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Thermal Care R is patent-pending technology developed by ADM Research specifically for lactating dairy cows incurring heat stress. Thermal Care R was developed after a series of basic research and large-scale feeding studies revealed benefits for the active ingredients. The underlying physiological effects of heat stress were considered during research and development of the product.

ADM Researchers identified ingredients that may enhance feed digestion and maintain gut health and integrity while supporting the immune system and assisting with blood flow and heat dissipation. When used in conjunction with appropriate feeding and management practices, Thermal Care R may be an effective solution technology for heat-stressed cows.

 

The Physiology of Heat Stress

Heat stress results when the heat load in an animal’s environment requires significant behavioral and metabolic changes in the animal in order to dissipate heat and maintain normal body temperature. In most ruminants, heat stress begins to occur when environmental temperatures exceed ~70° F. Mathematical models that consider temperature, humidity, solar radiation, wind speed, feed intake, and milk production among other factors are being refined to more accurately define the degree of heat stress animals experience under certain conditions.

Heat stress initiates a coordinated change in the physiology of cattle in order to maintain a healthy body temperature. Common changes include decreased feed intake, increased respiration rate, and increased water consumption. These responses contribute to a characteristic reduction in rumen pH. This reduced rumen pH can precipitate a host of problems including rumen acidosis which has been implicated in an increased leakage of histamines and other inflammatory molecules across the small intestine. This increased leakage compromises the immune system of the heat-stressed ruminant. As an end result of these heat stress responses, energy intake is decreased, the immune system is compromised, and maintenance energy requirements are increased.

Unlike underfed cattle, the heat-stressed cow is metabolically inflexible and unable to mobilize fat reserves to meet the energy shortfall. With fewer inputs and greater requirements, productive endpoints such as growth, reproduction, and milk yield are negatively affected. Thermal Care R has been scientifically developed to address the multitude of factors affecting cattle during heat stress to deliver the best results.

 

The Discovery Pathway

ADM Research has been evaluating aspects of heat stress for nearly ten years. Through internal research and university collaboration a technology that addresses the underlying physiology associated with heat stress has been developed. Discoveries have identified beneficial compounds which have been tested individually and in combination in basic research studies. In the summers of 2006 and 2007, prototype products were tested in real-world conditions using lactating dairy cows maintained on commercial dairy farms. The results of these studies have led to the development of Thermal Care R.

 

Developmental Research
Intensive heat stress trials using growing cattle have demonstrated improved growth performance in cattle consuming the Thermal Care product. In ADM research trial B07501, 16 growing dairy cattle were subjected to heat stress and monitored. Half of these cattle consumed the Thermal Care product while half did not. During heat stress the control cattle had a 26% (0.6° F) greater increase in rectal temperature than the cattle consuming Thermal Care (Figure 1).



Cattle consuming the product also gained an additional 0.27 lb/head/day while consuming less feed than control cattle (Figure 2). This data indicates that Thermal Care helps animals adjust to the added stress of high heat situations by improving their ability to maintain body temperature and lean growth.




A trial conducted at a major southeastern university evaluated prototype formulas. Data indicates that the most widely tested prototype formula (Thermal Care) had efficacy, but an enhanced version (Thermal Care R) provided further benefits. This enhancement improved nutrient utilization as shown by cattle producing more milk and maintaining a positive energy balance during heat stress (see Figure 3)

The improved formula is now commercially available as Thermal Care R. These late lactation cattle not only produced more milk than the control animals, they also gained weight during the trial. Test cattle were late-lactation pregnant cattle; however, the effect of improving energy balance can have profoundly beneficial outcomes for cattle during early lactation and at breeding. This trial is on track for peer-reviewed publication and presentation at the 2008 Dairy Science Meetings. The trial was conducted in June, July, and August of 2007 during heat stress conditions. Cattle housing was designed for maximum cow comfort including the use of cooling fans, misters, rBST, and Rumensin^®*



Despite heat dissipation strategies, cattle consuming Thermal Care R still produced 3 lb more milk and 3.9 lb more energy corrected milk than control cattle (see Figure 4), gained more weight, and had an improvement in apparent dry matter digestibility.

 

Field Trials
Field trials were conducted using the original Thermal Care formula. The addition of selected ingredients tested in a major southeastern university trial led to the commercialized product which is already a generation advanced beyond the product described in these field trials.

The objective of field trials conducted was to validate performance of heat-stressed lactating dairy cows fed Thermal Care. Approximately 1500 head of cattle in heat stress conditions have been utilized in field trials. Cattle have been located in 17 herds across the United States and six different trials have been completed. Of the completed trials, one was an on-off-on designed trial, while the remaining five were side-by-side comparisons of control and treatment cattle. Control diets were considered to be the current ration fed to cattle and the treatment diets were the current ration with the addition of 2 oz/head/day of Thermal Care. All trials were conducted during the summer months when cattle were challenged with heat stress.



When results from all six trials are combined, there appears a distinct advantage for those cattle receiving Thermal Care (Table 1). Treatment cows averaged 0.7 lb/head/day more dry matter intake and produced an additional 1.2 lb/head/day of milk. They also produced 40.7 g/head/day more fat and had a 3.9% decrease in somatic cell count (SCC).




Figure 5 charts milk yield and fat corrected milk (FCM) yield of control cows against that of treatment cattle. There was a positive response in milk production for nine of the 10 herds that had individual milk weights available. There were not as many herds with FCM data available, but there was a one in two chance of improved FCM when Thermal Care was fed.

Figure 5 shows the control versus treatment results in each field trial comparison. The diagonal line represents no response, where control and Thermal Care cattle had no difference in milk yield or energy corrected milk yield. Fourteen of the observations are positive and fall above the no effect line, suggesting a >75% success rate. Also remember that enhancements have been made to the product since these trials were conducted. Notice maximum benefits occur in herds where heat stress reduced milk production to 70 lb/head/day or less, but benefits still occur in situations where heat stress has less of a negative effect on production.

 

Summary of Trials

Research studies and field observations support commercialization of the Thermal Care technology for nutritional support during periods of heat stress. Possible advantages include: improved dry matter intake; less reduction in milk yield; lower body temperature; improved body condition score; and lower milk urea nitrogen. Thermal Care R has been shown to improve milk yield by 3 lb/head/day in university trials as well as improving the energy status of the cow.

 

Specific research trial information can be obtained by contacting ADM Alliance Nutrition Research and Development.

 

*Not a trademark of ADM.