Dairy and beef farming: no matter how stringent your hygiene and cleaning protocols, there are always places for bacteria to blossom. That can cause problems for the health and productivity of your herd. But now there’s a brand-new, breakthrough milk replacer that is scientifically proven to help calves develop strong, healthy immune systems and reach peak productivity.
HAPPY CALVES, HAPPY PROFITS
Happy and healthy calves are more likely to grow well and reach their full potential. That’s good news for your profits. But there’s a problem.
Calves can be easily stressed. No matter how well your farm is managed, there will always be a presence of bacterial pathogens and you can see how a calf’s young immune system can be overwhelmed, leading to illness and poor development. Scours in particular can be a complex – though common – problem on some farms.
This can be a significant issue for dairy farmers. Calves that fail to grow to their full potential may never catch up in terms of performance and productivity. In short: a poor start with health and growth can have lifelong implications for the calf, harming your profits as a farming business. But there is a measure of security: nutrition.
>> Calf stress: advice for tackling stress in youngstock
THERE'S A NEW MILK REPLACER CALLED IMUNOGARD®…
As a livestock farmer, it goes without saying that you want the best for the health of your herd as well as the health of your balance sheet. ImunoGard® is a new milk replacer that can help with both. It’s specifically formulated to give calves a fighting chance with disease challenges and digestive disturbance to enable them to grow to their full potential.
ImunoGard® – suitable for all calves and feeding systems – is designed to set up your calves for a lifetime of productivity. By providing the right nutritional start, it gives pre-weaned youngstock the best chance of fighting off disease challenges, and that can have a big impact on your medical costs. All while helping you to rear a strong, healthy herd which in turn helps tackle disease challenges should they arise.
Of course, when you are paying for a milk replacer, you are entitled to expect a top quality performance. ImunoGard® is backed by research. The unique blend of protein, fat and essential acids lays down the building blocks for maximising the way energy is metabolised and ensuring optimum growth and development.
Let’s dive into some science.
ACTIVE INGREDIENT #1: IMUNOPRO®
Imunogard® contains our highest level of Imunopro®: a unique blend of super-concentrated functional milk proteins. These proteins contain high levels of the essential amino acids needed for calf growth and development, such as lysine and leucine (the same amino acids found in supplements used by professional athletes to repair and build muscle). This concentrated milk protein also primes the immune system, assists in pathogen control and lays the groundwork for healthy calf development.
Imunopro® also contains high levels of concentrated milk oils – five times more than you will find in standard whey or skim powders. It’s sugars are concentrated to encourage the development of a healthy population of bacteria in the young calf’s gut – helping to boost the immune system and ward off disease. Lactoferrins – shown to reduce the frequency and severity of scours – are also present in Imunopro® at elevated levels.
ACTIVE INGREDIENT #2: CELMANAX™
CELMANAX™ is a proven hydrolysed yeast formulated to improve calf gut function. It provides a readily digestible refined functional carbohydrate for the calf and has a recognised prebiotic function: feeding the calf’s beneficial gut bacteria to boost the immune system. It also works to prevent harmful pathogens – such as cryptosporidia, E. coli and Salmonella spp – binding to the gut wall, prohibiting them from taking hold and causing some disease symptoms such as scouring.
There is plenty of research supporting CELMANAX™. In one study (J Anim Sci 2009 Vol. 87, Church & Dwight) calves supplemented with CELMANAX™ shed three times less crypto oocysts than those that were not. Calves also displayed improved faecal and dehydration scores. Another study found that calves fed milk replacer containing CELMANAX™ gained more bodyweight compared to calves that weren’t – displaying a 2kg bodyweight advantage at 41 days of age. Finally, CELMANAX™ has also been shown to reduce the incidence, severity and duration of cryptosporidiosis and BRD infections.
MORE GOOD STUFF...
ImunoGard® also contains Gardion® and butyrate. Gardion® is a synthesised additive derived from garlic. With antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties, it helps to enhance the function of the immune system and improve gut health. Butyrate meanwhile is a fantastic energy source for the gut. It works to stimulate digestive enzyme production, intestinal blood flow and proliferation of intestinal cells. Butyrate also has anti-inflammatory effects and helps to improve liver function via glycogen synthesis.
PROTEIN, WHEY AND IMUNOPRO®
The proteins that make up milk can be differentiated into casein and whey. It is the whey fraction that contains the beneficial nutrients that are so essential for calf health, growth and development – hence why colostrum contains three times more whey protein than whole milk.
Liquid whey however can be processed in many different ways. Whey powder contains 12.5-13% protein, which is less than half of the 35% protein that is in Imunopro®. In that regard Imunopro® is far closer to colostrum than your typical whey powder: providing more of the concentrated milk protein that is so fundamental for young calf programming and healthy growth.
IS IT RIGHT FOR YOUR FARMING BUSINESS?
ImunoGard® has numerous benefits for dairy farmers. It promotes healthy calf immune system development; it encourages healthy growth and it enables your calves to reach peak productivity. But how could it help your specific farming business? We have over 40 years’ experience of agricultural feed and feeding expertise. Get in touch and we would be happy to discuss the nuances of your setup and explore the specific benefits that ImunoGard® could bring you.
Published on: 22 December 2020
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