March 6, 2007

 

Lallemand's Levucell SC gets EU nod for dairy goats and sheep

 

Press release
 

 

The Official Journal of the European Union recently published commission regulation (EC) No 226/2007 authorising Lallemand Animal Nutrition's rumen specific yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 (Levucell SC) as a zootechnical feed additive in dairy goats and sheep (authorisation number E1711).

 

Some 15 independent trials performed in major European production regions have proven Levucell SC's efficacy in small dairy ruminants, the company said Mar 5 in its press release on the authorisation.

 

Those trials showed that Levucell SC improves milk yield by about 10 percent and raises feed efficacy (up to 100 grams of extra milk produced/kilogram of feed ingested), while securing animal health and improving milk hygiene in both target species.

 

Coming from more than 15 years of research in partnership with INRA (the French agronomic research Institute) and other international research institutes, over 40 scientific publications describing the effects and modes of action of Levucell SC in the rumen support the trials.

 

Levucell SC improves feed efficacy by 7 percent on average in dairy goats, increasing milk yield while preserving its quality. Noteworthy are several positive effects on animal health including reduced acidosis risks, decreased somatic cells in milk, as well as improved goat intestinal flora balance, in particular by reduction of intestinal E. coli carriage (1).

 

In the context of modern dairy goat production, where intensification has led to increased health risks, Levucell SC can help farmers meet the objective of valorising high energy diets in complete safety.

 

Production trials also confirm that Levucell SC increases feed efficacy, milk yield and quality (reduced somatic cells in milk) in dairy sheep, at a time when farmers are increasingly concerned about feed valorisation. This leads to good return on investment for the producer.

 

Recent findings also show the effects of Levucell SC administration on milk technological parameters, bringing additional benefits for the cheese-making industry (2).

 

Since September 2005, Levucell SC rumen specific yeast has been authorised in Europe without time limit in bovines destined for milk and meat production. A natural live yeast product, Levucell SC is also authorised for organic production.

 

(1) Stella A.V. et al. Small Ruminants Research, 67 (1) , Jan. 2007, 7-13.

 

(2) Scinardo Tenghi E. et al.; 2006. Proceedings of 17th Edition of SIPAOC, Lamezia Terme (Cz), Italy, Oct 25-28, 2006.