, and each compound is categorized by its primary functional group. Sum the peak areas of all compounds in each class. These total values are then analyzed using two sets of comparative Proc mixed methods by SAS.

Assessment of stool odor is performed on days 6, 7, 13, and 14 using the following procedure: A new stool sample is collected and randomly encoded in three digits insert. Eleven animal colony personnel will be recruited for sample evaluation. Samples are evaluated within 1 hour of collection. Samples are given to each party in random order. The party evaluates the sample by holding the open bag about 1 foot away from the nose and performing several “bunny sniffs” and sniffing. The party assigns a odor intensity grade to each sample using a 5 point scale (1 = no odor, 5 = very strong odor). The odor intensity grade is recorded in the prescribed format. When the experiment is complete, the average for each sample is calculated and compared using the SAS general linear model method. The results of fecal analysis are shown in Tables 6-14 below.

  From the data shown in the table above, it can be seen that the stool score is not different between test composition C and EU-SB (e.g. 4.9 for the two diets in test 1; test 4.3 and 4.4 for EU-SB and test composition C in 2, respectively.

  Fecal weight and volume are not statistically different between test composition C and EU-SB articles. In two experiments (Test 1 and Test 2), dogs fed the test diet had significantly lower fecal weights (57.4 g and 95.6 g, respectively) compared to dogs fed the EU-SB article. Has significantly lower fecal volume (54.7 ml and 90.1 ml respectively). There is almost no difference in stool density (0.99g / cc and 1.05g / cc). Numbers shown are averages from two experiments.

  Assess fecal odor using headspace analysis of fecal odor. Results from the combination experiments show that dogs receiving the test diet have 63% lower levels of sulfur-containing compounds compared to dogs receiving the EU-SB article (P <0.05). This is an important discovery. Because sulfur compounds have very low odor thresholds, reducing these compounds improves the fecal odor problem. Dogs that received the test diet also have significantly lower levels of acid (eg, 49% reduction; (P <0.05)). Dogs fed the EU-SB diet (numbers shown are from combination experiments) have significantly lower levels of phenols (P <0.05), indole (P <0.05), and furan (P <0.05) Have

  A sensory panel consisting of 11 parties is used to rank the stool odor intensity in the stool samples collected from the stool samples from Experiment 2. These analyzes show that dogs fed the test diet have lower fecal odor scores compared to dogs fed the EU-SB article (2.92 and 3.19; P <0.05). Thus, when considering these results as a whole (e.g., considering the results of headspace analysis combined with the results from sensory analysis), reducing sulfur and possibly acid compounds may reduce other compounds (e.g., furan, It can be seen that it is more important than reducing some of the phenols and indole).

  The diet for dogs of Test Composition C has been shown to be extremely digestible. The dry matter digestibility, true protein digestibility, and energy digestibility are 91.0%, 98.2%, and 92.7%, respectively. Increased digestibility not only reduces fecal weight and volume, but also reduces fecal odor (assessed by both analytical and sensory tests).

Claims (31)

  A highly digestible pet food composition comprising high quality protein and highly digestible carbohydrates and having a dry matter digestibility greater than about 88%.   The pet food composition of claim 1, comprising from about 15% to about 30% high quality protein source.   The pet food composition of claim 1, comprising from about 25% to about 50% highly digestible carbohydrates.   4. A pet food composition according to any one of claims 1-3, having a dry matter digestibility greater than about 88% according to canines.   5. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1-4, comprising about 3% to about 6% total dietary fiber.   6. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising about 11% to about 16% fat.   7. A pet food composition according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a metabolic energy content of about 3500-4500 kcal / kg.   8. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the high quality protein has a true protein digestibility greater than about 90%.   9. A pet food composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the highly digestible carbohydrate has a digestibility greater than about 90%.   10. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the high quality protein is selected from meat, meat by-products, seafood, dairy products, eggs, and mixtures thereof.   11. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the highly digestible carbohydrate is selected from corn, wheat, distillers dried cereal, corn starch, rice, corn gluten meal, and mixtures thereof. .   12. Pet food according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a mineral selected from sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, calcium, chloride, copper, zinc, choline, iron, phosphorus, iodine and selenium. Composition.   Claim 1 comprising a vitamin selected from vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin H, vitamin K, folic acid, inositol, niacin, and pantothenic acid. The pet food composition according to any one of -12.   The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising carnitine.   15. Pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising an amino acid selected from phenylalanine, leucine, methionine, lysine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, histidine and arginine.   The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the pet food composition is a dry pet food composition.   The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the pet food composition is a wet pet food composition.   18. A pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the pet food composition is a nutritionally complete pet food composition.   The pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the pet food composition is a dog food. (a) about 36% sake rice;
(b) about 16% eggs;
(c) about 16% corn starch;
(d) about 14.5% corn gluten meal;
(e) about 2.5% beet pulp;
(f) about 2.5% soybean oil;
(g) flaxseed about 2.0%; and
(h) carnitine;
A highly digestible pet food composition.   21. The pet food composition of claim 20, wherein the pet food composition is a dry pet food composition.   21. The pet food composition of claim 20, wherein the pet food composition is a wet pet food composition.   23. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the pet food composition is a nutritionally complete pet food composition.   24. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the pet food composition is a dog food composition.   25. A pet food composition according to any one of claims 20 to 24 having a dry matter digestibility greater than about 88% according to canines.   26. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 20 to 25, wherein the pet food composition has a true protein digestibility greater than about 90%.   27. The pet food composition according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein the pet food composition has a carbohydrate digestibility greater than about 90%.   28. A method for reducing the volume of feces excreted by an animal, comprising providing the animal with the pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 27.   A method for reducing the amount of sulfur-containing compounds in stool, thereby reducing the odor of feces excreted by the animal, comprising providing the animal with the pet food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 27. .   Use of high quality proteins and highly digestible carbohydrates in the manufacture of a food composition for feeding animals to reduce the volume of feces excreted by the animals.   Use of high quality proteins and highly digestible carbohydrates in the manufacture of food compositions for feeding animals to reduce the odor of feces excreted by the animals.