MICROBIAL LIVESTOCK FEED SUPPLEMENT
Mylo® for healthier and heavier lambs
Mylo® is liquid live microbial livestock feed supplement to aid in the digestive health of livestock.
LAMB FEEDLOT TRIAL
Chris Gilbertson, Murtonga Farm , Millicent, South Australia
Mylo, a microbial livestock feed supplement, was trialled in a commercial lamb feedlot aiming to measure the effect of feeding Mylo on a key performance measure – the turnout rate of lambs over 60 kg live weight.
The trial was undertaken with lambs (approximately 9 months old) in a feedlot environment. All lambs in the trial were born on the grazing property of Chris Gilbertson, Millicent. A total of 960 lambs with average live weight of 48.5kg (after a feeding curfew), were taken off pasture and transferred to the feedlot. The trial lasted 33 days.
The lambs were assigned into three separate trial groups, which were penned separately in adjacent pens:
• Pen #3: 320 lambs (control group) were not supplemented with Mylo;
• Pen #4: 320 lambs were supplemented with an estimated 5 mL Mylo per head per day; and
• Pen #5: 320 lambs were supplemented with an estimated 10 mL Mylo per head per day.
All lambs were fed the same ration of barley, beans and silage or hay. An amount of Mylo was mixed into the water troughs for the two ‘Mylo groups’ (pens #4 and #5) each morning, directly after cleaning and refilling troughs with fresh water.
The amount added to the water provided an expected average intake rate of Mylo for the lambs. 1.6 litre of Mylo was added each day to the trough in Pen #4, and 3.2 litres to the trough of Pen #5.
At the end of 33 days on feed, individual lamb live weights were taken and data was analysed to compare the groups, including the number reaching at least the target of 60kg live weight.
Results and Comments
Across both Mylo groups 45% of the lambs (287 head from total 640 head) reached a live weight of 60 kg or more by the end of the 33 day trial period. In the control group 31% of the lambs (100 head from total 320 head) weighed 60 kg or more by the end of the 33 day trial period.
On this performance indicator both Mylo groups were significantly different from the control group but there was not a significant difference between the 5mL and 10mL Mylo groups.
The results of this commercial farm trial are consistent with a controlled study conducted by University of Queensland, an independent research institution, which demonstrated that supplementary feeding of Mylo to young livestock (pre-weaning calves) resulted in 8.4% higher weaning live weights and more consistent daily gains over the 56 day study period.
Estimated Economic Benefit
| Live Weight Data at 33 days of feeding | Estimated Economic Benefit* | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Total Lambs | Average Final Live Weight | Lambs at 60+ kg Live Weight | Difference in Live Weight Mylo-Ctrl | Income Difference Mylo-Ctrl | Cost of Mylo for 33 Days | Incremental $ Gain | $ Gain Per 1000 Head |
| (No.) | (kg LW) | (No., %) | (Kg LW) | ($/Head) | ($/Head) | ($/Head) | ($) | |
| Control | 320 | 57.3 | 100, 31% | — | ||||
| Mylo 10mL/day | 320 | 58.8 | 132, 41% | 1.53 (64 g/day) | $5.59 | $4.13 | $1.46 | $1,460 |
*Based on: 4 Score Lambs, 47% Dressing %; Sale at $7.80/kg Dressed Weight. Price subject to change.
Liveweight gains were approx. 1.4kg at approx. $4 per kg, or 0.8kg dressed weight at approx. $7.80 per kg.
