Live yeast

The total live yeast market amounts to £80m and is growing by 5-10% per year.

The market for live yeast products is mainly in ruminant feed, but increasingly these products are sold into some pig diets. 

Live yeasts increase the efficiency of feed usage on the farm and the net result is an improvement in productive and reproductive performance giving a net financial gain to the customer.

Using live yeast products in ruminants:

  • To consume oxygen in the rumen which increases the number of anaerobic bacteria.
  • To degrade free sugars and starch thereby reducing the rate of pH fall with high energy diets.
  • Enhancing rates of fibre degradation and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production.
  • To reduce the variation of rumen bacterial population counts.
  • In dairy cows, an increase in milk yield of 1-2kg of milk per day.
  • In beef cattle, an increase in daily live weight gain of 5-10%.
  • To help ease the transition from dry cow rations to lactating cow diets.

 

Using live yeast products in monogastrics:

  • Competition with pathogens - "competitive exclusion".
  • Stimulation of immunity.
  • Binding of pathogenic bacteria.
  • Binding of mycotoxins.
  • Stimulation of gastro-intestinal fermentation.
  • Improved sow condition at weaning.
  • Improved weaned litter weight and liveability.
  • Improved weaner performance and liveability through better gut fermentation, better feed utilisation, improved immunity and improved toxin binding properties.