Helping dairy producers implement nutritional strategies to alleviate herd heat stress is one of many roles of a farm’s nutritional advisor. ADM Alliance Nutrition offers a multifaceted, nutritional approach to battling heat stress.

Thermal Care™ R
ADM researchers have investigated several ingredients that have been shown to provide physiological benefits through their ability to minimize deleterious effect of heat stress in dairy cows. Researchers identified ingredients that may enhance gut health and integrity while supporting the immune system and assisting with blood flow and heat dissipation. Those ingredients are contained in Thermal Care. Cattle consuming Thermal Care R were better able to maintain energy balance and body condition, showed stronger heats, had lower rectal temperatures, exhibited somatic cell count improvement, had less foot health challenges, had better dry matter intake, and produced more milk under heat stress conditions in comparison to cattle not consuming Thermal Care. The average percentage change with Thermal Care treatment in a summary of field trials is shown in Table 1.

Enertia® Rumen Inert Fat
The ability to maintain energy intake when dry matter intake is compromised is a major challenge when dairy animals are under heat stress. Enertia, a rumen inert fat, is a calcium salts of long-chain fatty acid product. It provides a high-quality “rumen protected” fat source that does not interfere with rumen function, is highly digestible in the small intestine, and provides an optimum fatty acid profile. Calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids are recognized as the most nutritionally complete source of rumen inert fat for lactating dairy cows. Enertia is manufactured by ADM under stringent quality assurance guidelines. ADM is basic in calcium salt manufacturing and is also globally involved in palm oil procurement and processing and, therefore, is in a unique position to control quality from field to feed bunk.

ADM Alliance Nutrition offers three versions of Enertia:

• Enertia s/f is the standard granular formula which provides a rich source of Omega-6 fatty acid.

• Enertia p/f is the ONLY patent-pending pelleted source of calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids in the industry.

• Enertia r/f reproductive efficiency formula, also a patent-pending product, provides added Omega-3 fatty acid which research has shown can improve dairy cattle reproductive efficiency and helps support healthy reproductive function.

OptiBalance™
Feed efficiency is critical at any time but particularly under heat stress conditions when intake is compromised. During heat stress, it is vital that dairy cows derive all the nutrients possible from feedstuffs consumed. OptiBalance is another patent-pending ADM technology that research has shown enhances the efficiency of rumen bypass protein and starch utilization in the dairy cow. OptiBalance enhances the bypass protein level of most plant proteins, allowing amino acids to more efficiently reach the small intestine for absorption while slowing the rumen degradation of starch beneficially, modifying the energy efficiency of the diet (Figure 1).

Research trials show increased milk production in response to OptiBalance while providing a greater return on feed investment (Table 2).

RumeNext®-Dairy
In addition to needing special attention for heat abatement and dietary adjustments, heat-stressed cows have an extra requirement for dietary or rumen-derived glucose precursors. Propionate is the one volatile fatty acid (VFA) that is primarily converted into glucose by the liver. Maximizing rumen production of glucose precursors (i.e., propionate) is an effective strategy to help maintain production. RumeNext-Dairy is a patent-pending ADM technology that enhances rumen function by favorably altering the rumen volatile fatty acid profile and changes rumen-protein digestion which yields better milk production responses. A lower acetate:propionate ratio has positive implications in improving the amount of energy available for lactation.

Prosponse® Yeast
Maintaining dry matter intake and milk component production is often a challenge under heat stress conditions. Prosponse Yeast can help maintain feed intake which is beneficial under heat stress conditions. Prosponse Yeast contains several strains of yeast derived from fermentation processes used to manufacture human-edible products. Components of the fermentation mass retain functional components beneficial for animal performance. Its unique nutrient profile is rich in essential amino acids and B-complex vitamins. Research conducted by ADM over several years and field response has shown Prosponse Yeast may enhance feed intake and feed digestion, as well as boost overall gut health and immune function.

Buffering Agents
Production of saliva is often inadequate to sufficiently buffer the rumen due to lower feed intake during heat stress. To aid in buffering the rumen during heat stress, ADM Alliance Nutrition provides various buffering options appropriate for dairy diets.

DCAD
Products Providing the proper dietary cation-anion (DCAD) balance in dairy diets has been beneficial in helping to maintain milk and milk component production under heat stress conditions. ADM Alliance Nutrition provides DCAD options to provide the essential balance required.

Ration Balancing Expertise
The ingredients and technology that can benefit the dairy herd during heat stress are only valuable when properly added to balanced dairy diets. ADM Alliance Nutrition’s proprietary ration balancing program and expert dairy consultants can put the aforementioned technologies to work in dairy diets in the most cost effective manner.

Conclusion
Heat stress can cause a significant financial burden to dairy producers by decreasing milk and milk component production, decreasing reproductive efficiency, and adversely affecting cow health. In addition to sound heat dissipation and abatement management strategies, such as providing abundant fresh water and use of strategically-placed fans and misters, nutritional strategies should be implemented to minimize adverse heat stress consequences. Along with ration balancing expertise and dairy specific products, ADM Alliance Nutrition offers several proprietary technologies which have been shown in research and on the farm to help dairy operations maintain production, health, and financial stability during heat stress months. Implementing cost-effective, proven nutritional strategies to prevent and/or minimize the serious consequences of heat stress will help ensure production is not hampered during hot, humid weather.