The Benefits of Feeding BioCycle Plus

By: Greg Muchmore

BioCycle Plus is designed to provide three major benefits to ruminants:

• -Improve the fermentation process in the rumen which allows more complete digestion
• -Modulate the immune function
• -Offset the negative effects of mycotoxins with a biological alternative

In order to understand this unique approach, we must go to the cow’s digestive process.  The rumen is a 40-50 gallon capacity fermentation vat, responsible for producing the right blend of microbial proteins, volatile fatty acids and methane gas (which is belched).  This process should be completed in the rumen, but all too often, it continues into the small intestine (a 130 foot long tube responsible for ingestion and excretion of nutrients) – some call this “hind gut fermentation” but I call it acidosis- the end result is undigested fiber, starch and yes, methane gas (bubbles) in the manure.

So how do we enhance fermentation?  Add microbial sugars (if you make wine, you need sugar to enhance fermentation and so it works in the cow!); also, add specialized proteins to offset the negative effects of Salmonella, E. coli, and other “Gram negatives” found in the environment; and, finally, complement with the right blend of yeasts for production of B-vitamins.  BioCycle Plus contains all of these ingredients.

And now to the small intestine – some veterinarians have said it’s the most important organ of the cow’s immune function – it’s where amino acids, glucose and fatty acids, are absorbed into the bloodstream – and numerous components of the immune system initiate recognition of and attack against foreign invaders.  This is where BioCycle Plus will modulate this system to operate the process at a more efficient level.  Notice I did not say “boost”, which indicates only a short-term gain.

Mycotoxins are present in all dairies and when levels are too high, we can get train wrecks. The problem is that while enterocytes in the small intestine can recognize mycotoxins as absorbed poisons and possess a reverse absorption mechanism, that response is slow.  BioCycle Plus signals the enterocytes to always have that process running!  Some tout binders.  Binders have been shown to “bind” only 12-17% of vomitoxin in vitro, and such chemical reactions between a clay molecule and a toxin molecule have to occur as they pass through the 130 feet of small intestine if they happen to bump into each other! So keeping the enterocyte rejection system operating is always the best strategy. This is the biological approach we use with L-Form bacteria included in BioCycle Plus. 

This unique technology, used to advance fermentation, modulate immunity and limit the absorption of mycotoxins is only available through Select Sires- and by the way, we have a buy 5 get one free deal going on in September and October.  Use BioCycle Plus to help you take your herd up to the next level!