ISSUE FOCUS 44 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2025 The world of probiotic feed additives is divided into three main categories—lactic acid bacteria, spore-forming bacteria and live yeasts. Yeast cells that are added to the diet that, when fed at an appropriate concentration, benefit the consumer. In cattle, probiotic yeasts have been widely used to prevent digestive disorders and improve feed intake and efficiency. It is well known that live yeasts have a positive effect on the rumen microbiota and, thus rumen health and activity. This ultimately leads to better feed utilization and nutrient delivery, as well as overall health and performance. Live yeasts aid in the digestion of ruminant feeds in several ways. Through its metabolic activity, live yeast reabsorbs oxygen from the rumen and promotes a more favorable environment for the development of microorganisms—primarily anaerobic cellulose-degrading and lactate-consuming bacteria—that maximize the rate of fiber breakdown, stabilize the ruminal pH and provide micronutrients for metabolic support (Figure 1), which in total reduce the risk of acidosis, positively influencing digestive capacities and wellbeing. Live yeast should be dosed high enough to ensure an efficient and rapid effect. A minimum of 3x1010 CFU per day should be fed to fattening bulls. Probiotic dosages are expressed in CFU, meaning colony forming units, and is a measure of the number of viable or active yeast cells. “Live yeasts can be particularly helpful for fattening bulls. They are known to have a positive effect on ruminal microbial activity by stabilizing pH and by improving digestive capacities for better feed efficiency, especially in cattle on highconcentrate diets that alter the microbial ecosystem, which is also a big stress factor for the bulls. Live yeasts can help to reduce this stressor by improving the microbial population in the rumen.” BOOSTING BEEF PROFITS WITH LIVE YEAST SUPPLEMENTATION Dr. Melinda Culver Veterinarian Biochem Andrea Remmersmann R&D Application Manager Biochem
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