Feed live yeasts to manage nutritional challenges at grass

Feeding live yeast to cows at turnout can help prevent costly health issues and boost their ability to make the most from grazed grass.

Increasing concentrate prices mean that making the most from grass should be a priority. However, it is important to ensure rumen health is maintained.

Grazing grass can upset the rumen balance because cows consume variable amounts of protein and energy, more fermentable carbohydrates, and less physically effective fibre. This upsets the rumen as it disturbs oxygen levels, fermentation and dry matter intakes.

This can cause:

Depressed yields
Loss of body condition
Increased risk of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA)
Depressed butterfats
Compromised fertility.

Butterfats can be particularly affected as there are significant quantities of certain fats present in fresh grass that are toxic to the rumen bacteria. Through a specific process, the fats can further depress butterfat percentages.

Impact of grazing on cow health

How live yeasts work

Live yeasts work by scavenging oxygen from the rumen. Oxygen is highly toxic to rumen microbes as they require an anaerobic
environment (one without air). As a cow eats, she ingests oxygen, and this reduces the efficiency of the rumen by taking up space (approximately 15%) and creating an aerobic environment.

Live yeasts work by raising the rumen pH and thus reducing the risk of acidosis. They also increase the rate of digestion of the diet,
particularly fibre.

Live yeasts also have a beneficial probiotic effect on the gut by enhancing the rumen flora profile to improve the efficiency of ruminant digestion and reducing the incidence of SARA.

The impact of feeding a live yeast

Live yeasts work particularly well when the rumen is under greater challenge, with diets containing rapidly fermentable carbohydrates. They have been shown to reduce levels of SARA and maintain an optimum pH by enhancing the rumen flora and improving the efficiency of digestion in the rumen. The typical return on investment from feeding a live yeast like X1-LIVE™ is 2.4:1.

What is X1-LIVETM?

X1-LIVE is a specific strain of live yeast and is available exclusively from Mole Valley Farmers. Ideally, it should be incorporated into the ration throughout the grazing season.

This can be by:

X1-LIVETM Farmpack (25g per head per day added to a TMR or another ration component)
Incorporated in your mineral supplement for inclusion in a TMR or mixing with feed (not suitable for free access use).