The “Big 4” Additives that Support Healthy Calves

It seems there are as many potential additives to calf diets as there are corn kernels in a bushel.

But which ones really work, and are truly worth the investment?

There are 4 additives to preweaned calf rations that rise above the rest and have stood both the test of time and the rigors of research-based evaluation. At Strauss Feeds, we wholeheartedly recommend adding all of them to your calves’ diets because they have proven their worth and are routinely embraced by the most successful calf raisers. Those “Big 4” additives include:

(1)   MOS – Mannan oligosaccharides, or “MOS,” are fractions of yeast cell walls that bind pathogenic bacteria, which are then flushed out of the gut. It can be fed throughout the entire milk-fed phase, and often is also added to starter grain and the post-weaning grain ration. We have high standards at Strauss Feeds to select and screen MOS products that have small particle size, distribute uniformly throughout the milk replacer formulation, and stay consistently in suspension.

(2)   Coccidiostats – These tried-and-true products include Bovatec® (lasalocid) and Deccox® (decoquinate). The “-stat” in their name implies that they impede the growth of coccidia, a harmful, scours-causing microbe that generally surfaces around 28 days of life. Feeding coccidiostats helps prevent coccidia from doing damage in the lower gut. That’s why these products also are proven to improve feed efficiency and weight gain. Like MOS, coccidiostats also can be added to starter grain and the post-weaning feed ration to continue their protective benefits through the transition phase.

“For mere pennies per calf per day, all of these valuable protectants can be working to support your calves. ”

(3)   Fly control – ClariFly® Larvicide is a “feed-through larvicide.” When added to milk replacer, its active ingredient, diflubenzuron, acts as an Insect Growth Regulator as it is deposited in the manure. When flies ingest it as they feed on that manure, it weakens the exoskeleton of next generation of flies, so they die before they become adults. This breaks the fly production cycle and dramatically lowers the fly population on the premises.

(4)   Direct-fed microbials – Think of these “good bacteria” in the same vein as the active cultures we humans consume in yogurt. They’re good for our digestion, and direct-fed microbials (DFM) confer similar probiotic benefits to calves. One of the most popular ones, Bacillus subtilis, positively influences calves’ gut flora to maintain a steady, healthy population that helps resist clostridial bloat. Clostridia bacteria are famous for overgrowing and causing sudden bloat when other factors, such as a calf going off feed or a change in feeding time, are altered. While it doesn’t create a license to drop the other management practices that should be in place to prevent clostridial bloat, it does provide an insurance policy to help blunt the effects of digestive changes and keep clostridia at bay.

Mixing quality milk replacer on the farm

There are many other probiotics that also can positively alter the gut biome to the calf’s advantage, and a combination of several can be safely fed at the same time. To decide which DFM additives to use, start with the challenge you are facing, and select the appropriate product to address it.

Each of these products promotes calf health without using any human-grade antibiotics. Moving forward, we will continue to be asked – or required – as an industry to use medically important antibiotics extremely judiciously, and to seek alternate means of supporting calf health like the “Big 4.”

All of these additives are available as enhancements to Strauss Feeds milk replacers. While blending them directly into the complete product is the best way to ensure thorough and consistent incorporation, they also are available for on-farm addition or as part of vitamin and trace mineral packs. In some situations, calf managers may choose to add them on-farm, which is entirely possible.

In terms of cost, it’s not an overstatement to say that these 4 additives are a “no-brainer.” For mere pennies per calf per day, all of these valuable protectants can be working to support your calves.

Of significant note is the fact that at Strauss Feeds, we do not “mark up” the additives that are used to enhance our milk replacers. Whatever the cost is to us is the cost we pass onto the customer. We believe strongly enough in the value of the “Big 4” that we want to make it as affordable as possible for our customers to embrace them.

As calf raisers, there is no shortage of people who want to sell you inputs. They will strongly promote their products and tout their benefits. Be sure to always seek out legitimate research data and consult with trusted advisors who are familiar with your specific operation. Your Strauss Feeds representative stands ready to assist and advise on these decisions.

Bovatec® and DECCOX® are registered trademarks of Phibro Animal Health Corporation.

ClariFly® is a registered trademark of Wellmark International.