Lallemand launches young-ruminant nutrition programme for calf health

FRANCE – Lallemand Animal Nutrition has launched SMART GROWS, a programme combining milk replacers, starter feeds, supplements and farm-management support to improve calf health, welfare and resilience from birth through weaning.

The programme targets the first weeks of life, which Lallemand identifies as a critical period for young ruminants as they develop their immune systems, establish healthy digestion and transition from milk to solid feed.

Calves can experience an immune gap between two and four weeks of age as protection provided by colostrum declines while their own immune response develops.

Lallemand cited research published in the Journal of Dairy Science showing that up to one in 10 calves do not reach weaning, with early-life health and developmental challenges potentially affecting later productivity and milk yield.

SMART GROWS brings together microbial solutions, milk hygiene and management practices across several areas of young-ruminant production.

The programme includes probiotics and postbiotics to support gut health and nutrient utilisation, while live yeast is used to support rumen development and the transition to solid feed.

Lallemand is also promoting milk-hygiene solutions designed to maintain consistent quality of milk and milk replacers.

Its milk-replacer approach includes yeast-based protein as a highly digestible alternative to milk protein, with the company positioning the ingredient as a way to support digestion, palatability and formulation costs.

Bedding solutions form another component of the programme, with the aim of maintaining litter quality and supporting a healthier housing environment during the early-life period.

“Young ruminants represent one of the greatest opportunities to influence lifetime outcomes,” said Laurent Dussert, global category manager, ruminant and equine at Lallemand Animal Nutrition.

“With SMART GROWS, we are bringing our full portfolio of solutions and technical expertise together under one program, matched to the specific challenges of early life.”

Beyond products, SMART GROWS includes feed-technology support, nutrition consulting, on-farm audits and field specialists.

Lallemand said these services can help milk-replacer and feed manufacturers optimise formulations and help producers apply nutrition and management practices according to farm conditions.

The programme covers objectives including gut health, resilience, successful weaning, feed efficiency and formulation optimisation, with the company linking improved early-life management to longer-term animal performance.

Lallemand has also launched a dedicated digital platform for SMART GROWS, allowing users to explore its young-ruminant solutions according to development stage and production objectives, from pre-weaning through post-weaning.

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