United States Patent (19)

Transcription

1 United State Patent (19) Lepine et al. USOO A 11 Patent umber: (45) ate of Patent: ec. 22, PET FOO COMPOSITIO FOR LARGE BREE PUPPES A METHO FOR PROMOTIG PROPER SKELETAL GROWTH 75 Inventor: Allan Lepine, Lewiburg; Gregory A. Reinhart, ayton, both of Ohio 73 Aignee: The Iam Company, ayton, Ohio 21 Appl. o.: 840, Filed: Apr. 29, 1997 (51) Int. Cl."... A23K 1/ U.S. Cl /74; 426/656; 426/658; 426/615; 426/ Field of Search /74, 656, 658, 426/615, ) Reference Cited FOREIG PATET OCUMETS /1993 European Pat. Off.. OTHER PUBLICATIOS K. ammrich, Relationhip Between utrition and Bone Growth in Large and Giant og, Am. InSt. utrition, pp. S114-S121 (1991). S.A. Goedegebulure et al. Morphological Finding in Young og Chronically Fed a iet Containing ExceSS Calcium', Vet Pathol, vol. 23, pp (1986). H.A.W. Hazewinkel et al., Influence of Chronic Calcium Exce on the Skeletal evelopment of Growing Great ane, J. Am. Animal Hop. ASSOc., vol. 21, pp (1985). H.A.W. Hazewinkel et al., Calcium Metabolim in Great ane og Fed iet with Variou Calcium and Phophoru Level, Am. Int. utrition, pp. S99-S106 (1991). R. ap et al., Growth and Skeletal evelopment in Great ane Pup Fed ifferent Level of Protein Intake, Am. InSt. urtition, pp. S107-S113 (1991). Parajon et al., Recl. Med. Vet., vol. 172(9/10), pp , Primary Examiner-Chhaya. Sayala Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Killworth, Gottman, Hagan & Schaeff, L.L.P. 57 ABSTRACT A pet food compoition i provided for large breed puppie which contain from about 0.75% to 0.95% by weight calcium and from about 0.62% to 0.72% by weight pho phorou. The compoition further include a Source of protein, a Source of fiber, and a Source of fat. The pet food compoition i fed to large breed puppie to provide opti mum keletal growth and reduce the incidence of keletal abnormalitie. 5 Claim, 3 rawing Sheet

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5 1 PET FOO COMPOSITIO FOR LARGE BREE PUPPES A METHO FOR PROMOTIG PROPER SKELETAL GROWTH BACKGROU OF THE IVETIO The preent invention relate to a pet food compoition for large or giant breed puppie, and more particularly, to Such a pet food compoition which contain retricted quan titie of calcium and phophoru which, when fed to the animal, promotes proper Skeletal growth in growing large or giant breed puppie. Large or giant breed puppie grow to a larger body ize than Smaller breed puppie, and a a reult, they have a genetic propenity to grow very rapidly when provided with a nutrient-rich diet. However, it ha been found that Such rapid growth can reult in an imbalance between the rate of body weight gain and keletal growth of the puppie. In addition, the bone of large and giant breed dog are less dene than bone of Smaller breed dog. Accordingly, large or giant breed puppie are often Suceptible to keletal growth abnormalitie including diturbance in endochon dral OSSification which may lead to oteochondroi, hyper trophic Oteodytrophy, and hip dyplaia. AS a reult, extenive reearch ha been done in recent year with regard to the nutritional management of large breed puppy diet in an effort to leen the incidence and Severity of Skeletal dieae in growing large or giant breed puppie. A number of Studie have been conducted with regard to the relationhip between nutrition and bone growth in puppie including the influence of high energy (high fat) diet, and the influence of protein, calcium, and phophoru level in the diet. With regard to energy intake, Studie have indicated that ad libitum feeding of large breed dog with a diet high in energy reult in increaed body weight which exceed Skeletal growth rate, potentially leading to keletal abnormalitie. See ammrich, Relationhip Between utrition and Bone Growth in Large and Giant og, Am. Int. of utrition, pp. S114-S121 (1991). Studie have alo indicated that large breed puppy diet which are high in calcium have a negative impact on Skeletal development. See Goedegebulure et al., Morphological Finding in Young og Chronically Fed a iet Containing Exce Calcium, Vet Pathol., 23: (1986) and Hazewinkel, et al., Influence of Chronic Calcium Exce on the Skeletal evelopment of Growing Great ane, J. Am. Animal Hop. ASSOc., Vol. 21, pp (1985). However, while thee and other tudie have indicated that high level of certain mineral and other component in the diet can have an advere affect on Skeletal development of large breed puppie, no puppy diet have been developed which target the optimal nutrient denity neceary to mini mize the rik of Skeletal abnormalitie in growing large breed puppie. Accordingly, there i till a need in the art for a pet food product formulated Specifically for large and giant breed puppie which will provide the proper balance of nutrient to obtain optimum keletal health of growing large and giant breed puppie. SUMMARY OF THE IVETIO The preent invention meet that need by providing a pet food compoition for large and giant breed puppie which contain retricted level of calcium and phophorou along with a balance of other nutrient to promote proper keletal growth. The compoition alo contain lower level of fat to reduce exceive growth rate which could have an advere affect on Skeletal development. According to one apect of the preent invention, a pet food compoition for large or giant breed puppie i pro Vided. By large or giant breed puppie, it i meant breed which reach a mature body weight of 65 lb. (30 kg) or more. The pet food compoition comprie from about 0.75 to 0.95% by weight calcium and from about 0.62% to 0.72% by weight phophoru on a total weight bai. Preferably, the ratio of calcium to phophoru i greater than about 1:1 and i preferably about 1.2:1 to 1.3:1. The compoition further comprie a Source of protein, a Source of fiber, and a Source of fat. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pet food compoition comprie about 0.86% by weight calcium, about 0.67% by weight phophoru, from about 24% to 28% by weight protein, from about 12% to 16% by weight fat, from about 4% to 6% by weight fiber, from about 40% to 45% by weight carbohydrate, from about 0.45% to 0.65% by weight vitamin, from about 4% to 8% by weight mineral, and the balance water. When the pet food com poition of the preent invention i fed to large or giant breed puppie on a daily bai, it ha been found to be effective in reducing the incidence of keletal dieae while providing adequate growth rate. Accordingly, it i a feature of the preent invention to provide a pet food compoition for large and giant breed puppie which comprie an amount of calcium and pho phoru which, when fed in combination with other nutrient, provide optimum growth while effectively preventing kel etal abnormalitie. Thi, and other feature and advantage of the preent invention will become apparent from the following detailed decription and the appended claim. BRIEF ESCRIPTIO OF THE RAWIGS FIG. 1 i a chart which illutrate the bone mineral content meaured in large breed puppie fed diet varying in calcium and phophoru, FIG. 2 i a chart which illutrate the lean body ma of the meaured puppie, and FIG. 3 i a chart which illutrate the body fat of the meaured puppie. ETAILE ESCRIPTIO OF THE PREFERRE EMBOIMETS The pet food compoition of the preent invention may be provided in any Suitable form a long a it contain the preferred concentration of calcium and phophoru. Preferably, the compoition alo include reduced level of fat content. It ha been dicovered that by including lower amount of calcium (about 0.75% to 0.95%) and phophoru (0.62% to 0.72%) than that found in typical puppy diet (about 1.2% calcium and 1.0% phophorou), the keletal health of the growing large breed puppie i enhanced, particularly when provided in a diet having reduced energy denity (lower fat content). The pet food compoition of the preent invention preferably comprie only about 14% by weight fat in comparion to typical puppy food which contain about 20-21% fat. In addition, the pet food compoition of the preent invention preferably comprie about 26% protein which maintain an appropriate ratio of protein to energy in the diet. Suitable Source of calcium include calcium carbonate and dicalcium phophate. A preferred Source of phophoru i dicalcium phophate.

6 3 Suitable Source of protein for ue in the pet food com poition include, but are not limited to, chicken and chicken by-product, chicken diget, Brewer dried yeat, and L-methionine. Suitable Source of fat include chicken fat (preerved with BHA), fih oil, and flax. The pet food compoition preferably further include at leat 2.44% omega-6 fatty acid and at leat 0.49% omega-3 fatty acid. The compoition preferably include about 5% by weight fiber. Suitable ource of fiber include dried beet pulp, gum arabic, gum talha (a form of gum arabic), pyllium, rice bran, carob bean gum, citru pulp, pectin, fructooligoaccharide, mannanoligoaccharide, and mix ture thereof. The pet food compoition alo preferably include Source of carbohydrate which may include ground corn, rice flour, Brewer' rice, and ground grain Sorghum. The compoition may alo contain mixture of Vitamin and mineral including, but not limited to, Zinc oxide, Vitamin E, acorbic acid, copper Sulfate, manganee Sulfate, biotin, manganou oxide, Vitamin A acetate, calcium panto the nate, thiamine mononitrite, Vitamin B Supplement, niacin, riboflavin Supplement, inositol, Vitamin B, potaium iodide, Vitamin Supplement, folic acid, Sodium Selenite, and cobalt carbonate. The compoition preferably ha a moiture content of about 10% which i provided in varying degree by mot of the ingredient. In order that the invention may be more readily undertood, reference i made to the following example, which are intended to be illutrative of the invention, but are not intended to be limiting in Scope. EXAMPLE 1. To determine the effect of varying dietary concentration of calcium and phophorou on growth and development of large breed puppie, 39 Great ane puppie from five litter were aigned randomly at five week of age to three iocaloric (14% fat) and ionitrogenou (26% protein) dietary group varying in calcium and phophoru concen tration (tatic Ca:Pratio) including low calcium (0.48% Ca, 0.40% P) (n=12), medium calcium (0.80% Ca, 0.67% P) (n=12), and high calcium (2.70% Ca, 2.20% P) (n=15). uring puppie were Supplemented twice daily with aigned diet until weaned at 7 week, after which they were fed for 30 minute twice daily. At 8 week, and monthly thereafter, puppie were evaluated by whole body dual energy X-ray aborptiometry (EXA) uing a Lunar PX-L denitometer. Lean body ma, fat tiue, bone mineral content, and total body weight were meaured. ifference in bone mineral content between dietary group were marked at 8 week of age and continued to diverge. AS hown in FIG. 1, bone mineral content a a percentage of body weight at 2 month wa 1.07%+0.23 (low group) 1.42%+0.29 (medium group) and 1.85%+0.32 (high group), and by 6 month had increaed to 2.91%+0.23, 3.45%+0.31, and 3.84%+0.24 repectively. At weaning, lean body ma and fat tiue were Statitically equal in all dietary group (ee FIGS. 2 and 3), but became divergent by 4 month and continued to diverge through 1 year. Puppie fed the medium calcium diet had more fat tiue and less lean body ma a a percentage of total body weight. Effect of dietary calcium and phophoru concentration are reflected rapidly in body compoition aeed by the noninvaive EXA method. EXAMPLE 2 Thirty-nine Great ane puppie were divided into three group at weaning (4-5 week of age) and were fed ioca loric diet varying only in level of calcium and phophoru. The three diet were deignated a low (0.48% Ca:0.40% P), medium (0.80% Ca:0.67% P), or high (2.70% Ca:2.20% P) baed on the calcium and phophoru content. The ratio of thee mineral were conitent at 1.2:1.0 Ca: P. Puppie were allowed a thirty minute food conumption twice daily. Bone denity wa meaured monthly by noninvaive ual Energy X-ray Aborptiometry (EXA) analyi. Radiograph were made at 2 month interval of the cervical Spine, right and left Scapulohumeral joint, left antebrachium, left Stifle, and hip. Orthopedic exam including length meaurement of the humeru, radius/ulna, femur, and tibia/fibula were per formed. Additional radiograph were made to Verify cae of clinical lamene. The reult hown below in Table 1, 2 and 3 indicate that dog fed the medium and high mineral diet gained body weight and achieved a higher bone denity more rapidly than dog fed the low mineral diet. Preliminary reult of the firt 6 month revealed no difference in bone length between feed group. og fed the low mineral diet were not compromied in height a hown in Table 2, however it wa noted that they conitently demontrated lower total body weight. Within the firt 6 month, dog fed the high mineral diet experienced increaed incidence of clinically apparent orthopedic abnormalitie expreed either a exaggerated lamene or abnormal mandibular OSSeou proliferation. TABLE 1. Body Weight (kg) a Affected by ietary Calcium and Phophoru Concentration Age (Month Treatment Low (n = 12) Med. (n = 12) O High (n = 15) TABLE 2 Shoulder Height (cm) a Affected by ietary Calcium and Phophoru Concentration Age (Month Treatment Low (n = 12) Med. (n = 12) High (n = 15) O 48.0 TABLE 3 Bone Mineral enity (gm/cm) a Affected by ietary Calcium and Phophoru Concentration Age (Month Treatment Low (n = 12) O442 O.S21 O.703 Med. (n = 12) O.456 O.637 O.82O High (n = 15) O O846 The reult indicate that the high mineral diet ha a negative effect on conformation and orthopedic Soundne, while the lower mineral diet reult in decreaed bone denity and lower body weight. Accordingly, the medium

7 S mineral diet appear to be the mot effective for meeting the mineral requirement of the puppie without inducing ortho pedic defect. EXAMPLE 3 Thirty-nine Great ane puppie from 5 litter were tud ied from 2 through 12 month of age. The puppie were divided into three group and fed diet identical in protein and fat (27% and 14% repectively), but differing in calcium and phophoru. The three diet were deignated a low (0.48% Ca:0.40% P) (n=12), medium (0.80% Ca:0.67% P) (n=12), or high (2.70% Ca:2.20% P) (n=15). uring pup pie were Supplemented with Specific diet a they began to wean at 5-6 week. Puppie were Similar in body weight at weaning, but over time, the medium diet puppie gained more body weight than the low and high diet puppie a hown in Table 4 and 5 below, which illutrate the body compoition of the puppie at 8 week and 12 month. TABLE 4 Meaurement of Body Compoition at 8 week Body Weight Bone Mineral Percent Lean (kg) enity (g/cm) Body Ma Low iet O.4421 OO Med. iet 6.97 O.98 O.4555 O High iet O O O.S.S TABLE 5 Meaurement of Body Compoition at 12 month Body Weight Bone Mineral Percent Lean (kg) enity (g/cm) Body Ma Low iet O.9756 O Med. iet SO O High iet O Although the lean tiue compoition of all puppie wa nearly identical at weaning, at 12 month, the medium group how a different fat/lean ditribution than that of the low and high diet puppie. Supplementation of puppie with tet diet prior to wean ing wa reflected in the bone mineral denity of the group at the firt tet point. By 12 month of age, the medium and high group had imilar bone denitie, while the low diet group maintained a lower bone mineral denity. While certain repreentative embodiment and detail have been hown for purpoe of illutrating the invention, it will be apparent to thoe killed in the art that variou change in the method and apparatu dicloed herein may be made without departing from the Scope of the invention, which i defined in the appended claim. What i claimed i: 1. A pet food compoition for large breed puppie com priing from about 0.75% to 0.95% by weight calcium and from about 0.62% to 0.72% by weight phophoru on a total weight bai, Said compoition further compriing a Source of protein, a Source of fiber, and a Source of fat. 2. The pet food compoition of claim 1 in which the ratio of calcium to phophoru i from about 1.2:1 to 1:3:1. 3. The pet food compoition of claim 1 compriing about 0.86% by weight calcium, about 0.67% by weight phophorou, about 24% to 28% by weight protein, about 12% to 16% by weight fat, and about 4% to 6% by weight fiber. 4. A method of promoting proper Skeletal growth in a large breed puppy compriing the Step of feeding Said puppy a pet food compoition compriing from about 0.75% to 0.95% by weight of calcium and from about 0.62% to 0.72% by weight phophoru, Said compoition further compriing a ource of protein, a Source of fiber, and a Source of fat. 5. The method of claim 4 in which aid pet food compo ition comprie about 0.86% by weight calcium, about 0.67% by weight phophorou, about 24% to 28% by weight protein, about 12% to 16% by weight fat, and about 4% to 6% by weight fiber.