Fibrozyme enhances the ruminant digestive system in high-fiber diets

High-fiber diets can be difficult for animals to digest. Increasing the digestion of ruminal fiber in higher-forage rations — even by a small amount — can significantly impact both intake and production. Fibrolytic enzymes can boost an animal’s ability to extract nutrients from the feed, improving ruminal efficiency. Fibrozyme is a unique enzyme feed technology designed to maximize feed efficiency in high-fiber diets by better breaking down the cell wall fractions in plant fibers, encouraging intake to support productivity for both beef and dairy cattle.

The pre-weaning growth of a dairy calf is a powerful predictor of long-term productivity and profitability. However, diarrhea is one of the most common antagonists resulting in poor digestion and less than optimal weight gain in calves.

A unique product derived from a selected strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to enhance performance, including intake, growth and overall health, by improving gut health and digestive function.

A recent meta-analysis conducted by Dr. Anna Catharina Berge of Berge Veterinary Consulting BVBA has put Alltech’s product, Bio-Mos®, to the test.

Berge’s trials revealed that pre-weaned dairy calves fed Bio-Mos in milk or milk replacer had significantly improved average daily gain by an estimated 0.14 pounds per head per day, which corresponds to an 8.37-pound higher weight on average for calves weaned at two months of age. The long-term improved performance in heifers with enhanced pre-weaning growth would be equivalent to 220 pounds more milk in the first lactation!

“The results are a significant improvement in average daily weight gain,” said Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer and vice president of corporate accounts at Alltech. “This improvement leads to greater returns for the producer through enhanced milk production, health and development, and long-term productivity.”

The meta-analysis included 23 cohort studies performed in the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile, the Czech Republic, India, Japan, Peru, Poland, Spain and Turkey between 1993 and 2012. Bio-Mos was supplemented from 2–10 grams per day, with an average inclusion of 3.8 grams per day. Twenty-one of the studies reported an increase in daily weight gain for calves fed Bio-Mos in milk or milk replacer compared to control calves.

As new restrictions come into play on antibiotic use, producers across the globe are beginning to take a closer look at natural approaches to improve animal health and performance. Choosing an alternative that is backed by substantial research is a sure bet for a smart start on any dairy operation.

For more information on Bio-Mos, visit http://alltech.com/bio-mos.

With the continued rise of feed ingredient costs, there is increasing pressure to be as efficient as possible in animal diet formulations. 

Alltech True Check™ is a flexible analysis designed to stimulate the digestive systems of poultry and swine, providing a prediction of nutrient release from the feed. It allows us to quantify the benefits of adding enzymes and determine the best enzymes for individual feeds. This means we can help formulate feeds that will have the most benefit for the animal while reducing inputs and environmental impact. 

How does Alltech True Check work? 

Alltech True Check stimulates digestion using a system that replicates each stage of the digestion process. The feed is ground and diluted, then goes through different phases in which enzymes matching endogenous production, pH, temperature and time are carefully adjusted to mimic the crop, gizzard and small intestine of a chicken, or the stomach and small intestine of a pig. After this process, the samples are analyzed for phosphate, reducing sugars and alpha amino nitrogen.  

How can the analysis help optimize feed formulation? 

Analysis of free phosphates demonstrates the conversion of phytic acid into a digestible form. A higher free phosphate level indicates more phosphorus available to the animal. The use of enzymes to increase phytic acid hydrolysis reduces the need to add mineral sources of phosphorus to the diet and minimizes excretion of unabsorbed phosphorus into the environment.  

Animal feed includes fiber, which is largely composed of non-starch polysaccharides found in plant cell walls, such as cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. Non-starch polysaccharides are composed of sugars but are not easily digested by monogastric animals. Enzymes can be used to help convert the longer polysaccharides into digestible sugars, measured as reducing sugars, allowing increased energy availability to the animal. 

Free amino nitrogen analyzes the amount of protein being converted into digestible free amino acids. Increasing protein release from feeds allows for lower crude protein formulation in diets. Reducing dietary crude protein is crucial to reduce excretion of nitrogen into the environment and can also improve animal health. 

By simulating the digestive process in the lab, Alltech True Check provides a fast, effective screening method for novel diet formulations and enzyme additions. Use of Alltech True Check can reduce wasted nutrients, increasing production efficiency while also minimizing the environmental impact of animal production.

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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. 

When you hear the word "audit," you might automatically think of revenue or taxation auditors, but did you know that Alltech runs farm audits to help improve the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of your farm?

We believe the key to unlocking greater profitability in a sustainable fashion is by increasing the efficiency of production. This is the driving principle behind the Alltech E=P+S program, in which efficiency equals profitability plus sustainability. Alltech can predict the probable outcome in economic value and also highlight the expected reduction in carbon emissions from the projected added efficiencies. The program helps to predict and monitor the benefits on-farm as well as clearly demonstrate the advantages through our unique “What if?” tool.

It’s simple, according to Kevin Dardis, global dairy marketing manager for Alltech.

“Farmers are looking to the opportunities that abound in dairy and beef production," he said. "Alltech is uniquely positioned to help resolve inefficiencies and boost profitability in a more sustainable way.”

How does Alltech's E=P+S program work?

Alltech’s E=P+S program is comprised of a number of components that, when taken together, provide farmers with a complete audit and recommendation package for any farm unit.

The first component is silage production and quality. This is combined with advice on feed formulation and mineral specifications. Then, our technicians audit the management of the herd using the Alltech program. We also carry out manure sieving to help identify the amount of undigested feed passing through the rumen in a wasteful manner.

Let us do the number crunching for you

Our technicians are fully trained in feed formulation using Plurimix, a dedicated formulations program. Plurimix models the existing diet and allows for a comparison of the potential benefits of alternative diets. All diets can be compared nutritionally, by cost and by carbon output of the herd’s diet. This information can then be transferred, along with the basic operating performance indicators of the farm, into the unique Alltech “What if?“ tool. Calculations indicate the degree of cost benefit from the resolved inefficiencies to the farmer with the added bonus of reduced herd carbon footprint, which is great news for the consumer,who is more concerned than ever with how their food is produced.

All of these components are brought together into a comprehensive recommendation for diet, mineral specification, alternative protein sources and, if required, mycotoxin control. Following implementation, the results and performance are regularly monitored by technicians to ensure that the predicted improvements are achieved or bettered.

Sounds simple, right? If you are interested in seeing if Alltech can help you today, contact your local Alltech representative.

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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.

In “The corn conundrum,” we looked at some of the causes of the dreaded “fall slump.” Now we will look at some of the ways to prevent the slump as well as tools to help diagnose it.

Dry matter at harvest

We all know the importance of proper dry matter at harvest. Checking whole plant dry matter for each field is a good first step to having the correct dry matter at harvest.

Chopping too early can lower the starch content of the corn silage and impede fermentation, which can also contribute to the environmental issue of leachate. On the other hand, chopping too late (>40 percent dry matter) can lead to a separate set of problems, such as mycotoxins, poor fermentation, yeast production, decreased starch digestibility and a longer window for total starch digestion.

If we monitor the seven-hour starch digestibility and ammonia levels of fresh corn silage, it can tell us a lot about how the corn is fermenting. Typically, fall corn silage will be low in both the seven-hour starch and ammonia. As the silage ferments over 240 days, the ammonia levels rise and the starch digestibility increases.

Silage inoculants and crop quality

We know that inoculants can speed up fermentation and lower pH, thus saving energy for the cow. Inoculants enable us to get into the piles, bags, bunkers and silos even faster than before.

Future outlook is strong is this area. Work is being done on combinations of inoculants and enzymes to assist in both starch digestion and fiber digestion, which will serve to further our efficiencies.

Inoculants can cater to front end fermentation or feed out protection. Cater your inoculant to your individual situation.

Inoculants coupled with a quality mold inhibitor can be the ultimate line of defense against molds, top spoilage and stability issues. Mold-Zap®, a buffered propionic acid, has been the gold standard in alleviating seasonal total mixed ration heating, but very keen dairymen also use it for preventing top spoilage in bunkers, drive over piles and on silage faces.

Corn Silage Processing Score

Shredlage, a new corn harvesting method for silage, is gaining acceptance. Most importantly, shredlage processing has led to a renewed interest in proper corn silage kernel processing with the choppers many producers already have. With proper corn silage processing, the kernels can be processed down to the new standard of ¼” kernels.

The Corn Silage Processing Score (CSPS) is a great testing tool that is run at virtually all the forage labs in the U.S. because it will assess how well the corn silage has been processed. A Corn Silage Processing Score in the 40–60 percent range is common in unprocessed corn silage and can equate to lost milk. Setting a goal of achieving a processing score above 70 percent will help you reduce the corn silage slump and the impacts it has on your herd.

Before we get CSPS numbers back, is there another way to know if we are correctly processing the corn silage? A new technique involving “floating” fresh corn silage is getting some attention, and it’s easy to find articles and images of the procedure online. The process is very simple and can be accomplished in the field, right at the chopper, but you will need a sample of fresh corn silage, a 5-gallon bucket and some water.

1. Fill the 5-gallon bucket three-quarters full with water.
2. Take a 32-ounce cup of fresh corn silage and pour it into the bucket of water.
3. Stir it around for a few minutes.
4. Sift out the fiber particles that float to the top.
5. Dump the water and be sure to save the kernels.
6. Inspect the kernels to ensure that most of the kernels are quartered. The old concept of “nicked” kernels being sufficient is now antiquated advice.

Monitor the back end

It is a dirty job, but someone really does have to do it. Manure can tell you a lot about how things are working inside the cow.

It’s worthwhile to consider a couple of tools that have been around for a few years.

The Penn State Particle Separator has been used for years to monitor fiber levels in the diet. The particle separator’s “messy” cousin, the manure screen, can tell you just as much, if not more. The true value of manure screening is monitoring over time and with ration changes. With the transition to new crop corn silage, you can see the impact of the new feed. Many times with new crop corn silage, you will see the kernel remnants in the middle screen and fiber changes in the various screens. Benchmarking your manure screens is a great approach because it will enable you to see what the rumen is doing and you can make ration adjustments quicker than if you use a paper-only approach.

While we are messing around with the manure, there is yet another tool that is underutilized, and that tool is fecal starch. Fecal starch testing is done at most commercial feed labs and can tell you a lot about kernel processing and starch digestion, so it can help you to confirm your CSPS scores and the level of starch digestion. Your goal should be to keep the fecal starch under 3 percent, even though you can commonly see the levels initially rise with new crop corn silage samples.

Aiding in the new crop silage transition

Some of the undigested corn can bypass the rumen and cause hindgut fermentation, which can lead to indigestion and rumen upset. The starch-digesting enzyme Amaize® and certain strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can assist in breaking down starch and maintaining a proper rumen environment.

Additionally, we know that soluble protein and ammonia levels are at lower levels in fresh corn silage. Products that assist in adjusting the rumen degradable protein levels can help jumpstart the rumen microbial production and assist in starch and fiber digestion. Optigen® can help fuel the rumen in the absence of good new crop soluble protein and ammonia levels.

Don’t feed it, but if you must…

Ultimately, the best way to reduce the fall corn silage slump is not to feed it. It may be frustrating to receive that advice, but it remains true. Starch digestion is often slow, and new crop corn silage should be given three months to properly ferment. Obviously, the longer the fermentation, the better, but there should be a plan in place to have a few months’ carryover of your corn silage crop.

When we must feed fresh corn silages, the tools discussed above can help to reduce the corn silage slump. Ask your local Alltech representative for more information on how we can help you to reduce the new crop corn silage blues.

Not sure who your local Alltech representative is? Fill out the form below to learn more.

WHAT: Join Dr. Roger Scaletti, Alltech mineral management program technical support and sales for North America, for a live webinar covering trace minerals, their role in livestock health and performance, and how they can be used to optimize herd health, udder health and reproduction. Scaletti will also discuss how to choose the right mineral and how form can play a substantial role in mineral retention.

Scaletti received his bachelor’s degree in animal science from Pennsylvania State University in 1995 and his Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Kentucky in 2003. He has traveled around the world to discuss mineral nutrition and mastitis.

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017

2:00 p.m. ET

WHERE: Reserve a spot now via this link. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, you can register via the link to receive the recording.

OTHER: Scaletti’s presentation will be followed by a live question-and-answer session.

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – Dairy producers strive for long-term production and productivity with their herd, right from the start, and the pre-weaning growth of a dairy calf is a good indicator. While diarrhoea is one of the most common antagonists in issues with poor digestion and weight gain in calves, supplementing with Bio-Mos® has been shown to enhance performance and improve gut health.

A recent meta-analysis conducted by Dr. Anna Catharina Berge of Berge Veterinary Consulting BVBA concluded that Bio-Mos® supplementation in milk or milk replacer increased daily weight gain in dairy calves. These trials revealed, on average, 0.14 pounds improved weight gain per head per day in pre-weaned dairy calves, which corresponded to 8.37 pounds increased weight for calves weaned at two months of age. The long-term improved performance in heifers with improved pre-weaning growth would be equivalent to 220 pounds more milk in the first lactation, generating additional farm income, and improving gut health and digestive function.

“The results are a significant improvement in average daily weight gain,” said Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer and vice president of corporate accounts at Alltech. “This improvement leads to greater returns for the producer through enhanced milk production, health and development, and long-term productivity.”

The meta-analysis included 23 cohort studies performed in the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile, the Czech Republic, India, Japan, Peru, Poland, Spain, and Turkey between 1993 and 2012. Bio-Mos was supplemented at 2–10 grams per day, with an average inclusion of 3.8 grams per day. Twenty-one of the studies reported an increase in daily weight gain for calves fed Bio-Mos in milk or milk replacer compared to control calves.

For more information on Bio-Mos, visit http://go.alltech.com/bio-mos.

[DUBLIN, Ireland] – As fossil fuels deplete at astounding rates, biogas production is fast becoming an alternative source of economic and renewable energy. Alltech’s new product, DIGEST P3, improves the profitability of anaerobic digestion by optimising biogas productivity. DIGEST P3 is an enzyme complex produced by the breakdown of organic matter through a process called solid state fermentation, with production similar to that of yeast fermentation. Since Alltech has nearly 40 years’ experience in the fermentation of yeast for both the animal health and brewing industries, biogas fermentation is a logical next chapter for the company. Through mastery of solid state fermentation techniques, Alltech can produce enzymes economically and pass this cost savings along to customers.

“This is exciting. This is why I love what I do,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “We have taken our expertise and decades of knowledge in fermentation and applied them to the development of DIGEST P3. Remember, efficiency on the farm is what we are experts in. Alltech is all about adding value and efficiency and bringing sustainable solutions to market. Dealing with waste, while at the same time producing renewable energy, is simply another way we are using innovative and ground-breaking technologies to solve our customers’ issues.”

DIGEST P3 works with methane-generating microflora to help break down feedstock components previously inaccessible through digestion. This enhanced feed breakdown allows for more readily available energy and protein for the microflora, resulting in additional biogas volumes from the same amount of feed input. DIGEST P3 allows for flexibility in feedstock formulation through the inclusion of byproducts and alternative raw materials.

“We are working with customers to optimise the flexibility offered by this technology,” said Niall Brennan, biogas project manager at Alltech. “We are seeing some customers reduce their feedstock inputs and maintain their gas outputs. It is very encouraging to see the range of benefits DIGEST P3 offers Alltech customers.”

Alltech has just completed a research trial with Harper Adams University in England to identify optimum performance-enhancing additives. The trial was run utilising DIGEST P3 in commercial plants across Europe. In the trial, DIGEST P3’s additional feed breakdown led to increased biogas production, reduced feed costs, reduced power consumption and uplifts in operating profit.

“Since implementing DIGEST P3, many of our customers have witnessed significant improvement in substrate efficiency,” said Brennan. “This allows our customers to decrease the amount of substrates they input each day, yet maintain a consistent energy output.”

For more information on DIGEST P3, please visit go.alltech.com/digest-p3 and stay connected through Twitter and Facebook.