Stephen Boyles*1, Wayne Shriver††, and Dean Kobs*
*The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences
††The Ohio State University Eastern Ohio Resource Development Center
Much of the eastern and southern United States has endophyte-infected fescue as the main source of forage protein and energy. Yeast products, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, may assist in digestion of forages. Based on regression analysis, gestating heifers appeared to gain slightly more weight if they had access to a free-choice mineral supplement containing yeast than a control mineral. Control heifers lost less weight during the interval of calving and peak lactation. However, this may have some relation to milk production differences. Cow-calf pairs consuming yeast-mineral mixes resulted in increased weaning weights.
1 For more information, contact at: The Ohio State University, 222F Animal Science Building, 2029 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210, 614-292-7669, Fax 614-292-1515, e-mail: boyles.4@osu.edu