Increasing milk production of dairy cows with Selko IntelliBond hydroxy trace minerals

Sulphate trace minerals have a negative effect on rumen microbes of dairy cows. This results in a reduction of rumen fermentation and NDF digestibility [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. There is a correlation between NDF digestibility and milk production. (see figure 1) University research has shown that each one point difference in NDF digestibility can represent 0.25 to 0.3 kg of daily Energy Corrected milk production [8].

Feeding sulphate trace minerals to dairy cows also has a negative impact on gut barrier function. A reduction of gut barrier function increases the risk of systemic inflammation in dairy cows during the transition period. Several trials[9,10] have shown that feeding Selko IntelliBond trace minerals instead of sulphates reduces haptoglobin levels in dairy transition cows (see Figure 2). Haptoglobin is an important marker of systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammation in dairy cattle results in activation of immune cells. These immune cells use glucose, which would normally be used for milk production. This leads to a reduction of energy partitioned towards milk production[11]. Avoiding systemic inflammation in cattle will therefore result in an increase of milk production in dairy cattle fed Selko IntelliBond trace minerals.

If mixed into a feed or a farm mineral, reactive trace mineral forms such as sulphates can have a significant negative impact on stability and bioavailability of other essential nutrients contained within the supplement [12]. Selko IntelliBond trace mineral sources do not have these negative effects on the availability of essential nutrients present in the feed. The patented OptiSize technology will result in particles that will additionally ensure uniform mixability.

Sulphate trace minerals quickly breakdown, releasing their metal ions within the rumen. These ions can form insoluble complexes (see Figure 3), leading to reduced availability of other ingredients such as phosphorus, and other trace and macro minerals, oxalates and toxin binders, which are no longer available to the cow. Selko IntelliBond trace minerals essentially by-pass these negative effects in the rumen. This results in more biologically available trace metal arriving in the intestinal tract for absorption[13], while not negatively affecting the availability of other essential nutrients in the ration.

The 3 reasons that feeding Selko IntelliBond increases milk production of dairy cows
Switching from sulphate trace minerals to Selko IntelliBond thus results in an increase of milk production in dairy cows because of:

• An increase of NDF digestibility
• A reduction of systemic inflammation
• An improved availability of other nutrients in the ration of dairy cows

Several trials have proven that feeding Selko IntelliBond will result in an improvement of lactational performance of dairy cows [14,15,16,17]. In a recent study [16] carried out by Professor Santos at the University of Florida, feeding Selko IntelliBond trace minerals during the dry cow period resulted in an increase of colostrum production of 1 kg. In that same study, feeding Selko IntelliBond to dairy cows during the first 105 DIM resulted in an increase of ECM production of 1.5 kg/day.

A total of 7 studies with Selko IntelliBond in dairy were included in a recently completed meta-analysis [18], which included over 518 dairy cattle experimental units. The data included 5 US dairy trials done at the Cornell University [14], the Miner Institute [17], the Ohio State University[2], Penn State University and the University of Florida [16], 1 trial from Canada and 1 trial from the Netherlands [15] (both carried out at Trouw Nutrition Research farms for dairy cattle). In these trials, the full replacement of sulphate minerals in the ration by Selko IntelliBond was compared. Two trials were carried out in dairy transition cows and followed a completely randomized design or a randomized complete block design, the remaining 5 trials were carried out in mid-lactation cows and followed a Latin-square design.

The main parameters measured were milk yield and milk solids, feed efficiency, body condition score and energy balance.

As shown in figure 4, the inclusion of Selko IntelliBond improved lactational performance compared to cows fed inorganic minerals. Selko IntelliBond inclusion led to an increase of energy corrected milk yield by 1.1 kg [18] and amount of net energy secreted as milk by 0.76 Mcal/d. The fat and true protein levels in milk tended to increase in the Selko IntelliBond fed group.

The replacement of sulphate trace minerals with Selko IntelliBond trace minerals in diets of lactating dairy cows improved productive performance without affecting dry matter intake or changing measures of energy metabolism such as net energy for lactation balance, body weight, or BCS. The increase in yield of energy-corrected milk of 1.1 kg/cow/day that was observed in dairy cows fed Selko IntelliBond was primarily resulting from an increase in milk yield of dairy cows without changes in composition or the energy content of the milk produced by the cows. The increment in yield of ECM was observed regardless of the experimental approach, whether a continuous design with dairy transition cows or a change-over design with dairy cows in mid lactation was chosen.

All data required to support Selko IntelliBond’s ability to reduce methane emissions of dairy cows were compiled in a dossier, which was submitted to Dr. E. Kebreab, Professor at the University of California, Davis, for review. Dr. Kebreab concluded that replacing sulfate trace minerals with Selko IntelliBond trace minerals in lactating cows will result in a reduction of methane emission by 2.6%. This makes Selko IntelliBond the world’s first trace mineral source for dairy cattle with an official endorsement for the reduction of methane per kg of energy corrected milk!