Yeast supplementation is a common practice to improve the efficiency of feed utilization and performance in dairy cows. It is well-known that supplements containing live yeast can improve rumen fermentation and the digestive process by stabilizing rumen pH and stimulating the growth of beneficial microbial populations. These positive changes can be attributed to growth factors, including peptides, and the effect on the rumen anaerobiosis to create optimal conditions for the rumen microflora.

Good rumen function will ensure optimal feed intake and digestive efficiency in dairy cows, while poor rumen function can negatively impact feed intake, health and overall cow performance. Formulating the ration correctly and understanding how the individual ingredients in the ration work together can help keep the dairy cow’s rumen and digestive system functioning properly.

How can you ensure that good formulations will lead to the expected results?

Published research and decades of use in the field suggest that most dairy diets respond positively to Yea-Sacc^®, a yeast culture based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae that stimulates the growth of fiber-digesting and lactic acid-utilizing bacteria in the rumen. These microbial changes directly result in:

• A stable rumen pH, which is conducive to better fiber digestion and a reduced risk of rumen acidosis
• Improved feed intake
• Enhanced milk yield and components

However, not all formulation strategies react the same way. As a result, there may be instances in which supplementation with Yea-Sacc does not yield the expected results.

To quantify the efficacy of Yea-Sacc for improving rumen fermentation and nutrient utilization for specific dairy TMRs, allowing for greater precision when feeding Yea-Sacc, Alltech created the Alltech IFM™: Yea-Sacc^® Value Test (YSVT^®).

The response of dairy TMRs to Yea-Sacc supplementation may vary depending on the feedstuffs. Formulation models are limited in predicting the effects of non-nutritive feed additives on rumen fermentation, which limits the precision of ration formulation and the prediction of the efficacy of a given additive. A quick lab-based test that evaluates the potential of Yea-Sacc in a particular situation can help improve the nutritive value of a given TMR.

Building on Alltech IFM, an in vitro rumen fermentation model used to characterize feed digestion kinetics, YSVT is a unique approach to rumen fermentation analysis. Standard in vitro rumen simulation techniques are usually conducted over a shorter period spanning 48 to 72 hours of fermentation. As a result, these techniques do not allow for an accurate evaluation of the efficacy of yeast supplements, as the effects of yeast on rumen populations are not readily evident until supplements like Yea-Sacc have been included in the diet for at least 4 to 7 days.

As the animal adapts to the presence of Yea-Sacc in its diet, the rumen microbial population changes to comprise higher concentrations of fiber-digesting and lactate-utilizing bacteria. YSVT utilizes rumen fluid both from animals that have been adapted to Yea-Sacc and their counterparts that are fed the same basal ration without Yea-Sacc. This allows for the adequate adaptation of the rumen microbial populations to Yea-Sacc without the need for long-term incubation in the lab.

The YSVT test measures key fermentation indicators, including:

• Digestibility
• Lactic acid concentration
• Useful energy (i.e., energy produced from the fermentation of carbohydrates)
• Rumen energy efficiency (i.e., useful energy per pound of feed digested)

To date, more than 200 dairy TMRs have been analyzed using YSVT. More than 93% of the samples showed a positive response to Yea-Sacc supplementation in terms of useful energy and rumen energy efficiency, with an average response of +13%.

In approximately 50% of all samples, the increase in the useful energy released was not correlated with improvements in digestibility. This indicates that Yea-Sacc increases the efficiency by which feed nutrients are converted into useful energy for the animal, most likely through a more efficient and healthier microbiome. The lactic acid response was more variable, with more than 60% of the samples showing decreased concentration, indicating a reduced risk for a lower rumen pH and acidosis.

In conclusion, the YSVT helps nutritionists and producers understand the value of yeast in improving rumen fermentation. As a result, feed additive supplementation strategies can be tailored to maximize the energy produced from rumen fermentation and improve digestive efficiency in dairy cows.  future developments of this tool will focus on better understanding the interaction of ingredients, the nutrient composition of the TMR and the response to Yea-Sacc — and on developing predictive models to quantify the expected animal performance based on the outcome of a given fermentation profile.

I would like to learn more about the Yea-Sacc Value Test.

Improve dairy herd performance with a quick in vitro test

People interpret sustainability in different ways. Hence the uncertainty and divisiveness the topic can create in discussions. In contrast with other industries, the agri-food sector has the unique position of being a solution provider when it comes to mitigating emissions and supporting biodiversity in our local environments. Animal feed is integral to profitable and efficient dairy and beef farming. Therefore, feed production has a crucial role in how we lower the environmental impact associated with the food system.

Strengthening the links in our chain

COVID-19 has emphasized the need for such resilient food systems. Feed production capacity is directly correlated to the amount of food available for human consumption and, indeed, general food security. Alltech’s experience across 128 countries finds that sustainable and efficient feed supply chains are relevant to small-scale livestock production all the way up to some of the world’s largest integrators. A growing challenge for the feed industry is competition with humans for similar feed sources. This challenges the feed additive inclusion to improve rumen efficiency and exploration of bespoke feed ingredients that only ruminants can utilize. Sustainable animal feeding has and is being practiced. Through Alltech’s unique network of eight Alltech IFM™ (in vitro fermentation model) labs around the world, we can verify in greater detail diet efficiency and where scope exists to lower emissions and improve producer profitability. 

Can you verify that?

It is no longer sufficient to simply claim a low carbon footprint for your livestock production system or animal feed. This needs to be supported by repeatable, measurable and verifiable evidence. Alltech E-CO₂ has developed the Feeds EA™ model to help feed manufacturers and producers globally measure and lower the carbon footprint of their feed. Feeds EA measures the environmental impact of feed production at the feed mill level by assessing the effects of existing compounds or blends. This is determined by calculating greenhouse gas emissions from production, cultivation, processing, energy utilization and transportation in feed manufacturing. Feeds EA™ can calculate emissions from a database of more than 300 ingredients, including raw materials, soya products, byproducts and additives.  

In reducing food waste through circular agriculture-type initiatives, we can be confident about the resilience of our food production systems to embrace more efficient resource utilization. This is exemplified in initiatives such as supplementation of byproducts to ruminants and closing nutrient loops. By lowering food loss and waste in our livestock production systems in a verifiable way, we can continue to make a strong case for the sustainable solutions our industry offers in slowing the pace of climate change.

Mitigating waste

Precision agriculture and the application to animal nutrition has been proven in recent Alltech meta-analyses on dairy (Salami et al., 2021) and beef research (Salami et al., 2020) to lower environmental impact through improved nitrogen utilization in ruminant systems. Optigen® supplementation through dairy diets was shown to:

• Improve nitrogen utilization efficiency in dairy cattle by 4%, thanks to better nitrogen capture in the rumen.
• Reduce manure nitrogen excretion by 12–13 g of nitrogen/cow/day.

This data suggests, for example, that the use of Optigen could reduce the annual manure nitrogen excretion from the U.S. dairy sector by an average of 51,509 metric tons of nitrogen based on the annual milk output.

Simply put, this approach is trying to provide ‘the right amount of nitrogen, at the right time, in the right place’ to help in reducing waste on farms. Results from the meta-analysis also showed that the use of Optigen in dairy diets resulted in a carbon saving of around 54 g of CO₂e per kg of milk. When extrapolated to the annual milk output of the German dairy sector, for example, this would be equivalent to a carbon emission reduction of 1.8 million metric tons of CO₂e. Such a carbon saving represents 16% of the entire reduction target for German agriculture by 2030.

A simulation analysis based on the results of the meta-analysis indicated that feeding Optigen to 1,000 dairy cows would:

• Increase income over feed costs by $18,000.
• Reduce the carbon footprint of the herd by 647 metric tons of CO2e. That carbon reduction is the same as taking 424 cars off the road or 436 houses’ use of electricity.

The meta-analysis on beef research highlighted how the partial replacement of vegetable protein with Optigen exhibited a consistent improvement in the liveweight gain and feed efficiency of beef cattle. The many positive effects included an average higher liveweight gain (by 8%) and better feed efficiency (by 8%), with the inclusion of corn silage enhancing the effects of Optigen.

A simulation analysis based on these benefits indicated that feeding Optigen to gain 440 lbs. in 1,000 cattle would:

• Reduce the time to slaughter by 9 days.
• Reduce feed costs by $18,000.
• Support a reduction in the carbon footprint of the beef unit by 111 tons of CO₂e. That carbon saving is the same as taking 73 cars off the road or 75 houses’ use of electricity.

Sustainability does not have to come at a cost

Lowering the environmental impact from animal feed does not imply lowering revenues for food system stakeholders. From large dairy farms in the U.S. to the 300 million dairy cows predominantly spread across small farms in India, Alltech has firsthand experience of how sustainable solutions have become the non-negotiable in animal nutrition. Profitable farming understandably leads this agenda. With animal feed typically representing the most significant variable cost in producing animal products, there is a business responsibility to ensure we minimize food loss and waste.

Animal feed production has humbly underpinned the food system that has enabled global population growth over the last 150 years. It is now time to recognize this unique contribution and how it also serves in discovering and implementing technologies that lower the environmental impact of animal products and support the circular economy.

Considering sustainability efforts need to make both environmental and economic sense, don’t miss our related blog 6 tips to stretch protein supplies and lower your feed costs.

I want to learn more about ruminant production.

Development of more rumen-friendly rations to mitigate both environmental and physical feed waste can be achieved with Alltech IFM, a unique tool to support diet formulation

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland, and SHROPSHIRE, U.K.] – Global animal nutrition company Alltech has launched its first European-based in vitro fermentation laboratory, Alltech IFM™, in collaboration with Harper Adams University in the U.K. Alltech IFM is a nutritional tool that simulates rumen fermentation and evaluates the digestibility of feed and forages within the animal.

For farmers and feed manufacturers, the use of Alltech IFM can identify barriers to achieving optimal rumen function. It enables rations to be formulated based on nutrient availability, helping to reduce energy losses and feed wastage.

Feed samples, which can include concentrates, fresh forages, silages or total mixed rations (TMRs), are incubated using rumen fluid for 48 hours and are then analysed for volatile fatty acids (VFA) and microbial biomass. Alltech IFM measures gas production throughout the process, meaning the amount of energy lost as methane and methane emissions per animal can be calculated. Validated by the Carbon Trust, Alltech IFM is an effective tool for predicting farm- and feed-specific enteric methane emissions.

Based at Harper Adams University in the U.K., this laboratory represents Alltech’s seventh IFM facility globally.

“The introduction of our Alltech IFM lab in Europe marks a significant step forward for us as we now have the ability to analyse European-based diets and ensure our customers benefit from further technical support,” said Matthew Smith, vice president of Alltech. 

The collaboration further strengthens Alltech’s research alliance with Harper Adams University, which was formed in 2013.

“Having the Alltech IFM lab at Harper Adams allows us to undertake more fundamental studies in terms of ruminant nutrition and ruminant metabolism so that we can optimise rumen fermentation and, therefore, improve animal health, performance and longevity,” said Professor Liam Sinclair of Harper Adams University.

“The goal of looking at rumen fermentation with Alltech IFM is to minimise the waste product or minimise the gas production and to maximise VFAs and microbial biomass, which are critical nutrients to the cow,” added Dr. Jim Huntington of Harper Adams University.

“Together with the team at Harper Adams, we look forward to generating new insights and highlighting how certain diets correlate with high-producing dairy and beef systems across Europe. Now more than ever before, we believe Alltech IFM can play a significant role in helping to address those major environmental concerns, reduce waste on-farm and, ultimately, contribute to a Planet of Plenty™,” said Smith.

Meeting the protein requirements and improving nitrogen efficiency in cows under different physiological conditions can become more precise with the use of this additional  tool for diet formulation

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland and ESPOO, Finland] – An innovative laboratory fermentation method for assessing the ruminal breakdown of dietary protein ingredients has been created by Alltech and Alimetrics Research. The novel technique was developed to evaluate feed protein sources and involves measuring the proportion of certain amino acids that is converted to specific end products over 24 hours.

Scientists from Alltech and Alimetrics collaborated on the study, which has been published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science and compares the rumen degradability and effects on rumen fermentation of three protein sources: whey protein, soybean meal and yeast-derived microbial protein.

The assessment of protein degradation in the rumen of live animals has historically proven difficult, and although analysis of overall protein can be done, tracking the origin of protein from a specific feed component cannot be done with great certainty. In addition, ruminants have a low overall efficiency of nitrogen utilisation, with between 70– 95% of the nitrogen in diets excreted in dung and urine, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The use of this novel in vitro technique can help to overcome such challenges as it allows protein sources to be ranked according to their degradability by rumen bacteria.

“When it comes to comparing protein sources, we believe this tool is particularly useful when some known and commonly used benchmark products, such as soybean meal, are included in a study,” said Dr. Juha Apajalahti, managing director at Alimetrics.

Data from the study indicate that the yeast-derived microbial protein was the most resistant of all three protein sources to being degraded in the rumen, with less than 15% of the amino acids of interest being converted to end products measured. Additionally, the study showed that the level of the protein breakdown product, ammonia, from yeast-derived microbial protein was able to be taken up by the rumen bacteria, reducing excess rumen ammonia accumulation. Evaluation of other parameters demonstrated that the yeast-derived microbial protein was able to extensively stimulate rumen fermentation to the same extent as soybean meal.

These data not only suggest that this novel method is suitable for assessing ruminal breakdown of protein feeds, but also that yeast-derived microbial protein could potentially provide a more sustainable, and equally suitable, alternative to products such as soybean meal.     

“In terms of research methodology, this provides us with a robust model for screening products, both for fermentation effects and the ability to bypass protein through the rumen,” said Matthew Smith, vice president at Alltech. “The findings from this study clearly demonstrate the value of our yeast-derived microbial protein in stimulating rumen fermentation and volatile fatty acid and microbial biomass production. The tool itself is one we can use in our own in vitro fermentation model, Alltech IFM™, to aid future development.”

Click here to view the research article.

The KEENAN “Green Machine” has made its way from Ireland to Northern India, with Gurpreet Singh Grewal being the first KEENAN machine owner in the area. Gurpreet has worked in the dairy business for the past eight years and is currently milking 105 Holstein dairy cows on his farm.

Gurpreet is the owner of HG Grewal Dairy farm in Chimna village, Jagroan Tehsil, in the state of Punjab — an area with a continuously growing dairy sector.

Jagroan Tehsil is one of the leading milk belts of Punjab and is home to most of the Progressive Dairy Farmers Association’s active farmers in the state. Milk is the main product from livestock in Punjab, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the total value of livestock output.

Punjab is considered one of the most progressive states for the dairy industry in India. Dairy farmers in this area are adopting the latest techniques and technology rapidly, and Gurpreet is among those early adopters. He bought a KEENAN ECO50 in December 2017 after attending an Alltech event, completing research and receiving recommendations from his brother. This is the first time Gurpreet has used a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) wagon.

The KEENAN machine in action at HG Grewal Dairy farm.

“I am very much satisfied with the KEENAN machine performance and its contribution to the overall profitability of the farm, as well as with Alltech solutions and technical support,” said Gurpreet. “I highly appreciate Alltech’s technical help in TMR formulations and Alltech In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM) lab facilities for testing silage samples.”

Gurpreet is particularly pleased with:

• Gentle mixing of TMR — the cows do not separate the feed, so there is less feed waste
• Uniform mixing of TMR, which leads to no sign of Acidosis
• Uniform Body Conditioning Score
• Good processing and mixing of rye grass, which maintains the structure of the fodder
• Increase in milk production

Soon after Gurpreet started using the KEENAN machine, his farm attained peak milk production of 1,660 litres from 56 dairy cows, from December 2017 to January 2018. This was even without changing the TMR formulation.

HG Grewal Dairy farm currently uses the following Alltech products: Yea-Sacc®, Optigen® and Mycosorb A+®.

Please contact india@alltech.com with an questions.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my dairy herd.

A 20th century vision that was ahead of its time remains so today, some 30 years after its conception: The Alltech ACE principle is a corporate “North Star,” serving as a guide to a more sustainable, healthier world.

The “A” in ACE is all about the animal and innovating ways to balance highly efficient and profitable livestock production with the seemingly conflicting imperatives of environmental stewardship and consumer demand.

A focus on precision nutrition

Alltech’s animal health and nutrition business revolves around the science of nutrigenomics — how diet impacts genetics — and a quest for a better understanding of how to feed an animal to its specific genetic potential.

An Alltech researcher reviews markers of gene expression, which provide a better understanding of how changes in the diet affect animals at the genetic level.

“The more efficient that we can make these animals, the better off we are because we can get more meat, milk or eggs per pound of feed,” noted Dr. Kristen Brennan, a research project manager at the Alltech Center for Animal Nutrigenomics and Applied Animal Nutrition. “The focus of the nutrigenomics that we do is to understand how nutrition influences animals on a molecular level and how that can lead to changes that we see in production, health and well-being.”

Good for the animal, producer, environment and us

Intensive livestock operations produce large quantities of animal waste, which can include high levels of ammonia, nitrogen, phosphate and trace minerals. However, proper animal nutrition can minimize the levels and impacts of these pollutants.

Alltech scientists are working to develop products that reduce methane emissions while improving the efficiency of the animal.

“These products must reduce methane emissions from the rumen without negatively impacting rumen fermentation and negatively impacting either the milk production or growth of beef animals,” said Dr. Amanda Gehman, Alltech research project director.

Finding that balance is also a focus at Alltech-owned KEENAN, the Ireland-based manufacturer of advanced diet feeders and software products.

“What we’re all trying to do is to increase feed conversion efficiency (FCE) on the farm,” said Conan Condon, director of KEENAN's InTouch live review and support service. “We want to increase production while decreasing the intake of the animals. By doing that, you will increase your FCE and reduce your carbon footprint.”

For Alltech Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Karl Dawson, a significant and all-encompassing ACE milestone was reached when the company introduced Optigen®, a non-protein nitrogen source for ruminants.

“That had a tremendous impact in terms of what it would do for animal feeds,” said Dawson. “It not only improved animal performance, it changed the way nitrogen is utilized in cattle. It made nitrogen efficiency much greater, and you have less nitrogen in waste.

“Nitrogen in waste is the precursor to one of the major greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide, which is a stronger greenhouse gas than methane,” he continued. “You can reduce greenhouses gases using that technology.”

Healthy animals, healthy humans

Dawson is equally focused on addressing today’s widely held consumer concerns about the use of antibiotics in livestock production as a growth promotant. Alternative solutions are being found in enzyme technologies that are becoming the backbone of Alltech nutritional programs and technologies.

“We have systems that can induce the same types of changes that antimicrobials have induced using these enzymes and manipulating what’s going on in the digestion process,” he said. “As time goes on, that is going to be a real game-changer.”

The potential for using low levels of these enzymes as additions to feed can be as powerful as any of today’s antimicrobials, according to Alltech researchers.

“We’re producing alternatives to antibiotics in the diet that satisfy both the needs of the farmer and the production needs of the animal and also make the consumer happy because those compounds are omitted from the diet,” noted Brennan.

Environment and economics — must they be at odds?

Environmental sustainability has appeared to be at cross purposes with economic growth and development. Achieving high efficiency has been thought to come at the expense of the food-producing animal and the environment.

“In general business, those two things can be at odds, but in cattle — and in animal agriculture, in general — efficiency really is the name of the game as far as producing less waste, less environmental pollutants per unit of milk, beef or eggs,” said Gehman. “But it’s also the same efficiency that can be applied to profitability.

“In cattle, methane is an indicator of waste, not just to the animal but also to profitability, so if that animal is burning off energy as a waste product and we can make the animal more efficient so that she retains more of that energy, that can be environmentally sustainable as well as profitable for the farm,” she continued.

Dr. Amanda Gehman, Alltech research project director, evaluates a total mixed ration using the Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model, or IFM. Improving digestibility of the diet can have a significant effect on producer profitability and environmental sustainability.

Gehman is now investigating in vitro testing (using the Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model, or IFM) as a means of evaluating the digestibility of various forages.

“We’re making that a regular test in order to fine-tune the rations, to address problems as they come and also address any opportunities to use an undervalued feed,” she said.

Minerally minded

While Gehman and her colleagues study ways to optimize ruminant digestion, other Alltech researchers have been focusing on how producers can feed substantially fewer organic trace minerals than inorganic trace minerals and get similar, if not better, performance.

Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech, works with ICP-MS, instrumentation used to measure the proportion of minerals in feed or food samples and their distribution in biological matrices, animal tissues or human biological fluids. Methods such as ICP-MS are routinely used by Alltech researchers as they seek to define the true mineral requirements of animals.

The company’s mineral management program, Total Replacement Technology™ (TRT), has been at the forefront of a transition from inorganic trace minerals that are not efficiently digested — and even banned in some countries — to feeding reduced levels of organic minerals that animals can better utilize, reducing environmental pollution.

Steve Elliott, global director of the Alltech® Mineral Management team, said the company’s scientists are also looking at the interaction of trace minerals with other components in the diet, such as enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants.

“We’ve found that trace minerals can have a very negative impact on those other diet components,” said Elliott. “Research has now shown that, by using organic trace minerals, we avoid some of that conflict or interaction, thus allowing those other components to do what they’re put into the diet to do.”

Ending the reliance on fish oil and fish meal

Some methods of aquaculture have a very high environmental impact. A common sustainability problem in animal and aquaculture diets is the nutritional requirement of fish oil or fish meal, which is typically from wild fish.

The problem with fish oil — and this really goes to sustainability and the ACE principle — is that fish oil and fish meal demand have been increasing. Fisheries around the world are at capacity, and fishing more out of them risks collapsing them. The alternative is aquaculture, but in that case, there is not enough algae in the spaces that the fish occupy. You’re feeding the fish, and at this point, the ratio of conversion is that you have to 'squeeze' one fish to get enough fish oil to feed one fish. With demand increasing, that’s not sustainable, long-term.

Dr. Jorge Arias, Alltech’s global director for aquaculture, is optimistic about algae as an answer.

“We believe we have a real solution in our algae that will reduce reliance on fish oil while increasing the amount of DHA available to farmed fish and, ultimately, to consumers,” he said.

Sustainable seafood

To further address issues of fish farming, the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre recently opened in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands.

“This is a brand-new knowledge hub for the development of innovative fish nutrition solutions to tackle both the present and future challenges facing the aquaculture industry,” said John Sweetman, Alltech's European technical manager for aquaculture.

Those methods include products derived from microalgae that are fully safe, sustainable and traceable, while providing the nutritious DHA previously supplied by fish oils.

ACE-ing animal health and nutrition

Alltech takes a holistic approach to animal health and nutrition, mindful of what is best not only for the producer, but also the ruminant, fowl or fish that feed a growing population and the planet they all call home. This article has touched on but a few of the many products, programs and concepts provided by the global Alltech research and development community to live out its ACE principle commitment

Next in our series will be the “C” in ACE: the consumer. We’ll look at the many ways Alltech strives to respond to the expectations of the information-seeking “prosumer” of the 21st century.

Read ACE-ing sustainability: Part I, the environment.

What is Alltech IFM™? 

Alltech IFM is an in-vitro fermentation model for beef cattle and dairy cow rations that simulates rumen fermentation and allows producers to receive a customized report assessing a ration’s digestibility and potential for optimal rumen function. Alltech IFM is a nutritional tool used by farmers and feed manufacturers to screen individual ingredients, formulate rations and make informed decisions on the quality of feed or total mixed rations (TMR).

Why use it?  

By using Alltech IFM, we can identify barriers to rumen fermentation, formulate rations based on nutrient availability and help to reduce energy losses and feed wastage. 

Nutritionists rely on nutritional models and chemical feed characteristics to formulate diets. However, this information is static and does not provide a complete evaluation of nutrient availability. Alltech IFM is a dynamic diagnostic tool that measures the digestion of feed in the rumen in real time. This allows us to get a comprehensive view of feed digestion as opposed to a snapshot from a single point in time. 

How does it work? 

Feed samples are incubated using rumen fluid and a buffer system to mimic natural rumen fermentation in the animal. Feed samples can include concentrates, fresh forages, silages or total mixed rations (TMRs). As digestion progresses, volumes of fermentation gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide, are continuously monitored using an automated system.

• Alltech IFM measures gas production, taking into account all nutrients fermented (solubles and insolubles). Total gas production is separated into fast-fermenting carbohydrates (e.g., starches and sugars) and slowly-fermenting carbohydrates (e.g., fibres) using mathematical equations. 
• Estimates of rates of degradation of the different carbohydrate fractions provide additional information on the nutritive value of the feed. 
• Measurement of fermentation by-products includes: 
  • Yield of microbial biomass (i.e., source of metabolizable protein to the animal). 
  • Volatile fatty acid profile (i.e., source of energy to the animal). 
  • Total gas production. 
  • In vitro dry matter digestibility. 

Combined with a measurement of digestibility provided by Alltech IFM, we can calculate the amount of energy lost as methane and methane emissions per animal.  

Verified by the Carbon Trust, Alltech IFM is an effective tool for predicting farm- and feed-specific enteric methane emissions. 

How Alltech IFM can be used: 

• Nutritional tool to optimize ruminal function, ruminal starch availability and fiber digestion in the rumen, and protein balance. 
• Troubleshoot potential problems and develop supplementation strategies to optimize feed efficiency and profitability, which are tailored to your feeding programs. 
• Improve efficiency and reduce carbon footprint: Estimates of gas production can help identify total mixed rations that are less efficient and that produce excessive gas per unit of dry matter digested.  

Alltech IFM locations 

Submitting a sample 

For information on how you can submit a sample to one of our Alltech IFM labs, please contact your local Alltech office. 

The following is an edited transcript of Luther Andal's interview with Dr. Aman Sayed, managing director of Alltech India and regional director of Alltech South Asia.

Click below to hear the full interview:

Luther: Dr. Aman Sayed is managing director of Alltech India and the company’s regional director for South Asia. Welcome.

Aman: Thank you.

Luther: Give us an overview of India as a country, as a culture and as a people.

Aman: Well, let me start with saying that India is going through a big transformation at this point in time. What is there in India, and why should the world look at India today? The biggest strategic asset that India has is the population today. After independence, for a few decades, people were considered a liability or burden. However, now, people are considered an asset and human capital. There are about 1.33 billion people in India. Over the next five to six years, we will be the most populated country in the world.

Looking at the demographics of the population, we are a young India today. The median age is 28, which is much lower compared to the rest of the world. This poses a great opportunity, I believe, to the rest of the world and is why they need to look at India. In a very short period, I would say that India will become a sought-after country for business because there is a readily available workforce of talented, educated people.

Luther: India is very diverse as a culture and in terms of language, and religion, and states — union territories. Can you just give us a little overview of that diversity?

Aman: We have about 29 states in India and seven union territories. There are 22 official languages, but there are more than 1,000 dialects and more than seven religions. But we live together in great harmony. It’s important to understand that every state, in a way, acts like a different country. So, understanding the Indian culture for an outsider is quite important.

We live together all in harmony, despite being of different religions and different languages. But, again, the country brings everybody together. Though the national language is Hindu, most of the people speak English, which is another great asset for us. I have no doubt in a decade, India will be the number one English-speaking country in the world.

Luther: Right now, they’re number two.

Aman: They are. Yeah.

Luther: Tell us a little bit about the Indian economy. How fast is it growing? Maybe give us the breakdown of gross domestic product (GDP) at a high level.

Aman: Since gaining independence, we have grown at a rate of about 3 and 3.5 percent for about 40 to 50 years. But since a transformation in 2002, we have started growing at 78 percent, and we are now the fastest-growing country in the world in terms of economy. As far as the GDP, we are about $8.7 trillion today — third in the world. So, we have a significant contribution from the services sector, followed by the agriculture and the industrial sectors. We have surpassed China in GDP growth. And that’s one of the reasons why the world is looking at us today.

Luther: One of the fascinating things that you brought up was the new way that India looks at its people as a resource and as capital. That’s a big transformation, and it’s been part of the growth of the economy. Correct?

Aman: That’s right. And people are educated now. People are talented and they are readily available for the rest of the world. I believe that with the changes to immigration laws across the world, it will be time for the other countries to operate within India and export products, rather than the Indian workforce.

The number of talented people keeps growing, and the rest of the world will have to confront the fact that, in the future, their top management team is likely to come from India. The growth is coming from India — a generation in India — and they are really talented.

Luther: So, in terms of that resource capital, since around 2002, as you said, a lot of that has been some outsourcing IT, but you’re talking also about the development inside of India — of companies, startups and other areas. Correct?

Aman: That’s right. India is the number three country in the world in terms of startups. There are more than 4,200 startup companies in India. And they are all looking for help. And that’s something that the rest of the world needs to look at and consider investing in and trying to help. We know that more than 90 percent of startup companies fail — but why not look at those remaining 10 percent in terms of how we could assist in bringing their innovation and disruption to the world?

Luther: When we talk about the Indian economy — we’ve talked about trends toward education, toward technology — and diversity is obviously a part of it. What about the trends toward urbanization in India?

Aman: Today in India, there are about 630,000 villages. Seventy percent of India is rural, and there is constant migration from the rural villages to larger cities in India. Two out of every five Indians are migrants. So, that brings a significant opportunity for those companies that are a part of the rural economy, as well as those who consider the cities. This migration will continue until 2050. Why is this migration there? There’s migration because of education; to get better work. This is going to continue for a few decades, and it’s something one should consider in terms of the opportunities and where the human capital is.

Luther: We’ve seen a lot of changes in India. What about food? Have there been changes in preferences or taste palate in India as these changes have occurred?

Aman: Well, as you know, they say that Indian food is probably the best-tasting food in the world. During the last fiscal year, we produced record food gains. But it would still be fair to say that we are a hungry India, even today. There are a lot of reforms required, whether they’re for the prevention of wastage, better processing technologies and so on. We have a big population that is anemic. We have a very big population that is underweight and undernourished. So, there is an opportunity for companies in the food sector to come to India and explore which part of the supply chain they could help and assist and at the same time do business.

Luther: Well, following up on that point of agriculture, what’s going on with agriculture in India today?

Aman: Well, let me start by saying that, for an agriculture farmer today, the land holding is quite low compared to other countries. Each farmer holds a plot size of about 1.2 hectares. So, that poses challenges. But having said that, the Indian farmer is going digital. That digitization has transformed — and continues to transform — the agriculture industry.

Today, we have a situation in which, because of smartphones — even though the farmer’s literacy rate is very low — they are able to use the smartphones effectively. They are able to buy seeds through WhatsApp, for example. They are able to see the market price for their produce, whereas previously they would have taken produce to market to be sold for the going rate that day. Now they know the market price beforehand.

So, the digitalization in agriculture is increasing and improving. There are primary banks that have now gone into rural India. Financial literacy is also improving for the farmers, which is great. Indian farmers were previously prey to money lenders, who charged 40 to 50 percent interest rates. Now that has changed. So, it’s a great opportunity, I think, for agri-finance companies that are into improving the yield or into processing. There are significant foreign direct investment benefits provided to foreign companies by the Indian government, particularly in the food retail side of things.

Luther: How important is the dairy industry to India?

Aman: India is the number one milk producer in the world. We have lots of cows — about 300 million. You may say the yield is low, but we are getting better. We are improving our genetics. We are improving our nutrition. It’s a great opportunity, even for countries outside India.

In another decade, we will need about 200 million metric tons of milk. Is that milk going to come from India? Probably not. We may have to import milk in India from other parts of the world. The only question is: Are the countries outside India willing to export milk to India in that situation? We are going to need a lot of milk. Coming back to your question on the dairy sector, there is about 4 percent total growth every year. The milk products are growing at a rate of 20 to 25 percent, whether it’s cheese, butter, ghee — all of those. So, it’s a big transformation happening in the dairy sector as well.

Luther: We’ve covered the fact that India has an educated workforce, that they have a lot of experience with technology, certifications that are necessary for outsourcing, but also the fact that they are growing startup-wise and have a lot to offer. What other advantages do they offer the world?

Aman: Well, I think the biggest advantage is the talent and the IT sector, which is growing at a rate of 14 percent. You see, there is a lot of high-information technology and the business process outsourcing (BPO) side of things, which is growing and significantly contributing to the Indian GDP. Indians have a 67 percent market share of IT revenue. So, in the “Silicon Valley of India” — which is Bangalore — you have a lot of IT. And, as I said earlier, with the changes in immigration laws, I think it is important for countries to go to India and hire those talented people, and work with them, and get the best out of it. So, I see that as a significant impact.

Luther: Can you give us a little history on Alltech in India?

Aman: You know, Dr. Pearse Lyons had the dream to go to India. It was in the late 1990s. And in 2001, when we set up Alltech India, we disrupted the technology and the traditional method of feeding trace minerals in India, whether it was within the poultry, dairy or aquaculture industries. Today, Alltech has 30 percent of the market share in terms of the minerals. On the dairy front, we have disrupted the traditional method of testing the feedstuff by introducing the Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM).

Now, the dairy producers look to Alltech India to help redefine the nutrition and provide better nutrition and improve the efficiency for the cows. Overall, it’s a profitable situation for the farmer. And now, after having registered Alltech Crop Science, we are looking at disrupting the fertilizer market as India moves toward organic farming. So, I think that’s what we contribute to the industry — what Alltech contributes to the industry — that’s quite significant.

Luther: The term “rising billions” has been widely discussed. It is the emergence of markets in India and people in India, China, Africa and other areas of Asia that are moving up and coming into a middle class, coming into a workforce, becoming urbanized. Can you just discuss with us, as Alltech does their work in India, how important it is for the future of India in terms of feeding the country themselves and in general meeting the demands of the future?

Aman: You pointed out, very rightly, the rising billions. In the first 50 years of independence, our economy grew at just about 3 percent. We had the spike of 5 percent once or twice, but it wasn’t stable. So, it took almost 45 years or so for India to double its per capita income. Now there is a 7 percent growth in the economy — which is likely to reach double digits, growth in population of about 1.5 percent, and every Indian will double their per capita income in about eight to nine years — in even less time — four to five years — in urban areas So, you are right. A billion people are growing through prosperity. The only question is for the rest of the world: Would you like to be a part of this prosperity?

India today is at a stage of fast forward. The question to the rest of the world is: Would you like to be a part of this journey? And Alltech India is strategically placed to work with those farmers. When you said, “the middle class,” more than 50 percent of Indians belong to this segment today. And many of them have the desire and the dream to prosper in their life through dairy farming, through fish farming, through aquaculture —fish farming and shrimp farming. So, we are rightly placed at Alltech India to work with those farmers and be a part of their prosperity.

Luther: So, what does the future hold for India? Can you summarize that? What do you see? Where are we going?

Aman: I have no doubt that in 2040, India will be a superpower. The only question for the rest of the world is: Would you like to be a part of this successful ship named India?

Luther: What do you enjoy most about your job?

Aman: I love to meet people. I love traveling. The most enjoyable part for me is interaction with my team, which is great. Let me also tell you, that is quite unusual in the marketplace. The attrition rate in India today is about 20 percent in most workforce segments, including IT. However, in Alltech India, you will be surprised to know that for the sales team, our attrition rate has been zero for the last 18 months — quite unusual.

Luther: Dr. Aman Sayed is managing director of Alltech India and the company’s regional director for South Asia. Thank you for joining me.

Aman: Thank you very much.

Aman Sayed spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17). To hear more talks from the conference, sign up for the Alltech Idea Lab.

There is no doubt that corn silage, barley silage and alfalfa haylage are the major fermented forages supporting the dairy industry in Canada and the US. Any variation in the nutrient composition and digestibility of these forages will therefore directly affect a producer’s ability to meet their dairy cows' nutrient requirements throughout the year.

In other words, a good understanding of the nutritive value of your fermented forages will allow you to develop a nutrition program that helps your cows reach their true genetic potential for milk production and health.

More nutrients for the cow, more dollars in your pocket

Over the last few years, nutritionists and dairy producers have been paying special attention to the nutritive value of fermented forages. It is now widely acknowledged that this nutritional concept can positively impact animal productivity and producer profitability. The performance of the modern dairy cow is highly dependent upon the adequate levels and favorable balances of nutrients in the fermented forages they consume.

It is an oversimplification to define the nutritive value of fermented forages purely as the ability to supply the nutrients present in the dry matter to the cow. Before nutrients can reach their target tissue in the cow, the feed must be consumed (feed intake) and the nutrients in the forage must be released and absorbed by the cow (digestion).

When it comes to digestion, fermentable forages are a step ahead

Many factors influence the nutritive value of fermentable forages, including forage cultivar, stage of maturity at harvest and storage methods. In contrast to non-fermentable forages, the digestion of fermentable forage begins long before it is added to the feed bunk.

During normal ensiling processes, some nutrients ferment, releasing molecules that make the crop more palatable and easier to digest. Under these conditions, the nutrients have a better chance of being ingested and absorbed.

Practically speaking, this fermentable forage has an optimum nutritive value. In commercial dairy herds, this forage will result in high milk yield and milk components, leading to excellent reproductive performance and good health.

Test your forage to see how it measures up

Usually, producers and nutritionists send forage samples to a lab in order to obtain information on the nutritional composition of the fermented forages. However, this information can come up short in terms of allowing producers to understand how available these nutrients are to the cow.

Fortunately, methods such as Alltech’s In vitro Fermentation Model have been developed to efficiently and quickly determine the nutrient availability in these forages, including the neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), or the organic matter digestibility. Results from these tests are positively correlated with potential intake. When this information is analyzed as a whole, producers can get a good idea of the nutritive value of their fermented forage.

In Ontario and Quebec, a recent survey carried out on 47 fermented forages indicated that over 84 percent of the forage samples collected showed NDFD (at 30 hours in vitro) values below 52 percent, suggesting poor nutritive value. Therefore, it is important not to assume that your forages have a good nutritive value. To assure herd performance, testing is a must.

Reviewing the nutritive value of the fermented forages used in any feeding program is essential to help your dairy herd reach its maximum genetic potential and is an integral part of dairy farming profitability.