Raising healthy, high-performing cattle is the goal of nearly every cattle producer – especially with today’s markets. A proactive approach to herd health begins with building a well-planned cattle diet that supports the digestive system, fuels immunity, and optimizes performance from the inside out. Nutrition is more than just meeting daily requirements, We know 70 % of a cow’s immune response begins in the digestive system. Quality nutrition is the foundation of disease prevention, efficient growth, and long-term profitability. By focusing on gut health and strengthening the rumen before challenges arise, producers can set their herds up for success and keep animals performing at their peak throughout the year.
Be Proactive with AO-Biotics® Amaferm®
At BioZyme®, we take animal health and nutrition seriously, and we have been for more than 60 years. That’s why we recommend incorporating AO-Biotics® Amaferm® into cow diets. Amaferm is research-proven to enhance the digestibility of feedstuffs while stimulating the growth of beneficial gut microbes, keeping animals healthy from the inside out.
“The cow is an amazing machine, if we treat her right and take a holistic approach with her. She should and will kick out a calf every year,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme Director of Beef Technical Sales. “However, good genetics are only part of the equation. We need to start being more intentional with her nutrition, especially as input costs rise. That is where a prebiotic like Amaferm plays an important role in your herd’s nutrition and health. The intent is that your cattle will get more value from the ingredients you are feeding them. A healthier cow will eat better.”
Why do Prebiotics Matter?
Prebiotics are non-digestible feed ingredients that support the growth and activity of beneficial microbes in the gastrointestinal tract. These microbes, often referred to as the “good bugs,” play a critical role in digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and overall animal health.
Think of prebiotics as fuel for the microbes that already exist in the rumen. They don’t directly feed the animal, but they do nourish the microbial population that is responsible for breaking down fiber, fermenting feed, and converting nutrients into usable energy. This chain reaction improves feed efficiency, boosts immune response, and supports a healthy digestive system, all key components of a balanced and productive cow diet.
There are many types of prebiotics available on the market, each with unique modes of action. However, not all are created equal. Proven prebiotics, like Amaferm, have demonstrated the ability to stimulate rumen function, improve nutrient absorption, and enhance immune health. When incorporated into a cattle diet, Amaferm helps cattle get more energy from every mouthful of forage, which translates to healthier animals and improved performance. Simply put, your cattle will get more nutritional value from less feed. Therefore, there is less nutritional tax when the immune system isn’t activated.
A Healthy Gut Equals a Healthy Herd
A productive cow diet does more than meet the animal’s basic nutritional requirements. It also supports a robust immune system. Many producers think of immunity in terms of vaccines and disease prevention protocols, which are vitally important tools. However, true herd health starts much earlier, in the gut.
The digestive tract is the body’s first line of defense against harmful pathogens. A well-balanced microbiome—the community of microorganisms living in the gut—acts like a protective barrier, helping to prevent harmful bacteria from entering the system. By nurturing these beneficial microbes with prebiotics, we strengthen that barrier and reduce the workload on the animal’s immune system.
Adaptive immunity—the part of the immune system activated by vaccines—is vital, but ideally, it’s the last line of defense. If we keep the “bad bugs” out in the first place through proper gut health, the final 30% of the immune system may never need to be activated. That means fewer health challenges, less stress on the animal, and more energy devoted to growth, reproduction, and production.
Incorporate Amaferm into Your Nutrition Program
The good news for producers is that adding prebiotics to a cattle diet doesn’t require a major overhaul of your feeding program. You can easily incorporate proven prebiotic technologies like Amaferm into your daily routine through free-choice mineral supplements, tubs, or a total mixed ration (TMR).
The even better news for producers is that adding Amaferm to your cattle diet will add benefits to both the cow and her offspring, according to Cassady.
“Amaferm offers generational value to the herd, as it is passed from the cow to the calf, resulting in increased calf vigor and healthier calves. Those healthier calves at birth typically stay healthier and grow faster, and we know that Amaferm in the diet of weaned calves contributes to an additional quarter pound of gain per day. Healthier calves make healthier replacement females, and the cycle continues,” Cassady said.
This proactive approach to nutrition is most effective when paired with best management practices. Clean water, good sanitation, manure management, and effective vaccination protocols all work synergistically to support herd health. However, prebiotics add an extra layer of protection and performance that can make a measurable difference in animal productivity.
Prebiotics in a Cattle Diet Offer an Economic Advantage
Adding prebiotics to a cattle diet is more than a health decision in today’s economy – it’s also a business strategy. When cattle stay healthier, producers see direct financial benefits. Improved gut function means more efficient nutrient absorption, which reduces feed costs and improves weight gain. A stronger immune system reduces the need for treatments and veterinary interventions. And improved overall performance strengthens profitability across the board.
This concept ties directly into one of the most important economic realities in beef production: nutritional savings. Every pound of feed that’s more efficiently digested, every day an animal spends healthy instead of fighting off illness, and every incremental gain in weight or reproduction rate directly impacts your bottom line. The cow diet works harder for you when you feed prebiotics, helping maximize savings.
Amaferm research shows that adding it to the beef cattle diet increases gain by .25 pounds per day. With current calf prices the way they have been this summer and into the fall, wouldn’t you want to have faster-gaining calves that go to market sooner to collect that paycheck?
Building a Smarter Cow Diet for the Future
The beef industry is constantly evolving, and so are the strategies that help producers stay competitive. As we face new challenges—from input costs to changing environmental conditions—optimizing nutrition becomes even more critical. Prebiotics are one of the most effective tools available today to improve digestion, boost immunity, and support long-term herd health.
By incorporating prebiotics like Amaferm into your cattle diet, you’re not just feeding your animals, but you’re also fueling their entire digestive system. That leads to stronger performance, improved efficiency, and a healthier herd from the inside out. Just like treating diesel fuel in the winter keeps an engine running smoothly, adding prebiotics to your nutrition program keeps the rumen—the cow’s engine—working at peak performance.
“We have nearly 70 years of research that show how Amaferm works. Furthermore, we see it in our own herds and herds across the country. If the cows stay healthier, they get more value out of what they consume and can partition more nutrients to their calves,” Cassady said. “I encourage producers to be more intentional with their cow herd nutrition to set future generations of their herd up for success.”
How to Incorporate Amaferm into the Cattle Diet
For producers looking to take full advantage of the benefits of prebiotics like Amaferm, the VitaFerm® and Gain Smart® lines of nutritional supplements offer a proven solution. Every VitaFerm and Gain Smart product is powered by Amaferm, a research-proven precision prebiotic designed to maximize energy and forage utilization. By improving the digestibility of forages and feed, Amaferm ensures cattle extract more nutrition from what they eat—supporting growth, reproduction, milk production, and overall herd performance.
Whether you’re managing a cow-calf operation, developing replacement heifers, or backgrounding stockers, these BioZyme products can be customized to meet your operation’s unique nutritional needs. And because Amaferm works naturally with the animal’s existing microbiome, it is safe and effective year-round.
VitaFerm for Cattle Diets
The best way to incorporate Amaferm into your cow diet is through the VitaFerm line of vitamin and mineral supplements. BioZyme offers a variety of nutritional supplements, all powered by Amaferm.
- VitaFerm® ONE – meets or exceeds nutrient requirements throughout the production cycle and provides one solution to conveniently and consistently promote cattle performance in all seasons.
- VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® – promotes effective, easy breeding when fed 60 days pre-calving through 60 days post-breeding.
- VitaFerm® ReproMaxx™ – provides high vitamin and mineral fortification and research-proven components to take reproductive success to the MAXX.
Furthermore, you can give your days-old calves the Amaferm technology with the VitaFerm® Sure Start Gel, designed to maximize calf vigor immediately after the calf has its first colostrum.
A plethora of products exists in each of the VitaFerm lines to meet each operational goal, including products for fly control, heat mitigation with our HEAT® technology, additional protein, and more. BioZyme also offers drenches for quick response for weaning and receiving.
Gain Smart for Calf Diets
Gain Smart is a line of vitamin and mineral supplements for stocker cattle that promotes healthy, economical pounds. All formulas are powered by Amaferm and include organic copper, iodine, and zinc for maximum bioavailability and hoof health.
Gain Smart offers 4 different free-choice vitamin and mineral supplement formulas to fit any feeding scenario.
The 4 Gain Smart formulas include:
- Gain Smart Stocker, designed to maximize efficient gain.
- Gain Smart Stocker Wheat, designed to maximize efficient gain on wheat or small grain pasture.
- Gain Smart Stocker HEAT®, designed to maximize efficient gain when temperatures are above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Contains HEAT technology, a combination of essential oils and garlic, to support animals when heat and insects are a challenge.
- Gain Smart Stocker Balancer RU1600, designed to maximize efficient gain and balance high-grain diets when mixing TMR rations. Includes rumensin for improved feed efficiency.
Get Your Amaferm Today
The success of your operation starts with the foundation you build in your cattle diet. A balanced ration, combined with a prebiotic like Amaferm, creates a healthier gut, a stronger immune system, and more productive animals. It’s a simple but powerful concept: fuel the good bugs, and they’ll fuel the herd.
If you’re ready to strengthen your herd’s performance and improve your bottom line, incorporating Amaferm through products like VitaFerm or Gain Smart is an efficient way to get started. Not sure what to feed cows when it comes to VitaFerm? Check out our Concept•Aid Product Navigator.
Get your VitaFerm and Gain Smart products from an authorized BioZyme dealer today. Our extensive dealer network is here to help you meet mineral needs.
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