probiotics

New Insights on the Immunological Benefits of Probiotics for Calves

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By: Dr T.B Barragry PhD MSc MVB MRCVS Probiotic Actions Very significant advances have been made in clarifying the scientific mechanism of action of probiotics with respect to their interactions with the gut microbiome and on the development of immunity in the gut barrier itself. These interesting new probiotic mechanisms are largely threefold: The Gut … Read more

Club Secretary of Spa YFC happy with Provita products

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Hannah Shaw, Club Secretary of Spa YFC was recently selected for a YFCU Exchange in Norway. Provita sponsored her t-shirts for the trip.

Hannah has bought and reared her own calves for the past four years on the family farm, whose overall work ethic is to ensure that their animals are as healthy and thriving as well as possible. Part of the farm’s animal health programme is to use Provita Protect for newly born or bought-in calves. Provita Protect is the only medicinally licensed probiotic (POM-VPS) for the prevention of calf scour. Calves fed milk replacer also get Provita WD Ruminant feed additive to boost the rumen development to further prevent any upsets and use the milk nutrients efficiently to help thrift. Hannah and the Shaw family use Provita Promist to fog sheds when cattle groups are housed over the autumn period. The results were very noticeable in 2017 when mixing various batches of cattle in the same air space as no groups developed acute coughs or any respiratory distress upon housing.  The respiratory health in bought-in calves has been greatly improved with use of Provita Promist and they will continue to use it as best practice during 2018. The Shaw family have recently started using Provita Combat hoof and wound spray after they dehorn calves. This protects the wound from infection, helps it to heal quickly and seals it nicely to stop any bleeds when calves accidentally hit that area.

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Provita Protect and Calf Colostrum prevents calf scour

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In spring 2017 Cavan Johnson who is a dairy farmer in Co Down struggled to control calf scour.  His veterinarian at Downe Veterinary Clinic contacted Provita to help investigate this case.

Provita visited the farm and assessed all aspects of current calf health management finding that hygiene was good, cows were vaccinated and calves were getting plenty of colostrum soon after birth.  Colostrum quality was assessed and found to be variable but acceptable in most cases.  Provita’s Tommy Armstrong therefore concluded that the colostrum hygiene should be tested.  Results showed that the colostrum itself was too high in bacteria and it represented a hygiene risk to the calves. At best, the colostrum antibodies were being used up fighting the bacteria it was introducing itself!  Indeed a recent survey in Northern Ireland by AFBI reported that some colostrum contained up to 17,000,000 cfu/ml of bacteria.  Provita in-house testing shows that both leaving colostrum at ambient temperature and thawing it out after freezing stimulates bacterial growth.

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Visit Provita at Fintona Farm Machinery Show 2018

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With lambing and calving season now starting to kick off, there are many problems which can arise particularly in the damp and colder weather. Provita has a full range of products to help counteract the most common difficulties which can occur during this time of year.

 

Diarrhoea (scours) is the most common disease problem in the young unweaned calf. It is estimated that it affects in varying degrees over a third of all calves during their rearing period and is responsible for about half of all British calf deaths (MDC & NADIS).

 

Provita Protect POM-VPS is an oral supplement providing high-level, multi-strain probiotic bacteria to prevent diarrhoea in new born calves.  It is the only probiotic which is medicinally licensed for the prevention of calf scour. It has been clinically proven to reduce calf scour by 83%. It should be given to new born calves at birth, bought-in calves, after digestive upsets or after antibiotic therapy.

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Provita Protect: Tried and Trusted

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Recent on-farm tests for clients referred to Provita by veterinarians in Northern Ireland have discovered very high levels of harmful bacteria in colostrum that has been frozen and then thawed in warm water. Only colostrum that was kept in hygienic conditions or pasteurised and then either fed straightaway or, refrigerated and then fed had microbial loads that would be considered hygienic enough to feed to newborn animals. The management of natural colostrum needs to be improved on these farms to gain the full benefit of colostrum and any vaccinations used. Indeed, the levels of bacteria seen in the colostrum on these farms would be a health risk.

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Provita Protect helps reduce calf scour

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Many farmers across Northern Ireland are turning to local animal health manufacturers Provita Protect POM-VPS to help reduce calf scour.

Calf scour stubbornly remains the number one cause of death in calves under 1 month of age. Along with good management and good hygiene Provita Protect will help reduce calve scour. Beds must be dry and draft free, they should pass the knee drop test, i.e. knee should still be dry after you drop down onto the straw bed. Calves should be fed enough colostrum as soon as possible after birth, ideally 2 litres within the first 15 minutes after birth, plus a further 2 litres 2 hours later. Care must be taken when freezing and thawing out colostrum as harmful bacteria can grow to very high levels if it’s left lying around for more than 1 hour. Equally thawing out at too high a temperature will destroy the proteins, if thawing out too slowly this can create very high levels of harmful bacteria in the colostrum. It is best fed fresh or stored in a fridge and used within a few days. Alternatively a powdered colostrum substitute can be used such as Provita colostrum concentrate, it will work through several modes of action including energy, probiotic, egg powder, natural colostrum, minerals and vitamins.

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If you think antibiotics are the only answer … Think Again.

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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.

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Bridging the immunity gap in young calves

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Diarrhoea (scours) is the most common disease problem in the young unweaned calf. It is estimated that it affects in varying degrees over a third of all calves during their rearing period and is responsible for about half of all British calf deaths. Problems arise in all types of cattle husbandry systems. (MDC & NADIS)

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