Calves that look healthy and aren’t showing signs of disease or discomfort are still exposed to stressors such as weather, new penmates and pathogens. These can cause hidden inflammation which negatively impacts an animal’s lifelong production. Supporting calves through everyday stressors will ultimately optimize their growth, milk production and longevity in the herd.
Probiotics are a tool that support calves through these challenges. They decrease overall inflammation, improve nutrient digestion and improve the calf’s energy reserves. Even healthy calves deserve a boost to feel and perform at their best, and using the right probiotic provides that support. BaciFlex-Calf® is a multi-strain probiotic that supports intestinal tissue health to prevent or resolve the invisible challenges like “leaky gut” and inflammation in stressed calves.
University research study
To measure the effects of BaciFlex-Calf on pre-weaning calf performance, a study was performed at the University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center. Calves were sourced from two farms and were housed in paneled calf pens in a barn. They were fed a 24:20 non-medicated milk replacer with or without BaciFlex-Calf, along with starter, until weaning at about 56 days of age.
Calves in this study were healthy with minimal cases of scouring, pneumonia and bloat. Although the calves were healthy, those fed BaciFlex-Calf had lower (healthier) fecal scores, with 7% improvement in fecal score health for days 15 to 42. This suggests that even healthy calves can achieve improved gut function.
The calves fed BaciFlex-Calf had 4.4 lbs. greater body weight gain and 0.08 lbs. average daily gain than calves fed the control diet. Some of the improved growth can be attributed to increased starter intake, which is a sign of a healthier gut, and the BaciFlex-Calf group also had improved feed efficiency compared to the control group. By optimizing gut function, BaciFlex-Calf promotes nutrient absorption, which in turn supports more efficient growth.
Research shows that increased average daily gain improves first lactation milk production, and with the increased growth in the current study, the BaciFlex-Calf group is expected to produce an additional 240 lbs. more milk than the control calves. Using milk price of $15.89/cwt, this would be an additional $38.14 in first lactation milk income for calves fed BaciFlex-Calf.
Schedule a Papillon Calf Checkup to find out how BaciFlex-Calf can help even your healthiest calves achieve their full growth and lactation potential.
