Which yeast to use?

[davieogrutha]

I have used Agri Lloyd yeast for a number of years now and gotten on well with it. At a show this weekend and speaking to a salesman about Diamond XP, supposedly £300-£400 a ton cheaper and very nearly the same product, there's also Biocell yeast which is a different type of yeast but claims same results, not sure on its price though . So the question is... what's folks thoughts on them?

 

[Great In Grass]

I used to sell Biocells product if I remember correctly 0.07p/animal/day works really well almost 100% repeat orders, I offer a different product now from the guys who make my additives which is a yeast/mycotoxin combined product.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Only difference I noticed when I tried yeast was a reduced profit margin

 

[davieogrutha]

I used to sell Biocells product if I remember correctly 0.07p/animal/day works really well almost 100% repeat orders, I offer a different product now from the guys who make my additives which is a yeast/mycotoxin combined product.

What's the name of the product?

 

[Great In Grass]

MicroSafe Gain from Microferm.

 

[davieogrutha]

Only difference I noticed when I tried yeast was a reduced profit margin

I don't like to give money away too, but I did see a good difference in the condition and contentment of the calves. Haven't had acidosis since using yeast also. I sell a good lot of my stock for grazers so need them to be in good order for a decent go at the Mart.

 

[davieogrutha]

MicroSafe Gain from Microferm.

Where abouts are they based at?

 

[Great In Grass]

Malvern, Worcestershire.

 

[beefandsleep]

I was a very enthusiastic user of yeast in finishing rations for many years and was totally convinced of its effectiveness. I think I have recommended it on here more than once.
I recently changed my ration in an effort to make it more rumen friendly, the aim being to reduce the length of time taken for cattle to adjust to the finishing diet and get up to speed and lessen the variability in performance I was seeing within groups which I believed to be caused by a high occurrence of sub clinical acidosis.
At the time of starting on the new ration I had run out of yeast and made up a large batch of premix without it. I have been staggered by the performance of the cattle on the new diet and have no plans to use yeast again.
I think yeast has its place in some circumstances but gains in fcr s and reductions in acidosis, which I did see, are marginal. If you need a feed additive to reduce acidosis then I am now of the opinion that you should be looking to re-evaluate your entire ration.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I don't like to give money away too, but I did see a good difference in the condition and contentment of the calves. Haven't had acidosis since using yeast also. I sell a good lot of my stock for grazers so need them to be in good order for a decent go at the Mart.

Are you feeding barley or oats to young calves?

 

[davieogrutha]

Feed add lib baled silage, hay &2.5kg -3kg barley(propcorned) with yeast and protein mixed in. Not a big push but was getting acidosis without the yeast.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Feed add lib baled silage, hay &2.5kg -3kg barley(propcorned) with yeast and protein mixed in. Not a big push but was getting acidosis without the yeast.

A calf with a developing rumen shouldn't really be getting barley, you'd be better off feeding oats till they get to spaning time

 

[J 1177]

We tend to use whole oats with a slight bit of barley mix. Plus roughtex for calves. We use norvite yeast and it does seem to help re accidois. I have thought about crimping our barley and using an alka grain additive but for the quantity i use its not really worth it. Surely propcorn would make accidosis worse?.
Barley straw in the feeders also seems to help.

 

[cowcrazy]

MicroSafe Gain from Microferm.

What is the cost per cow per day ?

 

[andybk]

It doesnt matter what yeast you use , the important bit is the concentration in the bag , most are mixed with v high proportion of limestone flour , Yeast works by removing oxygen from the gut which bad bacteria need to multiply , competing against the anaerobic (good) bacteria for space and food . we ended up using blue merle yeast which is pure yeast and was about £50 a bucket , Even used simple dried bread yeast from local cash and carry as it was near its date and they did a good deal and worked just as well .
most of the popular makes are a bit of a rip off really when you realise how much your actually buying , read the label and you will be surprised , THink we worked out one of the popular makes had about 1kg or less in a 20-25kg bag

http://www.bluemerle.co.uk/products/yeast-concentrate

 

[beefandsleep]

Agree. The way to compare different brands is to look how many coliform units (cfu's) they contain.

 

[Whitepeak]

Diamond V XP shouldn't really be classed as a yeast as it has no live or dead yeast cells in it, they get very annoyed when people call it yeast. It's the beneficial products of the yeast fermentation.
Their theory is that a dead yeast doesn't do a lot and a live yeast is killed by the low pH of the rumen and so both have very little effect. Whereas the beneficial fermentation products aren't affected by the rumen. Diamond V have also done tonnes of peer reviewed scientific research on their product.
We did use it and I thought it made a difference but dad didn't.
I did used to sell it in my old job.

 

[Great In Grass]

What is the cost per cow per day ?

0.545p per day at 25grm per animal/day.

 

[Great In Grass]

I have a 16 page presentation PDF file if anyone would like it(?) just send me a PM. If everyone was happy about it I'd add it to this thread.

 

[davieogrutha]

I have a 16 page presentation PDF file if anyone would like it(?) just send me a PM. If everyone was happy about it I'd add it to this thread.

Yeah might as well put it on the thread.