top of page

Do Your Cows Need a Vitamin B Supplement? Exploring the Differences Between Yeast and Rumen-Derived Microbial Products

Writer's picture: Native MicrobialsNative Microbials



When evaluating feed additives for dairy cows, most nutritionists turn to yeast-based products, drawn by their promises of enhanced digestion, immune support, and rumen health. But yeast products, despite the bold claims, may primarily function as nutritional supplements rather than true ecosystem partners in the rumen.

 

Enter rumen-derived microbial products, such as Galaxis Frontier, which take a fundamentally different approach. These live microbial products are sourced directly from the rumen and designed to interact with the rumen's existing microbial community. In this article, we’ll contrast the roles of yeast-based supplements and Galaxis Frontier, focusing on their mechanisms, benefits, and implications for dairy cow performance.


Yeast Products: A Nutritional Boost more than a Microbiome Solution


Yeast-based products—whether fermentates or live yeast—are widely used in dairy cattle feeding. They are valued for their nutrient content and support for rumen microbes, but their actual role is far more nutritional than ecological.


What Yeast Products Provide


  • Vitamin B Supplementation: The most consistent and scientifically supported benefit of yeast products lies in their contribution of bioavailable B vitamins, such as biotin, niacin, and thiamine. In fact, During World War II, under Nazi-occupied Germany, Bayer began feeding yeast to cows to address vitamin B deficiencies caused by shortages of quality fodder. These nutrients are required for adequate energy metabolism, hoof health, and milk production. While the cow’s own vitamin B production is often sufficient for pasture-raised cattle with slow fermenting diets, emerging research suggests modern high-concentrate rations and increased milk production demands may outpace natural vitamin production and that supplementation may be needed.


  • Modest Effects on Microbes: Fermentation byproducts from yeast cultures may provide other metabolites that can support ruminal bacteria, but these effects are less specific and have limited effect compared to other strategies.


The Limits of Yeast Products


  • Does not integrate into the Rumen Microbial Community: Live yeast, specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is not a native rumen organism. Studies consistently show that it doesn’t establish in the rumen, likely dying quickly and contributing little more than microbial protein.


  • Modest & Variable Results: While some studies suggest modest benefits under specific conditions, results for live yeast products are inconsistent, and their effectiveness depends heavily on diet, management, and environmental stressors.



The Bottom Line on Yeast: Yeast products are better understood as nutritional supplements, with one of their primary benefits stemming from the B vitamins they supply. Their role as microbial "boosters" is limited, especially in well-managed herds with balanced diets.


Galaxis Frontier: A True Microbial Solution From Cows, For Cows


Rumen-derived microbial products take a completely different approach from yeast products. Instead of acting as a nutritional supplement, Galaxis Frontier enhances the levels of live microbes that are native to the rumen. The microbes were selected for their ability to interact effectively with the existing microbial ecosystem in the rumen of dairy cows.


How Galaxis Frontier Works


  1. Ecosystem Enhancement: The microbes making up Galaxis Frontier interact with existing rumen populations, optimizing rumen biochemistry to support both animal health and milk production.

  2. Sustainable Rumen Stability: By working with native microbes, Galaxis Frontier contributes to a balanced ecosystem that’s less susceptible to metabolic disorders.

  3. Consistent Results: Because Galaxis Frontier microbes are naturally adapted to the dairy cow rumen and are part of the core rumen microbiome, milk production results have been more consistent across trials with different diets and management systems compared to non-native products like yeast.

 

The Bottom Line on Galaxis Frontier: Galaxis Frontier is not just a supplement but an ecosystem tool that enhances the dairy cow’s rumen, offering a targeted approach to improving cow productivity and health.


Yeast and Galaxis Frontier Fulfill Different Needs for Your Herd

Feature

Yeast-Based Products

Rumen-Derived Microbial Products (Galaxis Frontier)

Primary Role

Nutritional supplement (vitamin B)

Microbial ecosystem enhancement

Native to Rumen?

No (non-native microbes)

Yes (rumen-derived microbes)

Key Mechanisms

Vitamin B supplementation; modest microbial support

Interaction with native microbes; improved rumen fermentation

Consistency of Results

Highly variable

Consistent across different diets and environments

Best Use Case

Addressing marginal B vitamin deficiencies

Enhancing rumen stability for greater cow performance and health


Two Products, Two Roles: What Does Your Herd Need?


If you suspect your cows are experiencing marginal B vitamin deficiencies—manifesting as hoof issues, reduced milk yield, or metabolic challenges—yeast products may provide a cost-effective nutritional boost.


On the other hand, if your goal is to optimize rumen fermentation and support milk production through microbial ecosystem enhancement, Galaxis Frontier is the better choice. Galaxis Frontier microbes work in partnership with the rumen’s native microbiome, providing targeted and consistent benefits that align with the cow’s natural digestive processes.


 

References:


1.          Jukes EHT (1941). “YEAST AS CATTLE FODDER.” Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 47: 61-63. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2050-0416.1941.tb06077.x

2.          Girard CL and B Graulet. (2021). “Methods and approaches to estimate B vitamin status in dairy cows: Knowledge, gaps and advances.” Methods (San Diego, Calif.)186, 52–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymeth.2020.05.021

3.          Fouts DE, S Szpakowski, J Purushe, M Torralba, RC Waterman, MD MacNeil, LJ Alexander and KE Nelson. (2012). “Next Generation Sequencing to Define Prokaryotic and Fungal Diversity in the Bovine Rumen.” PLoS ONE 7 (11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0048289

4.          Ishaq SL, O AlZahal, N Walker and B McBride. (2017). “An Investigation into Rumen Fungal and Protozoal Diversity in Three Rumen Fractions, during High-Fiber or Grain-Induced Sub-Acute Ruminal Acidosis Conditions, with or without Active Dry Yeast Supplementation.” Frontiers in Microbiology 8:1934. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01943

5.          Kumar S, N Indugu, B Vecchiarelli and DW Pitta. (2015). “Associative Patterns among Anaerobic Fungi, Methanogenic Archaea, and Bacterial Communities in Response to Changes in Diet and Age in the Rumen of Dairy Cows.” Frontiers in Microbiology 6:781. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2015.00781

6.          Mendes de Almeida PN, ER Duarte, FO Abrão, C Eduardo, S Freitas, L Castro G and CA Rosa. (2012). “Aerobic Fungi in the Rumen Fluid from Dairy Cattle Fed Different Sources of Forage.” Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia 41 (11), 2336-42. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982012001100006

7.          Pavcek PL, WH Peterson, and CA Elvehjem. (1937). “Effect of Growth Conditions on Yield and Vitamin B of Yeast.” Industrial & Engineering Chemistry 29 (5), 536-541. https://doi.org/10.1021/ie50329a012

8.          Kennedy C, Palmer LS. (1992). “Yeast as a source of vitamine-B for the growth of rats.” Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 19 (7), 362-364. https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-19-176

9.          Varga E and A Maraz (2005). “Yeast cells as sources of essential microelements and vitamins B1 and B2.” Acta Alimentaria 31 (4), 393-405. https://doi.org/10.1556/aalim.31.2002.4.8

4 views0 comments

Comentarios


bottom of page