ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2025 35 Dairy farmers play an essential role in maintaining the balance between economic sustainability and environmental responsibility. A solution that has been scientifically proven to optimize rumen health, enhance feed digestibility, and improve animal performance, including fertility and overall rumen health, is Actisaf® Sc 47, a yeast probiotic from Phileo by Lesaffre. It has been shown to increase feed efficiency, reducing emissions associated with milk production and contributing to a reduced carbon footprint that can last during the supplementation period, showing its effectiveness in Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). Additionally, Actisaf® Sc 47 can improve fertility outcomes, reducing the number of days open and shortening calving intervals, leading to a more consistent and reliable production cycle. With Actisaf® Sc 47, dairy farmers can adopt sustainable farming practices that not only reduce their environmental impact but also improve the overall health and performance of their herd. OPTIMIZING FEED EFFICIENCY IN DAIRY FARMING Actisaf® Sc 47, derived from a specific strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, represents a ground-breaking advancement in dairy farming. The yeast probiotic is specifically developed to optimize rumen health, and its benefits encompass enhanced feed digestibility, animal growth, fertility, well-being, and overall performance. Numerous scientific trials and research have underscored the efficacy of Actisaf® Sc 47 in improving these various aspects of rumen health. (Salah, N. et al, 2023 Meta-Analysis Study) In a comparative study, dairy cows supplemented with Actisaf® Sc 47 showed enhanced feed digestibility than those in the control group receiving sodium bicarbonate, which is commonly used to support rumen health in dairy cattle diets (Marden et al. 2008). Incorporating Actisaf® Sc 47 into the diet had a stabilizing effect on ruminal pH levels post-feeding and effectively prevented lactate accumulation. These positive changes in the rumen environment led to an increase in both the proportion and activity of fiber-digesting gut bacteria. This enhanced digestive efficiency not only led to improved nutrient assimilation in the gastrointestinal tract but also suggests a more effective utilization of forages, ultimately translating into increased feed efficiency. In a different investigation, feed efficiency was also assessed through sieving dung. Digescan, an easy-to-use tool was used to a practical measurement in the field, showing that supplementation with Actisaf® Sc 47 resulted in an important decrease of undigested particles in the dung compared to the control group, from 35% to 28% (Salah, N. et al. 2023). This reduction in undigested matter not only indicates enhanced feed digestion but also points towards more efficient nutrient utilization by the cattle. The positive outcomes of increasing feed efficiency in dairy farming extend beyond cow health and farm productivity, having a significant environmental impact by reducing emissions associated with milk production. In lower-yield systems, the carbon footprint is often higher because of the less efficient feed utilization. In these scenarios, Actisaf® Sc 47 supplementation plays a crucial role, increasing milk yield
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