Cork farmer benefits from long-term use of Precision Microbes
Friday, 12 January 2024
Into its third year in the Irish market, Precision Microbes is a unique probiotic and postbiotic for calves. It has gone from strength to strength with Irish dairy farmers across the country seeing the benefits both as a treatment and also long term and
as a prevention solution.
Optimising a calf’s gut health supports immunity and ultimately better health and calf performance. Over the last 18 months, farmers and vets using Precision Microbes for calves have been advocating the long-term benefits.
Peter Hynes, a dairy farmer from Co. Cork, swears by using Precision Microbes for his Peidgree Holstein and Jersey cows.
Peter said: “Feeding Precision Microbes long-term from day one to weaning means we’re ahead of the game. It ticks so many boxes for us. We’ve seen calves remain healthier, higher growth rates, higher and weaning weights.
“We weighed calves at birth, again mid-way through their time on the milk feeder, and again at weaning, and we were seeing calves tripling birth weight. We were seeing a lot less of the vet, we’re not losing days performance and untimely less antibiotics on farm. It’s a key tool for nutritional digestive upsets,” he said.
Talk to your vet about Precision Microbes
A liquid dispenser is needed. Use the same dose rate of 30ml/day/calf. Precision Microbes is extremely palatable and mixes consistently through milk.
In 2022, Tara Kinsella observed a 115g/day difference in dairy to beef calves on Precision Microbes, versus the control group over eight weeks. Calves were fed 30ml daily from arrival to weaning over eight weeks, there were 10 treatments and 10 control calves.
In 2023, Sheena Tyrell observed +4.2kg difference in group calf performance over 13 weeks in calves treated with bovine perinatal mortality (PM) versus the control group.
18 calves were fed Precision Microbes daily from birth to weaning, compared to 18 of the control group.
Both studies are available to view here.
Optimising a calf’s gut health supports immunity and ultimately better health and calf performance. Over the last 18 months, farmers and vets using Precision Microbes for calves have been advocating the long-term benefits.
Peter Hynes, a dairy farmer from Co. Cork, swears by using Precision Microbes for his Peidgree Holstein and Jersey cows.
Peter said: “Feeding Precision Microbes long-term from day one to weaning means we’re ahead of the game. It ticks so many boxes for us. We’ve seen calves remain healthier, higher growth rates, higher and weaning weights.
“We weighed calves at birth, again mid-way through their time on the milk feeder, and again at weaning, and we were seeing calves tripling birth weight. We were seeing a lot less of the vet, we’re not losing days performance and untimely less antibiotics on farm. It’s a key tool for nutritional digestive upsets,” he said.
Talk to your vet about Precision Microbes
On-farm trials have shown that Precision Microbes can:
- Reduce sick calves and antibiotics;
- Aid in speed of recovery in calf scour;
- Improve calf performance and health;
- Reduce digestive upsets.
Long-term dosing of Precision Microbes
- Given from birth to weaning mixed through milk;
- From birth 30mls/day/calf;
- If digestive upsets, top-up 30mls daily extra for 4 days.
A liquid dispenser is needed. Use the same dose rate of 30ml/day/calf. Precision Microbes is extremely palatable and mixes consistently through milk.
On-farm trials: key findings
In 2021 and 2022, Precision Microbes carried out eight on-farm trials. Calves were placed into treatment and control groups on each farm.- Calves given Precision Microbes daily up to weaning all outperformed control groups across the eight farms. Calves were fed Precision Microbes 30ml/calf daily from birth to weaning on all trial farms.
- Average daily gain increases varied from 30-120g/day between treatment and control groups. The variation came from different feeding levels and disease pressures on different farms.
- The big gains have been seen on all trials in the last four-to-five weeks before weaning. Meaning for best results, continuing with Precision Microbes to weaning is the optimum approach.
- A significant reduction in digestive disturbances/diarrhoea was seen in Precision Microbes calves, with reductions of over 50% across all eight farm trials.
- Where digestive disturbances did occur, recovery time was faster and appetite in those calves was maintained.
- Across all eight farms, a reduction of treatments and antibiotic usage was observed in calves given Precision Microbes on long-term daily up to weaning.
Trials
Two independent trials were carried out by students in South East Technological University (SETU).In 2022, Tara Kinsella observed a 115g/day difference in dairy to beef calves on Precision Microbes, versus the control group over eight weeks. Calves were fed 30ml daily from arrival to weaning over eight weeks, there were 10 treatments and 10 control calves.
In 2023, Sheena Tyrell observed +4.2kg difference in group calf performance over 13 weeks in calves treated with bovine perinatal mortality (PM) versus the control group.
18 calves were fed Precision Microbes daily from birth to weaning, compared to 18 of the control group.
Both studies are available to view here.