Making the most of your forage is just good sense

With rising input costs there has never been a better time to consider how well your dairy or beef herds are using the valuable forages you provide.

Many silages made last year have a higher fibre content with reduced digestibility. When fed to cattle, this can lead to potential slow rumen function, variable dry matter intakes and an increased requirement for supplemented protein.

This will in turn result in:

• Underutilised feeds

• Suppressed milk yield (or LWG in beef)

• Decreased feed conversion

efficiency (FCE)

• Compromised fertility

• Reduced butter fats

High levels of maize in the ration can lead to:

• Variable levels of starch

• Increased levels of hard to digest fibre depending on plant maturity or die off, increasing lignin levels

This can result in:

• Reduced rumen pH levels

• Increased risk of Sub Acute Ruminal Acidosis (SARA)

• Reduced FCE

• Reduced digestibility

• Suppressed milk yield (or LWG in beef)

Adding a quality live yeast such as

X1-LIVE™ to rations:

• Stimulates both the lactic acid using and fibre degrading bugs in the rumen

• Leading to reduced lactic acid load in the rumen

• Promotes digestion and utilisation of nutrients

• Reduces time below rumen pH 6

• Delivers less rumen pH variation

Why use X1-LIVE yeast?

• The use of live yeast has been shown to reduce levels of SARA and maintain an optimum pH

• Live yeast works particularly well when the rumen is under greater challenge with diets containing

higher levels of cereals and rapidly fermentable starch

• Assists when feeding wet or acidic forages

• Live yeasts have a beneficial probiotic effect on the gut, enhancing the rumen flora profile to help improve the efficiency of ruminant digestion, reducing incidence of SARA

Unlike many other live yeasts, X1-LIVE reduces rumen lactate production and increases fibre  digestion.                                                                                                                    

A significant body of supporting, peer-reviewed research shows its active ingredient enhances digestibility and promotes efficiency.

Some rumen bacteria produce acid, others use up acid. The oxygen scavenging action of X1-LIVE yeast promotes the beneficial acid utilising bacteria and reduces the acid producing bacteria, improving rumen pH.

These rumen bacteria require an anaerobic, airless, environment. As a cow eats, she ingests oxygen within the feed. This oxygen reduces the efficiency of the rumen by taking up about 15% of space and makes the environment less ideal for the rumen bacteria as it is aerobic.

Live yeast and rumen efficiency:

Some yeasts have been shown to stimulate the bacteria in the rumen, which break down fibres; others have been shown to stimulate those that mop-up acid.

X1-LIVE™ has been specifically selected by Mole Valley Farmers and can help stimulate the bacteria that digests fibre and those that mop-up acid. It contains the only yeast shown to do both, improving rumen efficiency and performance.

More milk from the same feed or the same milk from less feed

X1-LIVE™ is an excellent quality specific strain live yeast and represents great value for money. It gives you the option of maximising milk production or producing the same quantity of milk more efficiently without affecting fertility.

Return on investment (R.O.I.):

X1-LIVE for beef cattle

Central to profitability on any beef farm is achieving the highest possible daily liveweight gain, reducing days to slaughter or time spent on farm and increasing the final carcass weight.

With feed costs representing on average 60% of production costs, optimising feed conversion efficiency is vital. Through improved feed utilisation, more energy is available to support weight gain and less is lost to the environment.