What Does BioProtect Do?
BioProtect protects the protein and starch components of feeds so that more passes undegraded through the rumen and into the abomasum where they can be digested more efficiently. BioProtect also enhances the total tract digestibility of starch.
The resultant improvements in feed efficiency allow formulations to be adjusted to increase profit margins and give the flexibility for a wider variety of feedstuffs to be used.
Additionally, through more efficient feed utilisation, methanogenesis and protein deamination are reduced, thereby reducing the carbon footprint.
In summary, BioProtect gives you more flexibility and cost savings in diet formulation and ingredient choice, leading to feed cost reductions.
Protected Nutrients
It is well known that it is beneficial to move some nutrients undegraded through the rumen so they can then be more efficiently digested and utilised by the animal.
BioProtect was developed to rumen protect proteins (rumen bypass or escape protein) and to slow and protect starch degradation with the results being both predictable and reliable. Alternative methods of treating feeds to protect them from rumen degradation include heat treatment and/or chemicals. These all have proven issues, for example unreliability of results, overprotection, carcinogenicity, poor cost:benefit ratio whereas BioProtect provides a reliable, cost-effective solution. In addition, BioProtect has two different modes of action, not one., so it can offer greater rumen protection for a wider range of nutrients when compared to other treatments.
BioProtect is a non-volatile organic salt which is added to target feeds prior to feeding. It binds to protein and starches in the feed to form rumen stable compounds. It is only once the feed enters the lower pH environment of the abomasum that the reaction is reversed and the protected nutrients are released for digestion.
One of the major benefits of using BioProtect is the reliability of this reaction to bind and then release nutrients.
BioProtect allows you to protect whatever nutrients you want in a controllable way, knowing that the nutrients will be available for digestion where they can be utilised most efficiently.
BioProtect is a very cost-effective, flexible treatment which allows the use of more home grown or locally sourced ingredients, saving on transport costs and increasing traceability.
Improving the efficiency of protein use
BioProtect is a great tool for maximising the efficiency of protein use by the animal by producing an increased level of rumen bypass protein.
It allows protein levels in the ration to be reduced and cost-savings to be made with no detriment to animal performance, it may even enhance performance.
Preventing acidosis and protecting rumen health
High levels of starch feeding are normal in ruminant production today. The downside is the constant battle with SARA and clinical acidosis. These have an immediate negative effect on fibre digestion. In the longer term, permanent damage caused to the rumen epithelium, lameness and decreased fertility will depress animal performance.
Treating cereals with BioProtect results in:
1) a reduction in the rate and extent of ruminal digestion of starch
2) an increase in total tract starch digestibility.
BioProtect-treated feed is digested more slowly and more completely. This means that feed efficiency is maximized and low rumen pH is prevented from occurring in the first place therefore feed costs are minimized and animal production is maximized.
