Colder weather has begun to lay its annual claim on the land, and horses, especially those who live outdoors 24/7, are experiencing changing nutritional needs. Despite what many of us may think, and unlike their human counterparts, horses fare better in decreasing temperatures. In fact, our equine friends are most comfortable at temperatures between 18–59° Fahrenheit, depending on their winter coat, body condition and wind and/or moisture presence.

However, depending on the horse, the cold winter months may prescribe a need for dietary changes or supplementation not otherwise required in warmer weather. Hard keepers, senior horses and those with poor dentition, especially, can struggle to maintain a healthy body weight, while others may suffer from decreased thirst. All of these can equate to big problems for horse owners. Luckily, some seemingly minor nutritional changes can be beneficial for feeding horses in the winter, helping maintain weight, increase hydration and improve overall health.

Success starts with adequate roughage for horses

A mature horse at maintenance will consume 2–2.5% of their body weight in feed (both hay and grain) each day. At a minimum, horses must consume 1% of their body weight per day in good-quality forage to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

Some quick math will put this in a real-life perspective. The average 1,000-pound adult horse, on a day of normal weather conditions, will eat:

• Between 20–25 pounds of total feed
• A minimum of 10 pounds of hay/pasture (1.5–2% is preferred)

If you are feeding a diet that is solely forage, then you will need to estimate how much pasture your horse receives and how much additional hay you need to supply. Keep in mind that these ratios are likely to change in the winter when the ground is covered with snow, mud or other moisture, which is one reason why you may end up feeding more hay in the winter.

Additionally, increased energy will be spent to stay warm during the winter. Horses are better able to control body heat if suitable roughage is provided. The horse’s hindgut is a big fermentation center due to millions of bacteria, fungi and yeasts that reside there. As these good gut microbes ferment hay, they create heat as a side effect. This is just one reason why it is critical to promote gut health in horses.

Keep in mind that a horse’s need for heat (and therefore extra calories) will vary with the individual, depending on their:

• Age
• Breed
• Size
• Body condition
• Hair coat (has the horse been clipped?)
• Access to shelter
• Overall health status
• Geography and acclimation to cold weather

Observing your horse individually as the temperature drops is the best way to determine their needs. It is a good idea to consistently body condition score your horse throughout the winter and put your hands on the six key areas as winter coats can easily hide weight changes.

Also, remember: The horse has evolved over many centuries with much better systems (including a long winter coat) to keep warm than humans. Do not judge your horse’s circumstances or needs based on how you personally feel about the winter cold.

The lower critical temperature in horses

The lower critical temperature (LCT) is the temperature below which a horse requires additional energy to keep warm. In general, the estimated LCT is 41° Fahrenheit for horses with a summer coat and 18° Fahrenheit for horses with a winter coat.

The rule of thumb is that for each degree drop below the LCT, your horse requires a 1% increase in energy.

For example, if the temperature dropped to 0° Fahrenheit, a horse with a winter coat would require an 18% increase in feed. While some of this increase could come from grain concentrates, forage is the preferred source of increased energy due to its core-warming side effects that will help raise body temperature.

Improving water intake

The air temperature is not the only thing you need to consider. Drinking water should ideally fall between 45–65° Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, intake will decrease, thereby reducing water and lubrication in the gut and, in turn, increasing the risk of cold-weather colic. As a reference, mature horses weighing 1,000 pounds require a minimum of 10–12 gallons of water daily to serve just their basic physiological needs.

To help encourage drinking in cold temperatures:

• Consider purchasing a water trough heater or de-icer to keep drinking water at preferred temperatures
• Add salt or an electrolyte mix to your horse’s diet. Electrolytes are not just for hot weather but are involved in thousands of body functions to keep your horse healthy throughout the year 

Summary

In the wild, horses can move continuously, forage for food and water sources, and utilize thick, wooly coats and the warmth of the herd to survive in the winter months. Domesticated horses do not always have the same options. They are limited to the space, pasture mates and food we provide, and their hair coats often do not stand up to the elements, possibly requiring blanketing and/or appropriate shelter. It is our responsibility to ensure that their cold-weather needs are being adequately met to keep horses healthy and happy through every season.

I would like to learn more about horse health.

Inclusion cultivates creativity and drives innovation, and the future success of the agri-food industry requires diverse perspectives. Maria Arreaza, marketing manager at Alltech Latin America, joins the Ag Future podcast to discuss the barriers for women in the sector and how organizations can bring new ideas to the table by promoting workplace equity and inclusion.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Maria Arreaza hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Tom:             I'm Tom Martin, and with me is Maria Arreaza, Alltech marketing manager for Latin America, to talk about diversity, inclusion and connecting women from across the agri-food sector with mentors to champion their professional success. She joins us from Alltech Global Headquarters in Kentucky. Welcome, Maria.

Maria:            Thank you. Pleasure to be with you, Tom, and with your audience this morning.

Tom:             Well, let's begin, Maria, by having you tell us about your career journey within the agri-food industry.

Maria:            Sure. Well, I'm originally from Venezuela, and I graduated in business with a minor degree in marketing. I left school around 21 to 22 years old and started my career in my home country, Venezuela, outside the industry, in the tourism industry. One day, I just saw this advertisement from a company called Alltech, and (my) curiosity just sparked. I went through the interview and fell in love with the (company’s) purpose.

                      At that time, the company was telling me their vision, about the ACE principle, which is really developing solutions that are friendly for the animals, environment and the consumer. That was 20 years ago. I just clicked with the purpose and the fact that I could be joining a company — that I will be creating, through my work, an impact by feeding the world. That's how my connection to agriculture came to become a reality, came to place.

Tom:             Well, what would you say are the key opportunities and the key challenges facing diversity and inclusion in the agri-food industry at the moment? I guess we need to break that into two questions, and begin with the opportunities that you see.

Maria:            For me, (one of) the (greatest) opportunities right now is the interest of the new generation, who are learning more about how they can really make an impact and make a difference through their work and their daily actions. So, that gives agriculture an enormous opportunity because, like I said initially, we are ultimately feeling the work.

                     There are also concerns about the impact of agriculture in the environment, but from my point of view, the fact that you could show purpose, a clear purpose, in a name is a humongous opportunity to attract new talent — especially people who are really looking forward to having a direct impact in their communities through local restaurants, farming and so on and so forth.

Tom:             And the second part of that question: How about the challenges that are facing diversity and inclusion?

Maria:            At the same time, competition is high. Right now, all we hear about is the talent — it's like a battle for talent, right? During the global pandemic, many things shifted — the ways of working, the appreciation of talent, the use of skills in the workforce shifted completely. And I would say it's hard to get the right talent into place and keep coming to the industry, for all the greatest challenges, (including) going beyond the males and the traditional profiles that would apply for this type of job.

I mean, agriculture might not be the most sexy industry, to a degree. People really don't understand what it's about. When you talk about agriculture, you might think of farming and, you know, harvesting, but it goes beyond that. I believe — especially the people who are working in marketing and communications — we have in front of us a huge challenge of communicating what the industry is about, the real significance of the industry, and the impact that we have in the work (that we do).

Sure, it's hard. It's hard to get the right talent, because competition is high. At the same time, there is an opportunity for us to really showcase what agriculture is about. It's beyond what is advertised or stigmatized, to a degree. There are a lot of opportunities on using emerging technology in the industry to really completely reshape the landscape of the industry to create a better world. It may sound a little cliché, but I truly believe we are in the right place to do that.

Tom:             What would you say is the significance of inclusion and creating an equitable workforce in the agri-food industry?

Maria:            Well, for me, inclusion and diversity are key. My answer might be twofold. One, diversity and inclusion bring a diversity of ideas, which is super crucial to go beyond traditional solutions. When you are in front of a great challenge or facing a great challenge, you cannot tackle those challenges with the same level of understanding or the same mindset that you have (always had). That's when you need diversity of opinions (and) a healthy, complete debates of ideas so you can really incorporate the point of view and understand the point of view and have more empathy for the different perspectives. If you create your company or your business surrounded by people that think only like you, well, you're going to get just the same results. That will be, for me, the most important thing.

Tom:             Well, I guess this next question really goes to what you just said, but maybe we can expand on that, and that's how ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce helps address those challenges that you've mentioned that are facing agriculture.

Maria:            Well, like I mentioned initially, only having males and technical agriculture-backgrounded people in the industry is not going to help us to elevate the sector and to reshape the business, just because of the reasons I've mentioned previously. So, I would say that it's crucial that the company's businesses and managers are thinking about this every single time. It's not only bringing and attracting people from different backgrounds to our business; it's also making sure they're included in the important conversations.

                      I’d like to expand on that point. It’s one thing to hire people from different backgrounds; (it’s) another thing to make sure they’re represented at the table — they have a seat at the table and their voices are heard. You might have diversity, but you may not have inclusion. Inclusion is, to me, more crucial and more important, because it gives you the warranty that you are bulletproofing yourself against your own bias, your confirmation bias, and that you are considering different perspectives on your decision-making and on the things you want to do and create.

Tom:             So, the problem may remain the same, but by bringing various cultures to the table, you bring various perspectives on how to solve that problem to the table. Is that what you’re saying?

Maria:           Yes, that is exactly correct.

Tom:             So, what do you think are the implications of diversity for the next generation for attracting fresh talent?

Maria:            Well, I'd probably answer this question based on my experience as a mother and looking at my teenager and how she's interacting. Like, her friends are pretty much in the virtual world (and are) from all kinds of different backgrounds, different cities. I don’t know where they are, but they’re everywhere in this world, when they’re playing video games. So, by looking at her and seeing how she's making a connection and building relationships in a completely different way than I had when I grew up in Venezuela — (which was) just with the same people. You know, we look the same. We speak the same.

To me, the new generation, I’m hoping, are going to have a lot more flexibility and, perhaps, sensibility about differences. I’m hoping that the new generation is going to grow up thinking that diversity is the common state rather than the exception, Tom. I don't know if I'm explaining myself. For me, everybody who speaks in Spanish looks the same but came from different families. For my daughter, she will think this is funny. She has friends from everywhere around the world. She's getting exposure through the internet — and I'm talking about positive exposure and positive information — from all kinds of people and experiences around the world. To me, that has broadened her perspective. When she comes to the workplace — and I'm hoping she comes to agriculture, of course — she is going to come with a whole different mindset. She's going to come with expecting flexibility, expecting to be heard, expecting to be seeing these different colors and points of view.

So, I believe companies have to incorporate those artifacts in their communications, in their culture; showcase flexibility; showcase a diversity of opinions; showcase that there is a place for everybody in the company, more than — beyond backgrounds. You're creating a place where people can have the space and the freedom to voice out what they think and what they want to achieve.

Tom:             Well, you've been doing this for a while, Maria. I'm just wondering what changes you have seen over the course of your career in terms of diversity and inclusion.

Maria:           Yeah, that's a good question. Yeah, twenty years in the industry is a little bit of time. I would say that the most significant change I have observed so far is more women in the workforce in, maybe, nontraditional positions. I'm talking a little bit more about managerial and executive positions. It used to be mostly male; I remember, in 99% of the meetings, 99% of the time that I was attending a meeting, I was the only female, and the youngest. That’s shifted now. If I go to a meeting nowadays, you'll probably see three women in there — and one of them is the boss, not a man. So, it has been interesting to showcase that.

                     I also have observed — and I'm talking specifically about Latin America — succession in place, and daughters taking after their parents, (joining) the business, and really embracing the family business again, which is very, very, very good to see. In the past, the newer generation would have shown no interest in agriculture or in the family business. I have seen observed a little bit of the change. The most significant (change), I would say, (is that) I'm seeing more females in the industry in roles that are more managerial and with a little bit more power, to a degree, and influence. And I'm thrilled to see that happen.

Tom:             Do barriers to the inclusion of women in agriculture remain? And if so, what would you say are the most significant among them?

Maria:            I would say it will depend. For managerial roles, for departments like the one that I am (in), marketing, or for that type of job, the barriers that I see not only relate to agriculture but in any industry is providing more support systems to women. I'm talking about childcare, fixed wages, maternity leave or flexibility for female workers to care for their family while, at the same time, having a healthy contribution, healthy life and healthy work.

                      I believe a lot of improvements have been made, but still, there is pressure. And right now, a lot of — during the pandemic, a lot of female workers were really struggling. It is known that many resigned their positions because they have to decide between taking care of their families and taking care of their job. So, that, I would say, could be a barrier and, at the same time, an opportunity for companies to enable those systems, those support systems, that are going to be allowing women to work and feel like they're also taking care of their families and having a whole life.

Tom:             You know, Maria, this pandemic that we've been going through has been very revealing. It's pulled back the curtain on a number of things, among them something that's critical to what you're talking about there, and that is childcare. Do you feel that perhaps because of this understanding of the — or let me put it this way, a better, deeper understanding of the direct connection between workforce and childcare, because we understand that better now — do you think there might be, we might finally see some improvement on that front?

Maria:            I think so. I have experienced it myself, personally, in the sense that women, we tend not to ask for help. I personally hesitate many times to ask for help, but I have to ask, Tom. (During the pandemic) I said, “I don't have childcare for my daughters. I need a little bit of flexibility.” And the answer was, "Yes, we can accommodate you." I was kind of not surprised, I would say, by that, but it was a relief.

And I believe changes are coming. I believe there is a whole new opportunity for us to really understand what work means. The definition of work has changed completely. The definition is shifting, and it has changed completely as well. Work is not eight-to-five or nine-to-six. Work is just the impact you have when you sit down and have focus and accomplish what you're supposed to. To me, we came back to the sense of what purpose is, what clarity means, intentionality, why I'm doing things, what's the reason behind (it) and what I'm trying to accomplish. And when we really know, we have clarity of purpose. And when we put intentionality behind it, I believe our productivity increases and the quality of the work increases, and companies thrive and people thrive at the same time.

Tom:             I'd like to drill down into one thing that you've mentioned there, because (we’re) still making that connection between workforce and the availability of childcare, and ask you: What does quality, affordable, accessible childcare mean in terms of productivity? How does it translate into greater productivity?

Maria:           Well, from my personal experience as a mom, if I'm not worried about who's taking care of my children — are they getting the needs that they're supposed to? Are they being educated? Are they engaged? Are they not (being) exposed to the information that they shouldn’t be on the internet? — if I have all of these points checked, the one hour that I'm going to be working on whatever it is, that hour is 100% towards that and not worrying about anything else. If I have 100% of my brain capacity to dedicate, creativity, personally, flows. I'm not anxious about, “Oh my gosh, what's happening?” Because what ends up happening is you're not here or you're not there. You're not in the present moment. You feel bad because you're working and your family is alone, or if you're with your family, you feel like you're slacking because you're not working at your fullest potential. So, affordable childcare means, like, you are going to have the capacity to focus your energy on what you're supposed to be doing in that moment. I don't know if that answers your question.

Tom:             It does. So, let's say that an organization has taken care of childcare. They're providing great childcare or the flexibility that you need. What else can an organization do to promote inclusion and diversity within their organization or team?

Maria:           Yeah, that's a really good question. And I would say, in a lot of things, I have seen many companies that have really put a lot of effort on doing practical things. Like, from the hiring process, they're starting to write differently — and I'm talking about literally the wording for the job. If the job boards or the position they're advertising is well-known, depending on the language for certain roles, only certain people will apply.

So, that's one thing that companies can do. The other is making sure you're creating the services for cross-functionality and collaboration in the front-end products. Sometimes, even though we might — like I said several times — we might have diversity, we don't have inclusion, and a way to promote that is allowing those outside of the work project to be led by cross-functional teams from different areas, different departments and different backgrounds. That's the way that you, individually, can expand your network, your relationships, your understanding of different cultures, but also, the company can make sure that they're including everybody and the opinion of everybody's perspectives on different products. In other words, just because it's a marketing project, it doesn't mean that only the marketing department needs to work on it. If it is about the purpose of the company and we all are part of the company, why not invite all the departments? So, expand the collaboration through external stakeholders, customers, suppliers, NGOs and so on.

Collaboration is big. Nowadays, in agriculture, it's going to be crucial. We cannot achieve the purpose of feeding the world in a sustainable way without reaching out to others. One thing that I personally learned from the pandemic is I cannot do things alone. I need connection. I need connectivity. I need to feel included and be part of something bigger than myself. That's what makes me a human — and particularly and specifically, a happy human.

Tom:             All right. That's Maria Arreaza, Alltech marketing manager for Latin America. Thank you so much, Maria.

Maria:           Thank you, Tom. It's been a pleasure.

It is late winter, and the rodent problem in your barn is starting to get annoying, as the pests are breaking into feed bags and helping themselves to horse treats and cat food. You know that mice can carry diseases, some of which can be seriously harmful for humans.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mice and rats can directly or indirectly transmit over 20 diseases worldwide. Several of these — such as leptospirosis and salmonellosis — are contagious to horses as well. And what about the summertime moles and gophers in your pasture, which make a mess of things with their tell-tale piles of dirt?

Rodent control is one of the toughest issues to deal with on horse properties. These animals are small and stealthy and are primarily active after dark, when we can’t see them. So, how do you go about reducing the rodent population without resorting to lethal trapping methods or using chemicals that are deadly to other animals in the ecosystem, including dogs and barn cats?

Using barn cats as the primary means of rodent control is often not effective and comes with its own set of challenges. For one, horse barns have much to offer to rodents in terms of food, water and shelter, and due to rodents’ small size and rapid cycle of reproduction, cats may not be able to control the rodent populations on their own. Additionally, while cats are worthy additions to the barn, they are at a much higher risk for developing infectious diseases or acquiring parasites and require more health and veterinary care than we often realize.

All of the reasons outlined above explain why rodent control in barns should involve more than just our feline friends.

Enter nature’s mousetrap: the barn owl!

Barn owls are perfectly suited for horse properties, as they hunt in open meadows and grasslands. These creatures of the night have excellent low-light vision; they fly silently; they are equipped with sharp beaks and powerful talons; and their hearing is extraordinary — all of which makes them death on wings for gophers, rats and mice. A family of barn owls will consume about 2,000 mice and/or other rodents in just a few months. The good news for you is that all this method of rodent control requires on your end is the installation of a simple barn owl nest box — and creating the right habitat for their prey.

Barn owls need rough grassland to thrive, because that’s where voles, shews, field mice and other small rodents live. An overgrazed pasture, a lawn or even monoculture croplands won’t provide the diverse habitat that rodents like. Rodents — and, therefore, barn owls — favor well-established, tall grasslands (think prairies or meadows), perhaps with brush piles or hedgerows nearby.

Barn owls are secondary cavity dwellers, which means they live in holes that somebody else has already created — for example, a hole pecked by a woodpecker in an old tree or the dark rafters inside a quiet barn. We can take advantage of this habitat preference, as it means that these creatures will adapt well to barn owl nest boxes, which can be purchased or made.

Place your barn owl nest box in a quiet location, preferably 10 to 20 feet off the ground. Position the opening away from direct sunlight and prevailing winds. Nest boxes can be hung inside unused barns, on the outside of farm buildings or in trees. If the boxes are mounted on a wooden pole, consider utilizing a baffle, which will help keep cats, raccoons or other predators from reaching it. Many barn owls will reuse the same nest box year after year. It is best to hang nest boxes by January or February, as barn owls begin nesting in late February.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find an easier rodent control method than the nest box. Once you install your barn owl nest box, nature will do the rest. Additionally, barn owls are not likely to be aggressive toward people, nor will they attack pets or livestock.

Barn owls are common on every continent in the world (except for Antarctica), so no matter where you are, your horse property can benefit from having a barn owl working to your advantage. And not only will the presence of barn owls make a dent in your rodent population, but their tawny colors are beautiful to see at dusk, and their bone-chilling, screechy cry is thrilling to hear at night.

In addition to setting up barn owl habitats, consider implementing these other natural rodent control methods:

• Keep your barn clean, well-lit and dry.
• Store feed in tightly sealed metal trash bins.
• Store blankets, wraps and saddle pads in completely sealed rooms to minimize access to nesting materials.

Remember: Rodent control is a year-long management practice. Follow these steps to help ensure that your barn remains rodent-free through every season.  

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.

Calving season is gametime for a cow herd, and producers want to make sure that their cows are in peak condition prior to kick-off. The best way to measure the condition of your cow herd is by utilizing body condition scores (BCS). As the name suggests, a BCS is an estimate of a cow’s condition or the amount of fat they are carrying.

The amount of fat — and its placement — determines BCS.

Body condition scoring is an easy and effective tool for producers to use, but a familiarity with the fat deposition and skeletal structure of cattle is required to properly determine BCS. The key areas used to evaluate the degree of body fat on cattle are the ribs, brisket, hooks, pins and tailhead. Typically, for beef cattle, a scale of 1 to 9 is used to indicate BCS, with 1 being emaciated, with all of the cow’s ribs and bones easily visible, and 9 being obese.

• Thin cows have a BCS of 1 to 3
• Moderate-condition cows have a BCS of 4 to 6
• Fat cows have a BCS of 7 to 9

The ideal BCS for mature range beef cows at calving is a score of 5, and for calving heifers, an ideal BCS would be a 6. This difference in BCS at calving is because heifers are still growing and have a higher nutrient requirement for growth compared to mature cows.

Evaluate BCS prior to calving and breeding.

Timing is important when evaluating body condition scores. Producers should aim to evaluate BCS prior to the calving and breeding seasons. Suggested evaluation timepoints include 90 days prior to calving, breeding and the start of the winter season. This will give the producer enough time to try to improve BCS if cows aren’t hitting their target prior to breeding and late gestation.

Body condition scores can be used as a nutritional management tool. For instance, depending on a producer’s facilities, cows can be sorted into groups using BCS. Cows that meet or have above-target BCS scores need no special nutritional intervention and can maintain condition on quality range pasture. Cows with low body condition scores or replacement heifers could be supplemented with additional nutrients to improve or maintain their body condition during calving and breeding.

Another good time to evaluate BCS is heading into winter grazing. Cows that are thin at the start of winter grazing will require supplemental feed just to maintain their body condition, as energy requirements increase up to 40% during the winter. Additionally, trying to improve BCS during the winter is going to cost 20–30% more than during the fall.

 A poor BCS can negatively affect a cow’s calf.

The productivity of a cow herd depends on keeping them within the producer’s ideal BCS. It is well-established that a poor BCS can have detrimental effects on a cow’s reproduction. Thin cows take longer to come into heat and, therefore, only have one chance at rebreeding. Over-conditioned or fat cows can also negatively impact reproduction rates. However, a poor BCS can also affect the overall health and performance of a dam’s calf.

The relationship between cow BCS and calf performance is based on the energy requirements of the cow. To maintain an ideal BCS, cows must have enough energy to support all of their bodily energy requirements. When a cow’s energy requirements are not met by her diet, then she must use the energy stored in her body as fat. The more stored energy she uses, the further she moves down the BCS scale.

There is a priority use for energy for bodily functions, as outlined below:   

Priority energy use by cows (adapted from Short et al., 1990)

1. Basal metabolism
2. Grazing and other physical activities
3. Growth
4. Supporting basic energy reserves
5. Maintaining an existing pregnancy
6. Milk production
7. Adding to energy reserves
8. Estrous cycling and initiating pregnancy
9. Storing excess energy (i.e., fat deposition)

This hierarchy shows that maintaining pregnancy (i.e., gestation), milk production and reproduction are all lower on the list of energy-use priorities. This illustrates the importance of cows consuming enough energy from their diet to meet their maintenance requirements before energy can be used for pregnancy and milk production.

A cow’s BCS affects her reproductive ability, too.

Evaluating BCS at 90 days prior to calving — when cows are about to enter late gestation — is critical, as this is a moment in time that could impact the future growth and performance of her calf. Seventy- five percent of calf growth occurs during the last 60 days of gestation, meaning that the cow’s energy requirements are going to be higher for the last 60 days of her pregnancy. If cows are thin going into the third trimester of pregnancy, then there could be reduced calf growth due to a lack of energy available for supporting the pregnancy.

Smaller calves are more prone to sickness after birth. Weaning weights have also been shown to be lighter when cows have a poor body condition. Until weaning, milk is the major energy and nutrient source for calves. If cows are in poor body condition, they lack the energy necessary to produce the quality milk needed for calf growth.

Research has shown that herds that maintain cows with the ideal BCS ranges (5–7) have better calving and weaning percentages, which are a measure of the herd’s overall reproductive and production efficiency. Thin cows are going to have a harder time maintaining pregnancies and growing calves. A poor BCS leads to fewer pregnancies, fewer calves weaned and calves weaned at a lower weight, which leads to lower overall returns.  

Body condition scoring helps evaluate the nutritional status of the cow herd.

Producers should routinely check the body condition scores of their herds to continually monitor the condition and nutritional status of the cows. If a large portion of the cow herd has a low body condition score, the herd nutrition should be evaluated to make sure that their energy and protein requirements are being met. A prolonged poor BCS can have a harmful impact on production outcomes, which can also negatively impact the economic returns of an operation. Evaluating BCS to determine not only the herd’s reproduction readiness scores but also its nutritional status is an opportunity to positively impact calf performance.

Short, R. E., R. A. Bellows, R. B. Staigmiller, J. G. Berardinelli, and E. E. Custer. 1990. Physiological mechanisms controlling anestrus and infertility in postpartum beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 68:799-816.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

Fall is a perfect time to make chore-efficient updates to your horse farm equipment and property. The weather is cool enough for hard work and the timing is good, allowing you to accomplish key tasks that will help you ease into and thrive through the coming winter months, when horse keeping is most challenging. Here is a fall to-do list to get you started:

1. Review your lighting needs.

During the winter, horse owners often have no choice but to feed both the morning and evening meals in the dark. As such, having indoor as well as outdoor lighting will help immensely with chore efficiency. Make sure you have enough light to weigh your hay and to ensure that you’re feeding quality hay that is mold-free and green. Cleaning paddocks and staying mud-free will be easier if there’s outdoor lighting so you can see the manure. Additionally, providing solar lighting along walkways or drives will help make nighttime travels safer. Prepare the proper lighting now, instead of waiting until the temperatures are freezing and you have to feed by flashlight, set up lighting in frozen ground or hang outside lights in sub-zero temperatures.

2. Consider your winter equipment needs.

The simple items are often the most beneficial — for example, a headlamp that frees up your hands for outside evening chores, like filling stock water tanks, or is handy in case of power outages. If winter storms are likely in your region, make sure you have fuel for your generators and cook stoves and batteries for your lanterns on hand. Manure carts that can push through snow (thanks to their higher clearance and wider tires), along with a sturdy manure fork, might also be useful. We like to keep a metal pitchfork and flat metal shovel on hand in case we need to chip away at frozen manure piles for removal.

3. Set up a water supply that won’t freeze or get ice-cold during winter weather events.

A horse drinks 8 to 12 gallons of water per day and prefers water temperatures of around 45 to 65 degrees. Horses drink less when the water is ice-cold, and research shows that they cannot get adequately hydrated by solely eating snow. Inadequate water intake can lead to colic, so make sure your horses are drinking enough. On very cold days, plan to break the ice twice daily — or consider getting a tank heater, a plug-in heated stall bucket or a heated muck bucket for the water.

4. Develop a back-up plan for watering your horses.

If you are concerned that you might lose power to your private well and/or you live in an area that often loses power you should have a back-up plan. Water can be stored in rain barrels or garbage cans. Emergency officials generally recommend keeping a three-day supply of water on hand, which translates to a minimum of 30 gallons of water per horse.

5. Check your turnout blankets.

Look for rips or other needed mending or washing so they will be ready for use when you need them. Blanketing horses appropriately in the winter is key for their ability to maintain body heat during cold weather.

6. Consider your own wintertime, water-proof clothing needs.

This is a fundamental but often overlooked step. As a horse owner, if there’s an emergency, you are likely to be working with horses in inclement weather for an undetermined amount of time. Invest in a good, waterproof jacket, insulated mud boots and insulated, waterproof gloves. These items will go a long way toward helping you stay ahead of your winter chores and will also be crucial if there’s a winter emergency. You are no good to your horses if you become hypothermic and have a medical emergency yourself.

7. Flood-proof your property.

If you live in a flood-prone area (e.g., near a creek, river or wetlands), it is good to review the high-water locations on your property. If it is difficult to visualize or determine where they are, get help from your county or your local conservation district. Acquaint yourself with the historic high-water locations recorded for your property. If you live in an extremely flood-prone area, it may be wise to consider building a “critter pad.” A critter pad is a large mound or small hill that’s built above flood level and is used to keep animals out of water. Critter pads usually require special permitting and must be specifically engineered using the approved fill material to ensure that they can stand up to high traffic, heavy rains and high volumes of water – and, of course, that they will remain above flood levels. In some cases, there may be funding or technical assistance available to help with the development of a critter pad. Contact your local conservation district, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for more assistance.

8. Check your gutters and downspouts.

Now is the time to clean and make needed repairs or additions to your roof runoff system. Doing this will benefit you and your horse by reducing the amount of mud your horse will have to stand in during the winter. It will also make chore time easier. “Keep clean rainwater clean,” as they say, by diverting rainwater away from your paddocks and high-traffic areas to a location where it won’t get muddy. Some good choices include grassy swales, dry wells, rain barrels, stock watering tanks, well-vegetated woods or an unused portion of your pasture.

9. Determine if you need footing for any of your confinement areas.

These areas get a lot of heavy use during winter and can often benefit from being bolstered with additional footing material. Footing — usually coarse-washed sand or crushed rock (no larger than 1 inch) — is generally the best choice and is also the easiest to clear of manure. Having 3 to 6 inches of footing material for horses to stand on will help with drainage and mud management and will also help eliminate erosion.

Taking these steps this fall will not only make your life easier come winter, but it will also contribute to your horse’s health all year long.

Read more tips and ideas on winter preparedness and nature-based solutions for horse property management at Horses for Clean Water.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.

From June 2022, a zinc oxide ban, prohibiting the use of therapeutic doses of zinc oxide (ZnO) in animal feeds to control post-weaning diarrhea in piglets will come into effect in the European Union (EU). Although ZnO can still be used as a feed additive after this date, it will only be allowed at the maximum permitted dose rate of 150 ppm total dietary zinc. Before we discuss why all EU pig producers need to be ready to rear their pigs without pharmacological levels of ZnO by 2022, it is important to understand why the use of high levels of ZnO in swine nutritional diets has increased dramatically across the globe in recent years.  

Where it all began

At weaning, piglets are subject to a multitude of stress factors over a very short period that contribute to gastrointestinal tract and immune system disturbances. These factors can be:

1. Nutritional: Abrupt dietary change from sow milk to a dry, pelleted, predominantly vegetable-based diet formulation.

2. Environmental: Moving to new nursery accommodation with different housing conditions.

3. Health-based: Loss of passive immunity from the sow.

4. Physiological: Abrupt maternal separation, being handled and transported and mixing with unfamiliar pigs from other litters.

Because the pigs are under such stress, the early post-weaning period is typically characterized by poor growth performance (e.g., reduced feed intake) and increased susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhea.

Traditionally, pig producers relied heavily on antibiotic growth promoters in pre-starter and starter feeds to control pathogenic infections (mainly caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli) and improve pig growth performance in the first few weeks after weaning. This was common practice until various governmental bodies banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters, such as the European Parliament in 2003, due to growing concerns over increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The continual spread of AMR has dangerous consequences for not only animal but also human health.

Following this ban, pig producers had to seek alternatives to maintain optimal gut health and to reduce this post-weaning performance drop. As a result, the use of high levels of ZnO in piglet feeds (2,000 ppm or higher) became more widespread and was seen as common practice in the swine industry. It was shown to be an effective and relatively inexpensive tool for preventing and controlling post-weaning diarrhea, with subsequent improvements in piglet growth performance, feed intake and digestion. Although the precise mode of action of ZnO against post-weaning diarrhea in weaned piglets is not yet fully understood, it is believed to be related to a significant improvement in both intestinal morphology (i.e., improved structure and function) and nutrient digestion and absorption. 

Why ban pharmacological levels of ZnO?

Though there are several benefits of using ZnO in piglet feeds (preventing post-weaning diarrhea, maintaining health and performance, etc.), recent reports have highlighted its environmental impact, and we became aware of its contribution to the spread of AMR. It is, therefore, not surprising that regulations around its use are changing and why the EU decided to ban the use of pharmacological levels of ZnO in June 2022. However, it is not all bad news for the European pig industry, as there are several potential benefits to the upcoming ban on ZnO. Some of these benefits are:  

1. Reduced environmental pollution

As previously mentioned, there are environmental concerns over the continued use of high levels of ZnO. This is primarily because zinc accumulates in soil after zinc-rich pig manure is applied to the land as an organic fertilizer. These high levels of zinc in the soil and surface water are deemed an environmental pollutant and health risk and may also impact the absorption of other trace elements, such as iron.

2. Preventing antimicrobial resistance

Recent studies and reports have demonstrated ZnO’s contribution to the increase of AMR, as high levels of ZnO may increase the proportion of multi-drug-resistant E. coli in the intestines of piglets.

3. Avoiding zinc toxicity

Zinc remains a heavy metal and is, therefore, toxic to many living organisms, including pigs. Studies show that prolonged use of pharmacological levels of ZnO may negatively affect piglet health and performance, as demonstrated by a marked decrease in feed intake. 

4. Preventing nutritional interactions

High levels of ZnO can have a negative effect on phytase activity (an enzyme that is included in piglet feeds to enhance digestion), whereby the phosphorous cannot be released from phytase due to the formation of a complex of zinc with P-phytate. When ZnO is removed from piglet feeds, it should have a positive effect on phytase efficiency.

5. Avoiding changes to gut microbial composition

The use of pharmacological doses of ZnO may also cause changes to the gut microbial composition of piglets during the early post-weaning period by suppressing the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacilli. Such changes may negatively affect intestinal development and health in young piglets.

What is in store for pig-producing countries outside the EU?

Canada: Until recently, ZnO was typically included in piglet feeds at 2,500–5,000 ppm in Canada. However, Canada is now in the midst of imposing similar restrictions to that of the EU, which will see the level of ZnO allowed in piglet feeds reduced down to nutritional levels of 350 ppm.

China: The use of high levels of ZnO also came under scrutiny in China, and, as a result, China has drastically reduced its level of authorized dietary zinc supplementation, going from 2,250 ppm to 1,600 ppm in 2018.

United States and some Asian countries: It is very likely that the United States and some Asian countries will also implement similar restrictions on the use of pharmacological levels of ZnO in piglet diets in the near future. Although there are no restrictions currently in place in these regions, it is vital that swine producers avoid over use and start the process of working towards ZnO alternatives so that they are prepared when a ban inevitably comes into effect.

Until recently, ZnO represented one of the vital nutritional strategies for preventing and controlling diarrhea in young piglets and the associated detrimental post-weaning ‘growth check.’ However, increasing concerns over environmental pollution and contributions to the spread of AMR have led to an EU ban on the use of high levels of ZnO in piglet diets. Adopting a holistic strategy that encompasses optimal nutrition, management, biosecurity, health and welfare practices will be key to ensuring that pigs can thrive and survive in a post-ZnO era.     

Learn how the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed solution can help you remove ZnO from your piglet diets, and start the conversation about how you can begin transitioning to ZnO-free piglet production by contacting the Alltech Gut Health Management team today.

This is part 1 of a 3-part series

*References available upon request

I want to learn more about nutrition for my pig herd.

The receiving period can be a stressful time for cattle. Recently, during the Alltech ONE Ideas Conference, Dr. Carlo Sgoifo Rossi gave a presentation titled “Receiving With Ease: Minimizing Stress During the Adaptation Phase.” Dr. Sgoifo Rossi is currently an associate professor in the department of veterinary science and technology for food safety at the State University of Milan. Utilizing his perspective and knowledge of the European beef production system, Dr. Sgoifo Rossi shared some information about the various considerations related to stress and adaptation that producers should keep in mind when implementing feeding programs and management practices.

When cattle are undergoing a transition like weaning and receiving, they experience stressors, including:

• Transportation
• Interactions with other cattle
• Interactions with humans
• Changes in nutrition

These stressors can have a major impact on cattle and can lead to such issues as changes in their immunodeficiency, reduced rumen motility, altered nutrient absorption, increased nutrient requirements and an upsurge of mineral excretion by the kidneys.

Receiving stress can lead to BRD

Regarding immune function, one common but highly concerning issue is bovine respiratory disease (BRD), which can strongly affect the performance of cattle. As illustrated in Figure 1, cattle who arrive and are treated for BRD can exhibit a decrease in average daily gains. It is also important to understand that animals who experience BRD often produce meat with lower marbling and quality grades. Considering all of these factors, mitigating BRD is important not only for the animal’s quality of life but for the producer’s bottom line and the consumer’s satisfaction.

Appropriate sanitary conditions make a difference

While the health of newly arriving animals is impacted by their location of origin, it is also greatly affected by the sanitation and management of the receiving location. According to Dr. Sgoifo Rossi, “The type of vaccination, the type of antibiotics used (and) the type of anti-parasitic product can affect the sanitary conditions of our animals.” Dr. Sgoifo Rossi encouraged producers to approach sanitation with an understanding of their specific herd and facilities and posited that, for some beef production systems, the strategy of going “all-in and all-out with cleaning and disinfection” is the best approach.

Nutrition is critical in the cattle business

When talking about management, we must be sure to properly feed and rehydrate the cattle upon arrival. Ensuring that clean drinking water is readily available and being conscious of the arrival diet are both crucial. Feeding the arrival diets in small amounts multiple times a day is recommended, as this will reduce competition among the animals, giving each of them an opportunity to receive adequate amounts of protein and energy. Arriving cattle can sometimes be considered high risk, making this a critical period for helping them recover properly and get back to normal rumen functionality.

Studies have shown that the appropriate arrival diet should have a crude protein and dry matter composition of less than 13%.

“Several studies show that if we improve the crude protein level of adaptation diets or the energy level of adaptation diets, we increase not only the incidence of morbidity but also the severity of morbidity and, consequently, the risk of mortality,” Dr. Sgoifo Rossi said.

Additionally, with the arrival diet typically being richer in forage and higher in fiber, reducing the chop length of the fiber will also reduce the likelihood that animals will sort through the ration. This is important, because sorting can cause cattle to eat too much starch or protein, which can lead to fluctuations in the pH level.

Consider all of the nutritional needs of arriving cattle

Unsurprisingly, it is also important to consider the nutrients available in the arrival diet. Providing new-arrival animals with the proper nutrients will improve their immunity, digestibility, and energy and protein balances.

To recover rumen and immune system functionality in newly arrived cattle, it is important to consider diets that include the following:

• High levels of digestible fiber
• Yeast
• Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS)
• Slow-release nitrogen
• Vitamins
• Minerals

As mentioned previously, the arrival period is so critical for getting cattle right. Vitamins, minerals and other supplements can help improve their feed and can be fundamental in helping these cattle adapt to their new home. In his presentation, Dr. Sgoifo Rossi mentioned that studies have shown that organic zinc and selenium, live yeast and mannan oligosaccharides can be huge players in the reduction of morbidity and mortality in these potentially high-risk cattle.

Too often, producers and nutritionists underestimate the importance of these ingredients, leading to negative results. Dr. Sgoifo Rossi shared a study completed in Italy that examined the mineral status and mineral plasma levels of cattle after arrival. This trial focused on the evaluation of various mineral levels in the blood immediately after arrival. As shown in Figure 2, 83% of new-arrival beef cattle were in a deficient or sub-deficient condition regarding their copper availability, and 30% displayed deficient or sub-deficient zinc availability and reserves.

Weather can be a stressor

Weather can play a significant role in cattle stress, and more thoughtful management practices should be implemented with the weather in mind. Spring, summer and fall are less of a concern when it comes to sanitation management, but winter is a critical period for sanitation. Producers often forget to consider the relationship between temperature and humidity during the winter and how it can lead to cold stress. This can create a potentially dangerous environment for cattle and can result in increased incidences and more severe cases of BVD. As shown in Figure 3, low-temperature, high-humidity environments can create a risk area where sanitation conditions are an issue, leading to a slower adaptation for arriving animals.

As previously mentioned, there are challenges leading up to and during the receiving period that can result in the highest risks of morbidity and mortality. Implementing the proper sanitation and vaccination protocols, providing sick animals with antibiotics, being proactive about their nutrition, and understanding which management practices to use based on the origin of your cattle, as well as their transportation details and the time of year, are all effective ways to mitigate any potential challenges associated with receiving cattle.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

Feed is expensive — especially the grains that serve as the major energy source in most finishing rations for beef cattle. With this expense on the rise, nutritionists work hard to make sure that their feedlot rations for beef cattle are high-quality feeds that support weight gain and feed conversion efficiency. 

Energy is a key element to consider when developing a feed to promote weight gain in beef cattle. Both grains and forages contain energy that is useful when finishing beef cattle. Grains are considered high-energy feeds because the energy in grains comes largely from starch. Starch is composed of glucose chains, which can easily be broken down by rumen microorganisms. The structural components of forage — such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin — surround the nutrients with complex linkages. Rumen microbes can’t always break these linkages, however, limiting the availability of energy in the forage. This is particularly true for feedlot cattle, as the ruminal pH of feedlot cattle is less than optimal for fibrolytic microorganisms, resulting in reduced fiber digestion.

When thinking of these structural components, imagine them as locks protecting the energy and nutrients in feedstuffs. Enzymes — which are either endogenous, from the microbial population, or the exogenous enzymes in feed additives — can break apart these protective structural components, unlocking both the potential of feeds and the potential of the cattle being fed.

Enzymes can make a difference in finishing cattle

The scientific literature shows inconsistent results for enzyme use in beef cattle diets. However, this is likely due to the wide variety of enzymes that have been tested, the vast array of feedstuffs that have been used in experimental diets, and the kind of data that has been recorded. For example, cattle grazing cool-season versus tropical grasses have different enzymatic needs, because those grasses have different chemical compositions. The same goes for cattle consuming corn silage versus barley-based finishing diets. This is especially true in diets that utilize byproducts, as the most easily accessible nutrients have generally already been extracted by the initial industry that processed the material.

• Starch-based diets: Corn, barley
• Forage-based diets: Corn silage, barley silage, hay and grasses
• Byproducts in diets: Corn gluten meal, distillers grains, cottonseed hulls, etc.

The rumen is a complex, enzyme-rich environment. The microbes of the rumen can break down most components of foods — but the extent and speed of this breakdown is often a limiting factor for nutrient release. A common question when discussing rumen efficiency is: Can a small enzyme addition really make a change in rumen function and feed digestion?

For an enzyme to be effective, several factors need to be met:

• It must fill a gap in feed digestion not met by the existing microbiota.
• The type of linkage it opens must be present in the feed.
• The enzyme needs to be stable in stored and mixed feed.
• The enzyme must be active at rumen temperature and pH.
• It must be able to survive in the feed.

Returning to the lock-and-key metaphor about enzymes, any enzyme added to a diet must fit the “locks” on the components of that diet.

How do you measure enzyme efficacy in finishing cattle?

Measuring the effects and value of enzymes can be tricky. Often, researchers expect an increase in the rate or extent of digestion for a particular diet component — and sometimes, they are right. Other times, however, the enzyme acts in an unanticipated way, such as changing the rate of passage to promote feed intake, shifting the metabolites available to microbes in the rumen, or even affecting downstream metabolic processes. If researchers are not measuring these actions, they may conclude that the enzyme had no effect, when in reality, they were simply looking in the wrong direction and missed the action of the enzyme. As such, in enzyme research, it is important to look beyond intake, weight gain and feed conversion and to measure a wide range of parameters to fully capture the effects and mechanisms of a given enzyme. 

Outside of the scientific realm, it’s important to recognize what you expect an enzyme to do when it is added to the diet. Here are a few common reasons for utilizing enzymes:

• By incorporating enzymes into your finishing rations for beef cattle, you may be able to utilize lower-cost ingredients in the diet while still experiencing equal performance.
• Enzymes can help improve feed efficiency in feedlot cattle without making any other changes to the diet.
• Getting more pounds on your animals can be possible with enzymes. Certain enzymes can support superior carcass weight. More pounds per day = more dollars.
• Some enzymes reduce digesta viscosity, which can contribute to better post-ruminal nutrient absorption and support digestive health. Get the most out of your rations.

Look at your cattle’s diet and your goals for your operation. Could enzymes help you reach those goals?

There are enzyme options available — just know your goals

Most research on cattle focuses on tweaking existing procedures, feeding plans, etc. Researching enzymes takes years of trial and error, on both the benchtop and in the animal, to find effective, cost-efficient, scalable options. This type of research is slow but generates the knowledge that can lead to new insights and technologies that allow us to maximize feed efficiency in feedlot cattle. New enzymes are popping up regularly. If you choose to utilize these additives in your feedlot rations, be sure that they are effective on the ration ingredients you use and will provide the results you want in your operation. Consult with your nutritionist or an Alltech representative below to learn more about how enzymes can work in your operation.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

While your average person is still snuggled underneath their blankets in the early morning, Corne VanDenAkker can be found in his barn, tending to the task of milking his herd of cows. There, he reflects on his relationship with farming, which is rooted in a tradition going back almost forty years, beginning when his family made the move from their homeland in Holland to their current homestead in Canada. Upon making the choice to continue this farming tradition, VanDenAkker began farming full-time on his own land and tending his herd after earning a degree from the University of Guelph. Since then, he has grown his herd to over 100 head, added milking robots to modernize his operation, and is continuously seeking how to become a better, more efficient and sustainable farmer.

Through his years of experience, VanDenAkker knows the importance of being cognizant of what goes into his dairy cows in terms of what they eat and the balance of nutrients required to maintain his herd health and optimal milk production. However, he was unsure if he would be able to support his herd with the yields from his own fields. 

Everything we grow goes into our cows

“Everything we grow goes into our cows,” VanDenAkker noted when discussing the 250 acres of corn that is farmed and destined for his own silage. “I didn’t know if I could feed them enough to support the milk.”

VanDenAkker has long used Alltech products such as Yea-Sacc and Optigen in his livestock feed, and five years ago, he was introduced to Grain-Set, an Alltech Crop Science product geared toward grain crops. He began applying it on 40 of his silage corn acres, and over the years since, he has seen consistent results at every harvest. 

“Year after year, we are seeing improved cob fill and an increase in the number of bushels we are getting from those fields when compared to the untreated area,” VanDerAkken said, adding that his average increase is more than 10 bushels per acre.

This crop yield increase is formidable, but the data that really impressed VanDenAkker came after he began feeding his Grain-Set-treated corn silage to his cows. 

“They increased their milk production when we switched,” he said. “I saw a trend in the increase but couldn’t be sure (that it was totally related to Grain-Set).” 

Backed by Science

VanDenAkker’s curiosity about the results prompted him to dig deeper into what he was seeing, and he decided to send samples of both his treated and untreated corn silage for analytical testing. The results spoke for themselves: The Alltech Crop Science-treated corn silage showed a 5.8% increase in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility. This meant that the dairy cows were getting more energy and taking in more nutrients from the feed, allowing them to not only increase their milk production but to also have more balanced rumen health. These improvements help increase farmers’ profitability and make their systems more efficient.       

What is the science behind these results? Simply put: nutrigenomics. Gene expression helps corn silage crops better withstand environmentally stressful conditions, like drought or overly wet soils, and both biotic and abiotic stress. The plants respond by inducing their own resistance to these stressors and improving their own performance.  

Based on these results, VanDenAkker is enthusiastic about his plans to continue using Grain-Set on his silage corn. When asked about the difference he has seen in his cows, VanDenAkker smiled pragmatically and said, “I feed the cows myself, and I can see the results for myself. They are eating better and getting what they need from the feed. I always had good cows, but they are very decent now.”

What is Grain-Set?

Grain-Set is a unique blend of micronutrients and fermentation products and is specifically formulated for cereal, grain, forage and oil crop production.

• Provides nutrients essential for plant metabolic processes
• Increases grain weight and yield
• Optimizes crop uniformity
• Improves grain fill and quality
• OMRI-listed for use in organic production

Have a question? Contact us!

At this point, most of us know that the gut microbiome is an important component of overall health. With estimates asserting that mammals contain around 10 times more bacteria than cells in their bodies — and 1,000 more microbial genes — the importance of a healthy gut cannot be overstated.

While many of us have heard about prebiotics and probiotics for dogs and cats, the new term on the block is “synbiotics,” which are simply an effective and beneficial combination of pro- and prebiotics for cats and dogs. Current research shows that the right combination product could be a game changer in pet food diets.

How do prebiotics and probiotics for dogs and cats work together?

Here’s a quick refresher:

• Probiotics are consumable live microorganisms that have beneficial effects when fed in the appropriate concentrations.
• Prebiotics are fiber or fermented ingredients that pass through the GI tract undigested and positively influence the microbes in the gut.

In simple terms, probiotics are good bacteria, and prebiotics help feed those good gut bugs.

Synbiotics were created as specific combinations of pro- and prebiotics that work well together. Basically, synbiotics are selective strains of bacteria with specific prebiotics that best support those microbes.

Once in the body, synbiotics can act in various ways to support health.

What do prebiotics do in the body?

Upon being ingested, prebiotics pass through the animal’s stomach and small intestine without being broken down by hydrochloric acid or digestive enzymes. Once they reach the large intestine, prebiotics get to work as the “fuel” for the good bacteria in the gut.

Prebiotics work together with probiotics to maintain a delicate balance and diversity of organisms in the GI tract. As probiotics are fueled, the body reaps more benefits.

Additionally, as prebiotics are fermented and used by probiotics, short-chain fatty acids — such as butyrate and other postbiotics — are generated. These postbiotics are used by the cells of the GI tract as a nutrient source, which further contributes to a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

What do probiotics do in the body?

Different probiotic strains have different mechanisms of action in pets. Some examples of how probiotics can influence health include:

• Competing with and displacing bad bacteria in the GI tract by attaching to the intestinal lining
• Producing antimicrobial substances like fatty acids
• Inactivating toxins
• Up-regulating the production of beneficial metabolites
• Enhancing immune system function
• Supporting the integrity of intestinal epithelial cells

While many strains of probiotics are used in dogs and cats, some of the more common and widely researched include Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium spp. animalis.

Multiple studies have shown that the gut bacteria composition of dogs experiencing digestive diseases, such as chronic diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease, is altered compared to the gut bacteria of healthy dogs, which suggests that probiotics for dogs with diarrhea and other dysbiosis-inducing conditions may be one solution for better health.

What benefits do synbiotics provide?

As stated above, the whole point of synbiotics is to create one combination product that provides a net benefit for the animal based on synergistic pre- and probiotics.

Research trials involving pre- and probiotics for cats and dogs that study the most effective mixture of strains are limited, and the results of the trials that have been conducted vary greatly due to the myriad ways to test changes in the gut microbiome, as well as the different concentrations of beneficial bacteria and fiber being offered and the timing of administration with respect to other foodstuffs or medications. That being said, let’s look at what we do know.

One study in healthy, trained sled dogs found that a synbiotic that included E. faecium, Bacillus coagulans, L. acidophilus, and multiple prebiotics and vitamins led to an increase in Lactobacillaceae bacteria and the concentration of butyrate, as well as a decrease in diarrhea. In cats with chronic diarrhea, administration of a proprietary synbiotic blend improved fecal scores significantly after only 21 days.

Several studies have investigated the use of synbiotics in cats in conjunction with clindamycin, an antibiotic known to induce significant GI changes and distress in both pets and humans. In one trial, the use of a synbiotic with clindamycin in previously healthy cats illustrated synbiotics’ potential ability to mitigate some loss of beneficial bacteria. Additionally, the cats receiving the synbiotic also seemed to have altered levels of polyamine synthesis. Polyamines aid in the repair of the intestinal lining and have anti-inflammatory properties, so this is particularly interesting and will require more research to fully understand.

While the science continues to evolve, what we already know for sure is that supporting the microbiome and continually improving the gut ingredients available for pets will be hugely important in differentiating pet food brands.

How to market synbiotics

Adding a winning combination of probiotics and prebiotics to pet food diets is not only advantageous for good gut health and an optimal pet immune system but could also be profitable for businesses.

With pet parents always looking for an “edge” for their pets, adding a custom combination product that fits your brand’s needs is crucial for brand awareness and recognition. In a crowded marketplace, the smallest ingredients in the bag are often the biggest market differentiators.

Additionally, in the human nutrition marketplace, the idea of synbiotics is becoming more and more mainstream, which means that people will soon be looking for this word on pet food packaging.

When marketing synbiotics to consumers, here a few tips:

1. Identify the main reason why your company chose these particular strains of bacteria and supportive fiber.
2. Boil your main “why” into less than 10 words for each strain or fiber source.
3. Educate consumers so that they understand why your brand has selected these particular ingredients and why what you are offering is different from other brands.
4. Communicate obsessively via your channels. If it feels like you are repeating the same language, then you are doing it right! Most people need to hear something at least seven times before it really solidifies as fact in their brains.

As a company founded on science, Alltech’s technologies continue to be researched as extensively as they have for the past 40 years. We can help identify the custom blend of ingredients that would best serve your pet food brand based on your unique needs, processing techniques and marketing strategies.

In the end, our mission is healthy pets and healthy partnerships.  

To find out more about Alltech’s pet solutions, fill out the form below.