Q&A: Evidence-based probiotics for calves

Q&A:

Evidence-based probiotics for calves

Dr Tom Barragry, veterinary pharmacologist and adviser to Provita Ltd, discusses the bene ts of licensed probiotics in reducing calf disease and improving growth rates.

Q

What does ‘cross talk’ between the gut and the lungs mean for calves?

as has been evidenced by farmers who keep repeatedly using the product for this dual e ect (see Table).

A: The gut microbiome is now clearly seen

to be a major instigator of immune health, Qnot only for the gut but also for lung health. Probiotics enhance the gut microbiome which then produces higher amounts of SCFA (short chain fatty acids), which are now known to be the signalling mechanism from the gut to the body’s immune systems and especially to the immune system of the lungs. ‘Cross talk’ between the gut and the lungs is now a proven scienti c Better local and general concept and is immunity the ‘buzz word’ in modern immunology (see Figure 1). More gut commensals Provita Protect is Fend o pathogens Less gut and the only resp disease Healthy gut veterinary microbiome probiotic whose claims and proven Longer gut villi e cacy have been accepted More vitamins More nutrient absorption and authorised by the Veterinary Medicines

Directorate (VMD). The unique probiotic Qstrains in Protect provide an optimised gut microbiome, producing the all-important improvements to the gut, the immune system, and the lungs.

This new concept of ‘cross talk’ explains not only the healthier gut and lower incidence of scours seen with a licensed probiotic such as Provita Protect, but also explains the signi cantly lowered incidence of calf respiratory disease – which is seen as a bonus when calves receive Provita Protect,

Why has there been a resurgence of interest in calf probiotics?

A: There has been a resurgence of interest by veterinary surgeons in proven and e ective probiotics, as alternatives to antibiotics. This has been triggered by a number of recent issues, including the global increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food animals and its likely transference to humans – and the worldwide push back on the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. In addition, there have been Fewer new EU regulations toxins and on prohibition of pathogens prophylactic and metaphylactic use of Figure 1: antibiotics. Finally, there A healthy gut has been increased microbiome emphasis on the idea that prevention is better than cure and avoidance of disease is better than treating it – both nancially and on welfare grounds.

Why should you use a licensed product?

A: There have been very many unproven and substandard ‘probiotics’ on the market for quite a number of years now. The situation has arisen because in the early days, probiotics were de ned as ‘live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, could confer a health bene t on the host’. In other words, it was a ‘possible e ect’ rather than a ‘proven e ect’. Furthermore, quality control, characterisation of microorganism strains, shelf life of product, number of strains, and regulatory approval of manufacturing premises were not required at that time.

Hence, unproven, unsubstantiated, and unreliable products remained the majority of ‘probiotic’ products on the market and were easily accessible by farmers and vets. The lack of standardisation and the lack of proof of any kind of e cacy for the product made it extremely di cult to distinguish between what was a scienti cally evidence-based e ective compound and what was a totally useless product.

A number of companies do not identify the types and numbers of viable organisms in their products at the time of use, nor have they performed any clinical trials to validate and prove their product. The result is a lack of credibility for the eld of probiotics as a whole and uncertainty as to which products may bene t animal patients.

Table: Lower incidence of Scour & Pneumonia in Protect Treated Calves

Arrival Treatment Total Number of calves 'healthy throughout'

Calves treated for Scours & Pneumonia

Control 40 21 19

Provita Protect

Provita Protect

Total

55

54

149

49

43

113

6

11

36

Ref: Protect Drug Master File Submission for VMD Registration - Clinical Trials Section.

Percentage of calves treated

49%

11%

20%

Q

What have eld trials shown?

A: Field trials of Provita Protect in young calves revealed reduced incidence of scours and respiratory disease, as well as better growth rates. Key ndings:

• Calves treated with Provita Protect on arrival performed better and were healthier than control calves. Incidence of scour was signi cantly lower in treated calves at 14 days (P <0.05) • 52.5% of control calves remained healthy throughout the trial compared with 89% of the treated calves • A signi cant decrease in pneumonia was evidenced in treated calves. 17% of control calves were treated for respiratory disease compared to 5% of the treated calves • Incidence of scour plus respiratory disease was 49% in control untreated calves and 11–20% in treated calves • Provita Protect was at least as e ective as antibiotics in scouring calves (together with electrolytes) • Calves were heavier at weaning once they had received Provita Protect • 10% liveweight gain increase over untreated controls • Control calves showed an average of 17.88kg growth over the ve-week rearing period, whereas treated calves gained 19.67kg and had less disease, incurring less money spent on treatments and antibiotics • Laboratory tests and analysis showed

Provita Protect retained adequate counts of live viable organisms for at least ve months. If containers are sealed and kept at 2–8ºC, the shelf life has been shown to be 18 months. FG