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Optimise udder health with EazyBed PRO
Mastitis, often indicated by a high somatic cell count (SCC), continues to be a significant issue for UK dairy farmers. On average, the disease costs a typical 200-cow herd, with an average mastitis case rate of 32 cases per 100 cows per year, approximately £15,594 per year (LLM Farm Vets).
Taking proactive steps to optimise udder health, through maintaining bedding quality, is therefore essential to enhancing animal welfare, milk production and overall farm profitability.
The importance of bedding quality
On average, dairy cows spend around 10-14 hours per day lying down, with their udders in close contact with bedding for much of this time. Poor bedding conditions represent a perfect environment for undesirable microorganisms to grow, leading to increased SCCs and higher incidences of mastitis.
One of the significant advancements that supports bedding quality is the use of natural microbial bedding conditioners, such as EazyBed PRO, developed by Lallemand Animal Nutrition.
EazyBed PRO: an innovative bedding conditioner
EazyBed PRO has been designed to maintain the overall hygiene of livestock bedding by supporting the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the bedding.
It works by creating a protective biofilm of beneficial bacteria on the bedding surface. This beneficial biofilm occupies the cubicle surfaces leaving no space for other microbes to grow, maintaining the overall hygiene of the cubicle and as a result the teat skin.
Research and findings
Lallemand Animal Nutrition is a global leader in natural microbial solutions and EazyBed PRO is one of the newest innovations to be added to our portfolio of on-farm solutions. Like all our products, EazyBed PRO has undergone extensive research and trials to validate its effectiveness.
As part of a research and development partnership with INRAE, in France, Lysiane Duniere, Lallemand Animal Nutrition’s microbiologist, completed a commercial trial1, that provides insightful data on the benefits of using EazyBed PRO.
The study, which included 228 cows bedded on recycled manure solids (RMS) in a Czech Republic dairy unit, highlighted the following key points:
- Reduction of pathogens: The trial showed a significant reduction in mastitis-causing pathogens on the cubicle bedding and cows’ teat skin in the treated group compared to the control group. The presence of these pathogens was substantially lower, which is crucial in preventing udder infections.
- Lower somatic cell counts: The treated group exhibited notably lower SCCs, indicating better udder health. Initially, before any treatment was applied, SCC was not significantly different between the groups, at an average of 320,249 cells/ml. However, during the three-month trial, the control group’s average SCC was 443,843 cells/ml, while the group housed on treated bedding had an average SCC of 287,701 cells/ml. That is a difference of 35%.
- Stable milk quality: Importantly, the application of EazyBed PRO did not affect milk quality. There was no transfer of bacterial strains from the bedding conditioner to the milk, ensuring that milk from treated cows remained high in quality.
Additional benefits of using a natural microbial bedding conditioner
- Less abrasive: As a natural microbial bedding conditioner, EazyBed PRO is less abrasive than traditional lime-based disinfectants. The product is anti-caking and non-irritating to the cow’s skin, hocks and teats. This is also a big advantage for anyone handling the product, with users finding it much less harsh to apply than the alternatives.
- Labour saving: EazyBed PRO only needs to be applied once or twice a week, saving you time and money without compromising cow health.
- Reduction in ammonia emissions: The positive bacteria and blend of highly absorbent carriers in the bedding conditioner positively impact on the microbial community, which changes the microbial dynamics, resulting in reduced ammonia emissions (by up to 50%) and improved air quality 2.
1 Commercial trial, Czech Republic 2021. Trial summary available on request.
2 Commercial trial, Wisconsin USA 2016. Trial summary available on request.
Published May 14, 2024 | Updated Jun 25, 2024
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