Direct-fed microbials to enhance feed efficiency and weight gain of grazing cattle (Research)

Traditional use of direct fed microbials (DFM) for livestock has focused on young ruminants during the development of their digestive system to accelerate the establishment of the microflora involved in feed digestion and to promote gut health. However, research has demonstrated the potential for expansion of DFM use to ameliorate ruminal acidosis and improve liveweight gain of finishing feedlot cattle or to improve animal performance in extreme conditions where cattle consume low-quality forages.  In these contrasting environments, many bacteria and fungi have been investigated for ruminants with commercial DFM products containing single- or multi-species of microbes. More specifically for animal health and nutrition, microbial solutions are based on lactic acid and Bacillus-based bacteria, aiming to support health and performance of the beef and dairy cattle herds. Among the benefits of using Bacillus-based DFM, its ability to produce and release a diverse range of fibrolytic, amylolytic, and lipolytic nutritional enzymes is highlighted. The current project is targeting Australian grazing conditions to evaluate DFM applied to a range of forage substrates and conditions found in the rangelands.