Managing Methane Production With Feed Additives

Managing Methane Production With Feed Additives

Posted on by Thomas

Methane gas produced by cows through ruminal fermentation is released into the atmosphere when the animal burps. This gas not only contributes to global warming but also results in the loss of feed energy. If we can control rumen fermentation, methane can be minimized and feed energy can be allocated to milk and beef production, thereby reducing the effects on global warming and increasing livestock productivity.

 

Methane Production

Methane production is considered the main hydrogen sink in the rumen. It is synthesized by methanogenic archaea with hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) substrates.

Plant material is digested into glucose; bacteria ferment this glucose into volatile fatty acids which produce H2. Methanogenic bacteria then use that H2 and CO2 to produce Methane.

85% of methane is belched through the nose and mouth, the remainder is expelled from the other end of the animal.

 

Environmental Impact

Methane is a greenhouse gas, meaning it affects the climate and temperature of the earth. The warming potential of methane is 28 times that of CO2. Methane is part of the biogenic carbon cycle and eventually returns to the atmosphere as CO2.

Methane is relatively short lived in the atmosphere. Within 12 years 80-89% of it is removed by oxidation with tropical hydroxyl radicals (OH). Methane is being destroyed at the same time as it is being emitted and is referred to as a flow gas. Meaning, methane’s impact isn’t determined by how much is being emitted, but by how much more or less methane is being emitted over time, this is a change in rate of emission.

Methane produced outside of equilibrium warms at 28 times that of CO2 over 100 years. It is important that we do not increase methane emissions beyond what they currently are. If we can produce less methane than is being destroyed, a cooling effect will be created.

 

Feed Additives

Dietary strategies using feed additives such as probiotics, prebiotics, essential oils, and others are a viable strategy to reduce methane emissions in cattle.

Methane is produced exclusively by methanogenic archaea and is a normal byproduct of fermentation in the reticulorumen. Various methane mitigation strategies have been investigated but often results are inconsistent. This may be due to the lack of understanding of the mechanistic basis of methanogenesis and the effect of inhibitors on specific methanogenic lineages and other microbes in the rumen.

For now, feed additives are the leading strategy. Prebiotics and probiotics can be used to influence the microbiome and impact which post-biotic compounds are produced by the microbes. Therefore, they may prove to be an effective way to decrease methane production.

I got to experience this personally last summer when I conducted a dry cow study.  We were looking at the effects of feeding Achieve through the dry period. In addition to a return on investment of $13.60/hd./lactation we saw a reduction in methane producing bacteria upon analysis of the microbiome. This reduction in methane producers may have been part of the reason we saw an economic return on investment. Less carbon was captured as a methane byproduct, and more was available for milk production.

It may take some time and more research yet to nail down an exact formula to significantly reduce methane production, but the scientific community is well on its way to making an impact.  In the meantime, work with your nutritionist to best utilize the probiotics and prebiotics on the market to improve efficiencies on your farm. If you would like more information on Achieve please reach out to us at service@microbasics.com.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

 

Sources:

M. Getabalew and A. Negash, Benefits of Probiotics on Production, Health and Methane Mitigation in Ruminant Animals. Academic Journal of Nutirtion 9 )2): 21-28, 2020

Realization of a new livestock production system to reduce methane by 80% through complete control of the bovine rumen microbiome

Why methane from cattle warms the climate differently than CO2 from fossil fuels | CLEAR Center

Help Calves Hydrate During Heat Stress

Help Calves Hydrate During Heat Stress

Posted on by Thomas

With wide eyes and sunken flanks, the calves looked up at me. This scene was totally different from the one I saw a month ago on my previous visit to this same farm. What could have changed? A month ago, the calves were full, sleek, and spunky. Today they were dehydrated and lethargic. A lot can change in a month; a lot can change in 24 hours.

 

Thermoneutral Zone

Heat stress is one of the most challenging environmental stressors known to both humans and animals. All animals have a thermal comfort zone which is essential in the upkeep of physiological functions.

A newborn calf maintains its core body temperature with no additional energy from 50F to 77F, while a one-month-old calf’s thermoneutral zone is 32F to 73F. Any temperature below or above the thermoneutral zone will require the calf to utilize energy for core body temperature maintenance. This means less energy and nutrients are available for growth and immune function.

The previous time I visited the farm mentioned above the ambient temperature was 69F. Upon my second visit, the mercury was reading 90F, a difference of 21F and well out of the thermoneutral zone for a young calf. A combination of no management changes regarding water availability in the event of the temperature change, and an outbreak of scours drastically changed the condition of the animals.

 

Molecular Mechanisms

Microbiota populations in the intestine shift due to heat stress. Apart from the microbiota inside the animal, higher temperatures could speed up the growth of the pathogens that live part of their life outside the animal. A heavier environmental pathogen load increases the risk of infection; therefore, appropriate intestinal function is a pivotal component in countering the negative effects of heat stress.

Heat stress harms the intestinal function of digestion and absorption by shortening villi length and reducing the number of goblet cells in the duodenal jejunal epithelium. Additionally, heat stress downregulates the mRNA expression of cholecystokinin, a hormone produced in the small intestine that plays a fundamental role in the process of digestion.

 

Immunity

Heat stress activates the immune response and causes the gut to be more susceptible to pathogen invasions. Additionally, heat stress could induce an inflammatory response and cause tissue damage to the intestine and muscles of the animal.

Disruption in the intestinal barrier and resulting dysbiosis caused by heat stress has far reaching effects on the health of the animal. Gut microbiota metabolism relates to host health and susceptibility to disease. Metabolites from microbes in the gut signal to other parts of the body including the brain. Disruption of the gut-brain axis may result in the animal being more susceptible to disease.

 

Hydration

Water is the most important nutrient and adequate water intake is important for the transportation of nutrients, removal of waste products, and hydration of mammalian cells. During heat stress calves loose additional water through sweating and respiration. It is important to implement management changes in water availability in order for the animal to replace the amount of water that was lost. (See figure 1 below.)

Electrolyte minerals sodium, potassium, and chloride are equally essential in promoting water balance both inside and outside the mammalian cell. Providing an electrolyte designed to hydrate at the cell level, support immune function, and improve intestinal barrier integrity will improve animal health and performance during heat stress.

Immu-Lyte Black Label provides unique components to keep calves thriving during heat stress.

Immune Support: Calves cannot fight off disease without hydration and important nutrients.

Mucus Production: Mucus acts as a barrier between pathogens and the gut wall. When intestinal mucus is dry, the mucosal barrier breaks down and allows foreign invaders to pass through.

Protective Osmolyte: Betaine acts as an osmolyte and holds water inside cells.  When cells remain hydrated, we protect the calf against heat stress and electrolyte loss. Humic acid helps to form a protective film on the mucosal layer of the gut epithelia to protect against toxins and infections.

Nutrient Absorption: Humic and Fulvic Acids offer a superior source of organic electrolyte minerals. These minerals play an important part in carrying water molecules directly into cells.

Plan for warmer temperatures. Implement management strategies that always allow fresh clean water, shade, ventilation, and daily electrolytes to help calves compensate for water and electrolyte losses in the heat. For more information on Immu-Lyte Black Label visit the MicroBasics online store.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

 

Sources:

Calf Note #251 – Cavles lose water in the heat

 

Chaoyue Wen, Siyu Wei, Xin Zong, Yizhen Wang, Mingliang Jin,

Microbiota-gut-brain axis and nutritional strategy under heat stress,

Animal Nutrition,

Volume 7, Issue 4,

2021,

Pages 1329-1336,

ISSN 2405-6545,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aninu.2021.09.008.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405654521001773)

Raising Sheep with the Lister Family

Raising Sheep with the Lister Family

Posted on by Thomas

Laura Lister grew up in Emery County, Utah, and had nothing to do with sheep until she met her husband in 2006. He grew up herding and shearing sheep with his family and Laura grew up with strictly horses. Laura chose to study animal science in college with an emphasis in equine science due to her background. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Southern Utah University.

When the Lister’s moved to Sanpete County Laura worked as a paraprofessional for a while until she started having children. When her boys were both old enough to be in school, she went back to work as a paraprofessional. Within a month she was offered a job as a 3rd Grade teacher. At the time there was a program called Alternate Pathways to Licensure available for teachers to become licensed if they had a bachelor’s degree in any subject. It was baptism by fire those first few years and she taught and took some classes herself to become a fully licensed teacher. She loves her job and is teaching 2nd grade this year.

Laura’s husband ran a 10-man shearing crew for quite a few years and in 2010 the Lister’s decided they wanted to start raising their own sheep. They started small with just 15 ewes, but it has boomed into their own little herd of 200 head now. They run mostly white-faced breeds, but also have some black-faced club lambs for their boys to show in 4-H.

Laura was kind enough to share some thoughts with us about what it entails raising sheep in the current marketplace.

 

Q: How has marketing your sheep changed over the past 5-10 years?

A: Most of our lambs are sold and shipped right off the ewe, but the last few years we have started finishing some out for our local farmer’s market meat shop.

 

Q: What factors influence the profitability of the lambs you sell?

A: We try to get the lambs that we sell to the farmer’s market heavier faster. Those lambs are going straight to the butcher whereas our fall weaned lambs we try for even weights so we are selling a consistent group.

 

Q: What are some obstacles that you see coming in the near future for sheep ranchers or for those that want to get into the sheep business?

A: One of the hardest is, don’t quit the first time you have a bad year. There will be times you will just want to walk away. It’s hard and costs fluctuate. One year you might sell your lambs for $2.00 per pound and the next year you might only get $1.75 per pound. The first couple of years getting into it will be hard. If you can financially make it work keep going. We need people in agriculture!

 

Q: Where do you run your sheep?

A: We run everything on private land. Just the fields around our place. We are lucky we have the pastures we do.

 

Q: How do you handle and feed your sheep around lambing?

A: We have creep feeders for the lambs, so the ewes don’t eat all their food. There is chopped hay in the creep feeder. Chopping the hay helps them eat all the hay and not just the leaves. We feed the ewes a little supplemental whole corn or flaked corn while they are nursing their lambs. Creep feeding the lambs helps them get to eating the corn faster. We also have salt licks, minerals, and lick tubs available for them.

 

Q: How do you involve your entire family?

A: Everything we do is just the 4 of us. Our two boys can lamb and do everything else that is involved in raising sheep. It has opened a lot of doors for them. hey know how to work hard, they raise their own 4-H lambs, and my oldest recently applied for a program through the Targhee Sheep Association to get 5 ewes to start his own flock with. If he is selected there are requirements he will have to fulfill and report back to them about how things are going after he gets started.

 

Thanks, Laura, for all the great thoughts about families involved in agriculture and raising sheep! We appreciate your time and wish the Lister family the best of luck in their family operation!

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Supplementation of Active Dry Yeast

Supplementation of Active Dry Yeast

Posted on by Thomas

Direct fed microbial (DFM) products are one possible avenue to improve animal health during the transition period. Active dry yeasts (ADY) are one subset of DFM. ADY have been found to act growth promoters and influence immune function in several species.

Mechanisms

The mode of action for ADY are wide and varied. ADY have been shown to impact lactate and lactic acid production, increase feed digestibility and efficiency, decrease oxygen and improve fermentation and feed breakdown in the rumen.

Benefits

The positive effects of feeding active dry yeast are dependent on diet, formulation, and concentration, and can vary from farm to farm. The documented benefits are listed below.

  • In beef steers, feeding ADY showed an improvement in immune response via an increase in TLR-4 expression.
  • In the lower gut ADY may inhibit pathogen growth, stimulate an immune response, and balance microbial growth.
  • S. cervesiae boulardii has been found to have protective effects on the small intestine in calves and reductions in pathogen load. Ultimately reducing inflammation.
  • Improved milk yield and decreased body losses in the first 7 weeks of lactation, without impacting dry matter intake (DMI).
  • Protection of the lower gastrointestinal tract.
  • Increased crypt depth and width in calves.
  • Improved tight junction structure and mucin production.
  • Improved innate immune response.
  • Improved nutrient digestibility

Phenotypes

Yeast phenotypes are diverse and encompassing. The S. cervesiae family alone includes at least 74 phenotypes grouped into 10 different categories. In ruminants, different strains of S. cerevisiae can change the rumen fermentation profile to a more acidotic and glucogenic state, and/or impact fiber digestion.

It is still unsettled whether S. boulardii is a substrain of S. cerevisiae or a separate species all in itself.  Either way, S. cerevisiae boullardii (SCB) is known to impact intestinal mucosa, modulate immune response, gene expression, and protein synthesis.

An activated immune response increases energy demand up to 55%, the equivalent to 1 kg (2.2) lbs. of glucose in a 12 hour period of time. Alterations made by SCB to the immune response may result in energy savings that would leave more glucose available for growth and without increasing DMI. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of metabolism while feeding SCB or other strains of ADY, but in the short term we are seeing benefits to animal health and production so supplementation may become a more popular avenue in improving animal health and maximizing production.  For more information on how we utilize ADY and SCB please email us at service@microbasics.com.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Sources: Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii (CNCM I-1079) on feed intake, blood parameters, and production during early lactation – PubMed

Understanding Peak Milk

Understanding Peak Milk

Posted on by Thomas

Peak milk is used to measure the success of the dry period and early lactation nutrition and management. When nutrient needs for both the fetus and the cow are met during the dry period the cow will have a better chance of handling the stress inflicted at calving, will be able to modulate inflammation better, and will be less likely to encounter any metabolic diseases during the fresh period.

What is peak milk?

Peak milk is the highest recorded test day milk production in a cow’s first 150 days in milk (DIM). Peak milk indicates how well the cow responds to feeding strategies during the dry period, close-up, and early lactation periods.

Most cows reach peak milk by 45 to 90 DIM (60-70 DIM ideally) and then slowly lose production over time. Many papers cite that each added pound of peak milk could lead to 200 to 250 pounds more milk over the entire lactation.

How to improve peak milk and lactation performance.

  1. Focus on the dry period: Nutrition and management of the dry period affect health and performance post calving.
    • Aim for at least 28-32 pounds of dry matter intake per day. Compare intakes in the close-pen to the far of dry pen. We don’t want intakes to drop a whole lot when we move from the far-off to the close-up pen.
    • Avoid overfeeding energy.
    • Optimize cow comfort.
    • Address hoof health.
    • Support a healthy microbiome.
    • Prime the immune system and modulate inflammation.
  2. Prevent Subclinical milk fever: blood calcium levels below 8.0 milligrams/deciliter.
    • Animals are more prone to ketosis.
    • High somatic cell count.
    • Delayed uterine involution.
    • Animals more likely to have metritis.
    • Depressed feed intake.
    • Reduced milk yield.
  3. Optimize feed intake immediately after calving.
    • Provide 10-15 gallons of water including a drinkable drench.
    • Allow full access to the fresh ration.
    • Provide ad lib alfalfa/grass hay.
    • Keep feed fresh and bunks clean.
  4. Maximize cow comfort.
    • Stock pens 80-85% of capacity.
    • Keep animals in a fresh group for 14-21 days.
    • Provide 30-36 inches of bunk space per cow.
    • Reduce social stress.
    • Group first lactation animals separately if possible.
    • Invest in wind breaks, shades, and cooling if necessary.
  5. Maintain rumen health and prevent acidosis.
    • Offering ad lib alfalfa/grass hay in the fresh pen allows cattle to consume plenty of good quality digestible fiber to help them as they adjust to their new feeding program. Aim for 31-35% neutral detergent fiber.
    • Maintain rumen fiber mat with consistent feed intake and avoid empty bunks.
    • Provide free choice buffer, monitor both feed and buffer intakes.
  6. Identify cows with a history of metabolic or health problems: cows with a history of milk fever, ketosis, or mastitis are more likely to encounter these problems again.
    • Individual monitoring of these cows to help them navigate transition is helpful in disease prevention.
  7. Evaluate body condition scoring (BCS): target BCS at calving is 3.0-3.25.
    • Overweight cows are at higher risk for ketosis and fatty liver.
    • Overweight cows are typically harder to breed back.
  8. Position feed additives: fresh cow groups are verily likely to offer return on investment for feed additives, but don’t forget to leverage the dry period too. Always feed dairy cattle with the next phase of lactation in mind.
    • Ionophores increase glucose availability.
    • Rumen-protected choline improves liver health and function.
    • Rumen-protected amino acids help to meet amino acid requirements without over feeding protein.
    • Supplement protected fat to increase energy intake.
    • Yeast culture stabilizes rumen fermentation.
    • Live yeast increases anaerobic fermentation and stimulates further fiber digestion which allows for more volatile fatty acids to be produced.
    • Bacillus probiotics produce large quantities of digestive enzymes as well as competitively excluding pathogenic bacteria from the intestinal wall.
    • Dietary nucleotides speed up intestinal recovery.
    • Yeast cell wall decreases intestinal pathogens.
    • Yucca schidigera modifies rumen fermentation, reduces methane emissions, and impacts nitrogen metabolism.
  9. Avoid anti-nutritional factors: mold, wild yeast, poorly fermented feeds.
    • Mold counts over 100,000 colonies per gram are likely to decrease feed intake and diet digestibility.
    • Include a mycotoxin binder whenever antinutritional factors are a question.
  10. Focus on antioxidants and adaptogens
    • Antioxidants that vitamin E and selenium help reduce oxidative stress, which will impact immune function.
    • Feeding adaptogens can help the animal adapt through stressful situations.

Monitor peak milk on your farm to establish a baseline for your performance. Anytime you make feeding changes evaluate the success of those changes from both peak milk and health events.

Consult with your nutritionist to provide the best nutrition possible throughout the transition period and to best leverage feed additives. Always remember to be feeding your animals with the next phase of lactation in mind!

At MicroBasics we leverage a blend off digestive enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and adaptogens (Achieve) to facilitate a smooth transition and send cows on their way to maximize peak milk production.  For more information on Achieve and how it can help you strategize your transition cow nutrition, please email service@microbasics.com.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Gut-Organ Axes: The Gut-Lung Connection

Gut-Organ Axes: The Gut-Lung Connection

Posted on by Thomas

One of the more recently discovered gut-organ connections is the gut-lung axis. Originally lungs were thought to be sterile unless an infection was present. This was due mostly to the fact that researchers were not able to culture microbes from the lungs of healthy animals. Utilization of new technologies in 16s rRNA gene sequencing have allowed researchers to discover that the lungs of healthy individuals are inhabited by a community of commensal microbes which play a role in protecting the respiratory tract from disease causing pathogens and activation of both innate and adaptive immune responses.

Respiratory Tract Development

The respiratory tract is divided into 2 parts: the upper respiratory tract (URT) and the lower respiratory tract (LRT). The nasal cavities, paranasal sinuses, nasal passages, nasopharynx, oropharynx, tonsils, and upper portion of the larynx make up the URT. The LRT contains the lower portion of the larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.

The URT and LRT are colonized by different microbes shortly after birth. The microbial population of the LRT are mostly Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, which is most like the oral cavity which suggests that the oral cavity microbiota may play a role in the establishment of the lung microbiota.

The microbiota of the nasal cavity (a portion of the URT) consists mostly of the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, like the microbial population of the skin.  Researchers are still learning but have discovered that the microbial communities of the URT and LRT are known to influence each other. Many factors play into the development of commensal microbial communities including diet, genetics, age, vaccination, management, and environment.

Lung Defense

The first line of immune defense within the respiratory tract is the nasopharyngeal mucosal layer which captures inhaled particles and prevents them from moving back up into the nasal and oral cavities. The mucus layer contains immune cells including antimicrobial peptides, glycoproteins, and IgA which help maintain homeostasis of the respiratory microbiota.

The second line of defense is the mucosal epithelium which produces molecules that trigger innate and adaptive immune responses to improve barrier function. The commensal microbes of the respiratory tract, mucosal epithelium, and the immune system communicate to promote respiratory health, reduce inflammation, and maintain functioning microbiota populations.

Gut-Lung Communication

Signaling that travels the gut-lung axis is bi-directional, however, most of the communication between the microbial populations of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the respiratory tract travels from the gut to the lungs. The specific mechanisms involved are still unknown. Furthermore, the lymphatic system and the bloodstream also play important roles in this communication by carrying bacteria and bacterial metabolites from the GIT to the lungs.

Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) are one of the main ways that GIT microbiota influence the immune system, and thus the respiratory tract. SCFA are important for maintaining intestinal integrity and preventing inflammation in both the gut and the respiratory tract. SCFA also increases IgA production by enhancing plasma B cell metabolism ensuring that the intestines are protected from inflammation. Supplementation of prebiotics to increase SCFA production may prove helpful in improving epithelial integrity as well as improve the animal’s immune defense mechanisms.

On Farm Application

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is one of the most significant health concerns for weaned calves and feedlot cattle. Even with years and years of research in management and vaccines, BRD still remains one of the leading causes of morbidity, mortality, welfare concern, and economic losses within beef production.

BRD is a result of a combination of factors including environment, stress, management, and nutrition. The pathogens causing BRD are common commensals of the URT(e.g., Mycoplasma, Mannheimia, Histophilus, and Pasteurella). Microbiota of both healthy and sick animals can translocate from the URT to the LRT through inhalation after the host undergoes a stressful event.  The result is the development of pneumonia. Since stressful events contribute to the development of respiratory disease, composition of GIT microbiota may prove helpful in decreasing the incidence of BRD.

Research has shown that dietary supplementation can influence GIT microbiota, which also impacts the respiratory microbiota. The inclusion of minerals essential to the immune system are helpful as well as probiotics, prebiotics, and post biotics that bolster the microbial population, support intestinal epithelial integrity, and enhance immune function.

A trial including 1,374 calves showed a 15.4% reduction in BRD Treatment for those calves receiving TomaHawk iL Zn (a natural supplement that modulates inflammation, influences the GIT microbiota population, and includes other functional minerals and components that influence immune function).  he reduction in BRD treatments, as well as decreases in GIT disease and mortality equated an economic advantage of $5.34/animal.

How will knowledge of the gut-lung connection change the livestock industry?  Well, hopefully we can approach respiratory disease more proactively than reactively. In the trial mentioned above, TomaHawk iL Zn was successful in decreasing respiratory disease, antibiotic use, and death loss. The result, healthier more profitable animals. Time will tell, but I hope to see GIT management become a tool on more and more farms each year.  As the trend continues maybe we will finally make some headway against BRD.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Source: Welch CB, Ryman VE, Pringle TD, Lourenco JM. Utilizing the Gastrointestinal Microbiota to Modulate Cattle Health through the Microbiome-Gut-Organ Axes. Microorganisms. 2022 Jul 10;10(7):1391. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10071391. PMID: 35889109; PMCID: PMC9324549.

Importance of a VCPR

Importance of a VCPR

Posted on by Thomas

A Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR) is an agreement between a Veterinarian of Record (VOR) and a livestock producer which allows the producer access to expertise in animal health and prescription medications when deemed necessary by the VOR.

VOR

All livestock producers should have a valid VCPR. The VOR has the responsibility for providing oversight of treatment protocols, drug inventories, drug usage, prescription medications, and employee training.

  • The VOR listed on the agreement must consent to the role.
  • Be familiar with the facility.
  • Have been on site in the past 12 months.

Expectations

Expectations for a VCPR include:

  • Written agreement with the veterinarian which identifies the farm veterinarian accountable for drug use and treatment administration.
  • The VOR is responsible for overseeing drug use. Including tasks such as establishing treatment protocols, employee training, record analysis, and monitoring drug inventories.
  • Regular farm visits are critical to a VCPR. Time between visits should be decided by the VOR and be based on the size of the operation.
  • Other veterinarians that provide professional services must contact and inform the VOR of their findings and recommendations.
  • Written or electronic treatment records of all animals treated are pertinent in maintaining the VCPR. Said records should include the date, animal ID, drug(s) used, frequency, duration, dose, method of administration, applicable meat or milk withdrawal intervals, and the person giving the treatment.
  • The sale of drugs is not a valid ethical reason for having a VCPR.

Benefits

Your veterinarian can be a beneficial resource in establishing, reviewing, and improving protocols. They can help you identify management gaps and protocol drift with the goal of improving animal health and productivity.

  • Use your veterinarian as a resource for training employees.
    • Potentially painful procedures.
    • Disease identification.
    • Medication and treatment protocols to maximize recovery success.
    • Antibiotic stewardship.

Having a licensed veterinarian on your management team can bring a lot of resources to the table for your livestock production system. If you haven’t already established a VCPR talk to your veterinarian about doing so and use the program to help encourage record review and protocol improvement.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

The 5 Phases of Lactation

The 5 Phases of Lactation

Posted on by Thomas

Nutrient requirements change as the cow enters different stages of lactation.  Health and well-being of the animal depends on meeting those needs and preparing her to transition into the next phase.

Let’s go over each phase and important management and nutrient needs that should be met.

Phase 1: Dry Period (Dry off up to 21 days before calving)

  • This is a time of rest and repair for both the mammary gland and the gut.
  • A balanced dry cow feeding program can increase milk production by 500-1500 lbs. (227-682 kg.) in the next lactation.
  • Milk synthesis ceases.
  • Calf is increasing in size and development.
  • Body weight gain can occur. Limit weight gain to 1 lb.(.45 kg.) per day or half of a body condition score during the entire phase.
  • Dry matter intake will vary from 1.8-2.5% of body weight.
  • Do not depend on free choice consumption of vitamins and minerals. Include them in a formulated grain supplement package.
  • Diet includes:
    • 12-13% protein
    • 60-80 grams of calcium (Jersey’s 15% lower)
    • 30-40 grams of phosphorous (Jersey’s 15% lower)
    • Limit salt to 1 oz. (28 g.)
    • High quality forage including hay and corn silage.
    • Support gut repair by feeding digestive enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics.

Phase 2: Close-up Dry Cow Period (21-0 days before calving)

  • Critical phase to prepare the cow for lactation.
  • Increasing the level of grain in the diet provides more energy, changes rumen microbe proportions, and stimulates rumen papillae to elongate and increase in surface area.
  • Dry matter intake (DMI) begins to drop. At calving DMI may be 15-30% less than intakes during Phase 1.
  • Neonatal calf is growing quickly and requires more nutrients.
  • Body weight loss may be starting. The risk of ketosis increases as fat is mobilized.
  • Fatty liver development and higher levels of blood NEFA can begin.
  • Diet adjustments include:
    • Increase grain.
    • Increase protein to 15-16%.
    • Remove supplemental salt and buffers.
    • Add inonic salts and niacin (6 grams per day).
    • Continue to support and maintain the gut epithelial barrier by providing digestive enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics.
    • Consider rumen protected choline (15 grams).

Phase 3: Fresh Cow Period (Calving to 21 days post calving)

  • Monitor and observe fresh cows daily on an individual basis to make sure they are healthy when moved to the high cow group.
    • Monitor feed intake.
    • Take daily body temperatures.
    • Listen for rumen movements.
    • Observe uterine discharge.
    • Conduct ketone tests.
  • The Fresh Cow ration should be an intermediate between the close-up ration and the high cow ration.
    • In addition to a total-mixed ration (TMR), offer free choice long hay to help maintain rumen fill and function.
    • Increase ration energy to allow for lower feed intakes.
    • Limit added fat.
    • Supplement yeast culture to stimulate fiber-digesting bacteria.
    • Provide bacillus probiotics for pathogen control and production of digestive enzymes.
    • Provide pre and post biotics to support healthy immune function and modulation of inflammation.
    • Use a buffer to stabilize rumen pH.
    • Drench propylene glycol (1/2 lb. [227 g.]) or feed calcium pro-pionate (1/3 lb. [151 g.]) to raise blood glucose.
    • Supplement 6-12 grams of niacin to minimize ketosis.

Phase 4: Early Lactation (14-70 days post calving)

  • Cows are approaching peak milk.
  • Weight loss is occurring, and dry matter intake is lagging.
  • Diet includes:
    • High quality forages.
    • Limited fat.
    • Sources of rumen undegradable protein (RUP) and balanced levels of lysine and methionine.
    • Increase grain energy gradually.
    • Allow for adequate feed bunk space.

Phase 5: Mid-Late Lactation (70 days post calving to dry off)

  • Peak milk and peak DMI have occurred. It is very important to optimize DMI.
  • Mature cows should be gaining and replacing lost body weight. (1-1.5 lbs. [.45-.68 kg.] per day).
  • Young cows should be growing.
  • Increase forages.
  • Target body condition score (BCS) is 3.25-3.75 at dry-off.
  • Continue to support gut and immune health as the cow will experience stress and susceptibility to inflammation at dry off.

Management and adequate nutrition of the cow through all 5 phases of lactation is critical for optimal health and performance of the animal!  At MicroBasics we know that all the little things add up to create big results. Support of the gut and immune system is necessary to maximize nutrient absorption and utilization. Utilize our flagship products Achieve and Surveillance iL to take feed efficiency and pathogen control to the next level on your farm!

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Sources: Feeding Guide by Mike Hutjens

Managing Biotoxins – Forever Chemicals

Managing Biotoxins – Forever Chemicals

Posted on by Thomas

Imagine you are a livestock producer and every single one of your animals is contaminated with a hazardous substance and must be destroyed. Back in 1973 that’s what happened to many farmers when a fire retardant called polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) was accidentally mixed into livestock feed. As a result over 500 contaminated Michigan farms were quarantined, and many animals had to be destroyed. Losses included approximately:

  • 30,000 cattle
  • 4,500 pigs
  • 1,500 sheep
  • 5 million chickens
  • 800 tons of animal feed
  • 18,000 pounds of cheese
  • 2,500 pounds of butter
  • 5 million eggs
  • 34,000 pounds of dried milk products.

Between the time of distribution of feed and the destruction of contaminated animals, dairy, egg, and meat products, many people had been exposed to PBB from eating contaminated products. The Michigan Department of Public Health responded by embarking upon a long-term study to evaluate the health of those exposed to PBB. Negative effects from the exposure included:

  • Abnormalities of the liver, kidney, skin, brain, eye, and adrenal glands.
  • Thyroid problems.
  • Lower Apgar scores.
  • Earlier menstruation.
  • Increased risk of miscarriage.
  • Breast cancer.
  • Urinary and genital problems.

It is now estimated that 8 million people carry the toxic chemical PBB in their bodies.

A Matter of When Not If

More recently another family farm faced the reality that their 3,665 cow herd would have to be euthanized due to contamination of another sort of fire retardant, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

July 2017 an inspection by Air Force scientists found water contamination of PFAS near Schaap Dairy which neighbored Cannon Airforce Base in Clovis, New Mexico. However, results were not communicated to nearby residents, and it was August 2018 before water at  the dairy was finally tested. One of Schaap’s wells tested at 12,000 parts per trillion which is 171 times the EPA health advisory level of 70ppt. The groundwater had potentially been contaminated the entire time that Schaap owned the ground. Schaap’s entire herd drank this contaminated water. He was forced to dump around 15,000 gallons of milk per day. It took four years for a resolution, but ultimately, he was forced to euthanize his entire herd.

Forever Chemicals

PFAS, PBB, and other forever chemicals don’t break down easily and are stored in adipose tissue, which means they get passed along in meat and milk.  Here are a few things you should know about forever chemicals.

  • Almost half of all tap water in the United States contains forever chemicals.
  • PFAS are found in non-stick cookware, microwave popcorn bags, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant carpets, fire retardants, cosmetics, shampoos, toys, and even dental floss.
  • Today there are nearly 15,000 PFAS substances.
  • PFAS have a special bond of carbon and fluorine atoms that makes them incredibly strong and resistant to heat, water, oil, and dirt.
  • PFAS do not fully degrade, leading to them accumulating in the environment and in the body.
  • Exposure to PFAS can cause damage to the liver and immune system, has been linked to low birth weight, birth defects, developmental delays, and increased risk of prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
  • Recent research found a link between PFAS exposure and delay in the onset of puberty, higher incidence of breast cancer, renal disease, and thyroid disease. A decrease in bone density in teenagers, and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in women.

It is not easy to get rid of forever chemicals.  Reverse-osmosis water filtration helps but does not remove all PFAS. The E.P.A. has set a new standard for PFAS levels, but how will we handle the situation in our livestock production systems?

Binding Forever Chemicals

Ultimately forever chemicals are everywhere and can cause may animal and human health problems. Solutions to reduce forever chemical exposure should include water testing and filtration, binding of the chemicals, support of the liver and kidneys, and modulation of immune function.

Intercept FEND binds forever chemicals, removes them from the animal’s body, and keeps them bound when they are excreted.

  • I.P.S. (Immune Positioning System) a blend of biological polysaccharides and polypeptides.
  • Adsorbents (Yeast Cell Wall, and Montmorillonite Clay).
  • Yucca schidigera modifies rumen fermentation.
  • Dietary nucleotides increase the maturity and growth of normal enterocytes.
  • Live Yeast
  • Yeast Culture
  • Prebiotics
  • Probiotics
  • Postbiotics

For more information on managing forever chemical challenges on your farm, please reach out to us at service@microbasics.com

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Sources:

Michigan’s PBB contamination: 50 years later | News | University of Michigan School of Public Health | Environmental Health | Food System | Environmental Health Effects | Michigan PBB Contamination | History | (umich.edu)

The PBB Disaster at 50 Digital Archive (arcgis.com)

The History of PBBs in Michigan

Art Schaap’s Dairy Dilemma – New Mexico In Focus (newmexicopbs.org)

Air Force Pollution Forces New Mexico Dairy to Euthanize 3,665 Cows | Dairy Herd

Six Things to Know About ‘Forever Chemicals’ – The New York Times (nytimes.com)