April 15, 2005

New dairy feed additive from Virtus Nutrition

Virtus Nutrition, a major producer of rumen-protected dairy feed ingredients has developed the Ener GI (Energy One) Transition Formula that contains two specific fatty acids which will help cows during the critical three weeks before calving to three weeks after calving. The two nutrients are monoenoic trans and linoleic fatty acids.

Monoenoic transfat lowers the milk fat cows produce in transition, thus reducing the amount of energy cows need to produce milk after freshening. Linoleic fatty acid is used as a pre-curser to prostaglandin production.

Research began 10 to 15 years ago, with many scientists contributing. This led to the creation of the commercial product which was released on Feb 1 this year.

Greg Zuver, a nutritionist with Caledonia Farmers Elevator in Michigan has had dairy farmers who want to test Ener GI. He said it is hard to determine what is keeping his customers' cows from getting fatty livers and other related metabolic diseases, but the science behind Ener GI makes sense.