A FEED supplement designed to support calf health and reduce the risk of common diseases could help farmers strengthen preventative health strategies on dairy and beef farms.
Dr Alison Bond, Technical Services Manager at livestock nutrition company Rumenco, says two of the most damaging diseases affecting calves scours and bovine respiratory disease (BRD) continue to have a significant impact on herd performance and farm profitability.
Scours accounts for more than half of all calf deaths in the first four weeks of life, while respiratory disease becomes the biggest threat as calves get older, she explained. The financial impact through mortality, treatment costs, veterinary intervention and reduced growth rates can be considerable, which is why prevention is always the best approach.
Good management practices remain the first line of defence, including maintaining high standards of hygiene, appropriate stocking densities, well-ventilated housing and reducing stress where possible.
However, Dr Bond says building resilience from within is equally important. Ensuring calves have strong gut health can help them cope better with disease challenges, and certain nutritional supplements are now being used to support this.
Rumenco has recently included the supplement Celmanax in its Maxx Calf Health and Maxx Cattle Booster mineral buckets. The product is derived from yeast culture and yeast cell wall extracts and contains refined functional carbohydrates which act as biologically active prebiotics and postbiotics.
According to the company, these compounds support beneficial gut bacteria, help bind harmful pathogens and contribute to a stronger immune response.
Research trials have suggested the supplement may have positive effects on calf health and performance. In one study involving 160 calves from three days old to eight weeks of age, animals receiving the supplement showed lower levels of Salmonella and rotavirus shedding and were around 2.5kg heavier at 50 days compared with untreated calves.
A separate trial involving 3,000 older cattle monitored the impact of the supplement on bovine respiratory disease over a 66-day period. Results indicated fewer cases of BRD and improved daily weight gains among cattle receiving the supplement.
Celmanax is available in Rumencos Maxx Calf Health and Maxx Cattle Booster buckets and can also be supplied as a 25kg farm pack for inclusion in total mixed rations or as a feed dressing.
