Written by Dr. Grace Cun and Dr. Andy Mueller
Fresh-Guard™ is a proprietary blend of microbial inhibitors mixed with a liquid supplement designed to protect your total mixed ration (TMR) from spoilage and improve feed stability throughout the summer.
Sometimes, despite doing everything right — harvesting at the right dry matter, chopping to the correct length, applying inoculant, packing at the right density, and using an oxygen barrier film — you still end up with hot TMR in the summer due to wild yeasts, mold, and bacterial contamination. Wild yeasts, naturally present in soil, plants, and grains, vary by farm and crop and inevitably disrupt harvested forages. And we know what that means for cows: spoiled silage reduces intake and lowers milk production.
How does it work?
Prevents Heating: Fresh-Guard™ reduces heating in high-moisture grains, silages, and TMR by slowing aerobic microbial activity, preserving feed freshness and nutrient content.
TMR Preservation: Propionic acid, a key ingredient in Fresh-Guard™, preserves the ration and supplies additional energy to cows.
Why use Fresh-Guard™?
Exposing silage to air at the bunker face, feedout, and push-up activates wild yeasts, bacteria, and mold. This triggers secondary fermentation and causes heating and off odors in the TMR. Using Fresh-Guard™ helps protect the nutritional value and palatability of your TMR, leading to better feed efficiency and higher milk production.
Key benefits of Fresh-Guard™
- Prevents heating and nutrient loss: Reduces heating and nutrient loss caused by microbes and molds in the summer.
- Improves feed intake: Promotes higher intake during hot weather.
- Feed quality and stability to maintain milk production: Hoffman and Ocker (1997) found that while dry matter intake was unchanged, cows fed spoiling high-moisture corn in a TMR produced about 7 lbs (3.2 kg) less milk/cow/d than those fed fresh, stable feed.
- Preservation: Extends bunk life and maintains feed quality, especially in summer.
- Cost-effective solution: Easily added to any Westway Feed Products liquid supplement. No ration changes required. There is no need to hand-add extra products on farm.
- Effectiveness may vary based on microbial load at mixing, contamination from handling equipment, environmental conditions, and the time between mixing and feedout.
Wisconsin Dairy Trial Results (June–August 2002):
A commercial dairy evaluated Fresh-Guard™ on feed stability and intake in a silage-based TMR. Two groups of 115 cows were fed the same base TMR (CON TMR), with the Treatment group receiving an additional 4 lb/head/day of a 65% DM liquid blend containing Fresh-Guard™ at a 1x inclusion rate (TRT-1x TMR). Cows were fed once daily, and TMR temperatures were monitored over a 24-hour period.
Key Findings:
Over 24 hours, Fresh-Guard™ 1x treated TMR stayed close to ambient temperature, while the control TMR began heating after 3 hours, peaking at 95.5°F—over 20°F above ambient, by hour 23. In contrast, the treated TMR cooled to 74.5°F, showing Fresh-Guard™ effectively reduced heating and preserved feed quality.
Figure 1. Temperature of TMR comparing untreated feed (CON TMR) with feed treated with Fresh-Guard™ (TRT-1x TMR) over a 24-hour period.
Mold and Yeast Control: After 24 hours, yeast counts in the CON TMR increased dramatically by 150x and mold counts by 500x—corresponding with a rise in the temperature of the TMR. In contrast, the Fresh-Guard™ treated TMR showed only minimal increases, with a relatively small rise in yeast and mold count, indicating significantly improved feed stability.
Figures 2a and 2b: Yeast count and mold count at feeding and at 24 hours after mixing in CON TMR and TRT-1x TMR in July.
Increased feed intake led to more milk production: Cows in the Fresh-Guard™ group consumed 96.1 lbs./head/day (as-fed) compared to 90.8 lbs./head/day in the control group, a difference of +5.3 lbs. as-fed (+2.7 lbs. DM). The control group initially had higher milk production, but the gap narrowed after the trial began. When the groups were switched, the treatment group’s production surpassed the control group, confirming that increased dry matter intake boosted milk production.
Summary
Fresh-Guard™ improved TMR stability, controlled microbial activity, and increased feed intake, demonstrating its value in maintaining feed quality and supporting higher milk production during warm weather.
Fresh-Guard™ can be included in any Westway Feed Products liquid supplement, ensuring even distribution of the mold pak throughout the TMR while delivering nutritional benefits. For guidance on feeding rates, visit WestwayFeed.com or call (800) 800-7517.
