Beef cattle

Feeding Actisaf® live yeast to beef cattle has been repeatedly proven to support the bugs that stabilise rumen pH, reduce build-up of lactic acid and increase fibre digestion.

In turn, this prevents digestive upset, eases the transition onto finishing dets, reduces the risk of acidosis and loss of performance, and increases VFA (energy) release from feed, the key driver of live weight gain. Good rumen function supported by Actisaf^® promotes efficient digestion, unlocking more from your forages and feed to support high levels of feed efficiency for enhanced performance.

Research carried out in France in 2013 shows that supplementation with Actisaf^® increases the population of rumen microbes identified in efficient animals, such as Megasphaera elsdenii, which converts lactic acid into propionate to drive weight gain, and Fibrobacter succinogens, a key microbe involved in fibre digestion.

Actisaf^® has been found in several trials to improve feed efficiency in ruminants by stimulating the growth and activity of rumen microbes, with no increase in feed intakes. In beef cattle, EU trials show that Actisaf^® increases growth rates by up to 9% and improves carcass classification – resulting in an average net return of €40 per animal (depending on the deadweight price of beef).

Technical manager Kevin Doyle shares advice and tips for maximising efficiency in finishing beef cattle and how Actisaf^® live yeast can play a pivotal role in optimising performance in the video below: