Sponsored: Boost Calf Health with RFCs
Health challenges occur, even on the best-managed dairies. However, calf raisers are learning more about how to better prepare calf immune systems to help these vulnerable animals deal with health challenges when they occur.
Refined Functional Carbohydrates (RFCs) can help provide a healthy foundation and help enhance calf health and performance. RFCs are the components harvested from yeast cells (S. cerevisiae) using specific enzymes during the manufacturing process. This enzymatic hydrolysis yields MOS (Mannan Oligosaccharides), (1,3-1,6) beta glucans and D-Mannose.
These compounds are naturally present in all yeast cells, but are not readily bioavailable. The method of processing used to refine the yeast cells influences the size and structure of these liberated components which, in turn, affect bioavailability and functionality. Research1,2,3 shows that each RFC has a specific mode of action and outcome when fed to livestock.
Health Benefits
Since health and production challenges can occur at any time, adding RFCs to the calf’s milk or milk replacer from birth—and throughout the animal’s life cycle—can help improve immune function indirectly by preparing it for challenges and directly by providing a defense mechanism against pathogenic bacteria the animal is exposed to.
We know that early calf scours are the cause of more than 50 percent of young calf deaths and that the incidence is in the first 21 days of life. Therefore, good hygiene and offering the proper dose of RFC’s from day one of age are critical to reducing the incidence of calf scours.
The chart below illustrates scours incidence and when cases occurred on a dairy as tracked by the herd’s management software. (Chart 1)
Chart 1: Scours Incidence and Age by Month
This graph shows incidence and age of scours by month. Note that most calves are between 2 and 21 days of age.
Because pathogenic challenges are difficult to predict, feeding RFCs can provide an initial defense when these challenges occur.
For example, RFCs have been shown4 to be efficacious when fed to young calves to help reduce scouring caused by Cryptosporidium parvum. RFCs have also been shown5 to have activity against Eimeria, another scours-causing organism, as well as various types (serovars) of E. coli and Salmonella enterica. These are the pathogens most likely to cause scouring problems on a dairy.
The RFCs bind to the receptors of Cryptosporidium protozoa (and other pathogens) and prevent them from attaching to the intestinal wall and causing disease. The organisms then pass harmlessly through the digestive system and are excreted. The pathogens remain deactivated, helping to break their lifecycle and reduce the odds of reinfection.
Research highlighted in the chart below (Figure 1) shows that calves fed RFCs recover faster than those that do not receive RFCs.
a,b,c Indicate significant difference (P
Since pathogens are found in every environment, setting calves up for success must be a key management focus. That means following good pen and feeding hygiene, and enhancing gut health so that animals can more easily fight off infections when they come in contact with pathogens. (Figure 2)
The bars on this chart represent standard deviation.
Growth Benefits
RFCs offer additional benefits. Because calves are healthier, they can spend their energy on growth. Since RFCs are removing challenges to the immune system—more energy is available for gaining weight and frame size, and is not being used by the immune system or fighting a pathogenic infection that causes diarrhea.
As a result, the multi-functional nature of RFCs (reducing the effects of harmful pathogens, as well as toxins in feed) synergistically helps the calves partition energy to growth.
This may lead to an improvement in calf growth and performance,6-9 offering dairies an excellent health-enhancing tool when developing a strategy for improved production. (Figure 3)
Consider RFCs as a means of jump-starting calves’ immunity in a way that provides numerous benefits to animal health, enhanced performance and increased productivity.
To learn more about RFCs, visit AHanimalnutrition.com.
1 Hashim A, Mulcahy G, Bourke B, Clyne M. Interaction of Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum with Primary Human and Bovine Intestinal Cells. Infection and Immunology 2006;74(1):99.
2 Nocek J, Holt MG, Oppy J. Effects of supplementation with yeast culture and enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast on performance of early lactation dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 2011;94:4046-4056.
3 Baines D, Erb S, Turkington K, Kuldau G, Juba J, Masson L, Mazza A, Roberts R. Mouldy feed, mycotoxins and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli colonization associated with Jejunal Hemorrhage Syndrome in beef cattle. BMC Veterinary Research 2011;7:24.
4 Jalukar S, Nocek JE. Evaluation of enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast in vitro and in vivo for control of Cryptosporidium parvum infections in dairy calves. J Anim Sci 2009; Vol. 87, E-Suppl. 2/J Dairy Sci Vol. 92, E-Suppl. 1. Research Bulletin D-38 and Research Bulletin D-61.
5 Jalukar S, Oppy J, Holt MG. In vitro assay to evaluate ability of enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast containing MOS to bind enteropathogenic bacteria. Presented at the ASAS/ADSA Midwestern Section Annual Meeting, 2009. Research Bulletin 31 and Research Bulletin 39.
6 Dennis R, Jalukar S. Effect of CELMANAX SCP on calf performance when fed in the milk replacer and grower phase. J Anim Sci 2011; Vol. 89, E-Suppl. 1/J Dairy Sci Vol. 94, E-Suppl. 1. Research Bulletin D-72.
7 Research Bulletin D-71: CELMANAX SCP in dairy calf milk replacers.
8 Research Bulletin D-51: CELMANAX Liquid in dairy calf milk replacers.
9 Research Bulletin D-53: CELMANAX Liquid in dairy calf milk replacers.
