Net energy model for companion animals and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12588690-B2
Application number	US-201917250033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2019
Priority date	May 9, 2018
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

A model for predicting the net energy available to a companion animal from a pet food is provided. The model can be used to determine the appropriate amount of a food to feed a companion animal, and/or to provide feeding guidelines for any type of food, for any companion animal, and such methods are provided. Also provided are methods of packaging food for a companion animal, animal, and methods of maintaining a desired weight, or effecting weight loss, in a companion animal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of providing feeding guidelines for a food for reducing obesity in a cat comprising:
feeding the cat a first amount of the food; measuring respiratory gases emitted by the cat in 30-minute intervals over a postprandial time period of 0-2 hours; determining an energy expenditure of the cat from the emitted respiratory gases over the postprandial time period of 0-2 hours; determining a heat increment of feeding the first amount of the food from the determined energy expenditure of the cat over the postprandial time period of 0-2 hours; generating a model consisting of the determined heat increment of feeding the first amount of the food over the postprandial time period of 0-2 hours, expressed as a proportion of metabolizable energy, and one crude protein input, wherein the model is net energy=(0.941×metabolizable energy (ME))+(0.519×crude protein (CP)); predicting, using the model, a net energy provided by the first amount of the food; determining feeding guidelines for the food for reducing obesity in the cat by multiplying the predicted net energy by an energy requirement for the cat; providing the feeding guidelines for reducing obesity in the cat on a packaging of the food; and repeatedly feeding the cat a second amount of the food in accordance with the provided feeding guidelines for reducing obesity in the cat.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy requirement for the cat is 24-35 kcal/lb body weight/day.

3 . A method of packaging a food for reducing obesity in a cat comprising:
providing a food for the cat and packaging therefor; feeding the cat a first amount of the food; measuring respiratory gases emitted by the cat in 30-minute intervals over a postprandial time period of 0-2 hours; determining an energy expenditure of the cat from the emitted respiratory gases over the postprandial time period of 0-2 hours; determining a heat increment of feeding the first amount of the food from the determined energy expenditure of the cat over the postprandial time period of 0-2 hours; generating a model consisting of the determined heat increment of feeding the first amount of the food over the postprandial time period of 0-2 hours, expressed as a proportion of metabolizable energy, and one crude protein input, wherein the model is net energy=(0.941×metabolizable energy (ME))+(0.519×crude protein (CP)); predicting, using the model, a net energy provided by the first amount of the food; multiplying the predicted net energy by an energy requirement for the cat to provide feeding guidelines for the food for reducing obesity in the cat; printing the feeding guidelines for reducing obesity in the cat on the packaging; packaging the food in the printed packaging; and repeatedly feeding the cat a second amount of the food in accordance with the feeding guidelines for reducing obesity in the cat printed on the printed packaging.

Assignees

• Mars Inc

Inventors

• Asaro Natalie Julia
• Mansilla Tafur Wilfredo Daniel
• Seymour David John
• Cant John Paul
• Shoveller Anna Katharine

Classifications

• G16H50/00

  ICT specially adapted for medical diagnosis, medical simulation or medical data mining; ICT specially adapted for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics · CPC title

• G16H20/60

  relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets · CPC title

• A01K29/00

  Other apparatus for animal husbandry · CPC title

• A01K5/00

  Feeding devices for stock or game (A01K1/10 takes precedence; feeding devices for poultry or other birds A01K39/00){; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks} · CPC title

• B65B61/025

  for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging · CPC title