Prioritise rumen health pre-calving to maximise cow productivity

Malvern, United Kingdom – Dairy farmers looking to maximise cow health, productivity and longevity should prioritise rumen health during the transition period by feeding a rumen-specific life yeast.

Mark McFarland, feed additive manager at Lallemand Animal Nutrition UK & Ireland, reiterates the importance of the transition period, describing it as both the most critical and challenging phase in a dairy cow's production cycle.

"Cows undergo significant metabolic, physiological and hormonal changes during this time," he explains.

"The shift from a higher fibre dry cow diet to a fresh cow diet, rich in rapidly fermentable carbohydrates, disrupts the balance of microbes in the rumen, leading to sub-optimal rumen function.

“This not only hampers nutrient absorption, but also increases the risk of potentially harmful bacteria and toxins passing through the rumen wall into the bloodstream.”

This disruption comes at a time when the cow’s metabolic demands are at their greatest, and the rumen needs to be functioning optimally.

Mr McFarland adds: “When cows experience temporary negative energy balance in early lactation, due to rising nutritional demands overtaking feed intake, they lose body condition, face a drop in immunity, and are more prone to diseases due to increased oxidative stress.

Address negative energy balance

Without proper management, the transition period can result in milk production losses and clinical disorders that will significantly impact the long-term health, fertility and longevity of the cow.

To address these challenges, Mr McFarland recommends that farmers should pay particular attention to the rumen and its microbiota, which is also transitioning, during the transition period.

"Feeding the rumen-specific live yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 (Levucell SC), helps stabilise the rumen microbiota, promoting fibre-digesting microbes and reducing the risk of acidosis," he says.

Studies have shown that cows supplemented with Levucell SC for at least 30 days before calving produced an additional 2.3 kg of milk per day in the first 30 days of lactation[1].

“Based on a 200-cow herd, inclusion of the live yeast for the whole of the dry period and an average milk price of 38p per litre, this equates to an additional £5,244, delivering a 4:1 ROI based on the milk cheque alone.

“This rise in milk production can be attributed to improved feed efficiency and an average increase in dry matter intake (DMI) of 1.5kg/day with a consequential 0.7kg per day reduction in body condition loss.”

Mr McFarland highlights that research and field trials also provide evidence of positive outcomes on various reproduction and welfare indicators.

“Fresh cows that were fed Levucell SC for at least 30 days before calving spent longer time lying down, and in robotic milking units, visits to the robot increased; both indicators of improved rumen function.

“Farm businesses who’ve trialed the inclusion of the live yeast also experienced an improvement in pregnancy rates, reduced insemination costs and lower somatic cell counts in milk - all of which have a positive impact on the bottom line.”