Antibiotic resistance is now a global threat and is a huge concern to veterinarians and farmers alike. Consequently one of the main topics discussed at the recent World Buiatrics Congress in Dublin was the need for a collaborative approach amongst veterinarians and farmers in applying responsible use of antibiotics. ‘Because of overuse and misuse, some antibiotics are losing effectiveness against highly resistant bacteria’ (Health Policy Brief, 2015). Indeed bacteria have now become resistant to the last antibiotic type (Mac Kenzie, 2015). This means that farmers are now more than ever before, interested in the benefits of alternatives such as vaccines or proven probiotics.
By supplying proven, licensed beneficial bacteria, the use of probiotics can improve the overall health of the calf. They can aid calf immunity when the colostrum they received may not have had sufficient antibodies, or when it was administered too late to allow the required antibody absorption. Licensed probiotics can also aid in the prevention from and recovery of scour, and help to increase growth rates.
Provita Protect POM-VPS is the only licensed probiotic for the prevention of calf scour. It is the only probiotic proven in medicinal trials to reduce scours in young calves and is a totally unique product in terms of its efficacy, quality and stability. Trials have confirmed that the use of Protect reduces calf scours by 83% and increases average calf growth rates by 31%. When administered to a calf within the first few minutes of life, Provita Protect suspension supplies 10 billion unique triple strain probiotic bacteria that rapidly colonise the sterile gut of the new born calf. These unique probiotic bacteria prevent harmful pathogens such as E Coli from attaching to the gut wall through competitive exclusion. The probiotic bacteria also produce lactic acid therefore lowering the pH in the gut further inhibiting harmful pathogens. The combination of more bacteria and lower pH also improves digestion as demonstrated by a 31% increase in growth rates in clinical trials. Protect can also be used to bridge the immunity gap. This gap in the immune system occurs when the passive immunity from colostrum has decreased, and the active immunity from the calf itself has not increased quickly enough. With up to 48% of deaths in calves up to one month of age caused by scouring/diarrhoea (Bovine Mortality Survey), increased prevention should be adopted.
For optimum results, Protect should be used from the start of calving even when there is no sign of scour, as waiting until there is a problem is too late. Provita Protect can be given to new born calves at birth; bought-in calves; after digestive upsets or after antibiotic therapy.