Bio 5™ Improves Milk Fat & Protein Content in Iowa Tests

World Dairy Expo: Booth MC EL 01

MADISON, Wis., Oct. 02, 2017 -- Production of milk fat and protein improved significantly in a test of a new Catalyst product, Bio 5™, on 1,500 cattle at Bear Creek Dairy in Brooklyn, Iowa. Milk fat increased 5.8 percent and protein, 3.2 percent according to Jos Zamzow, Catalyst chief operating officer. 

The product, which also reduced herd deaths and manure ammonia levels, will be on exhibit at the World Dairy Expo here starting tomorrow. (Oct. 3, 2017)

“The results surprised all of us all, as the trial was designed to improve milk fat and protein content,” Zamzow said.   “We hoped that the product also would help with concerns from neighbors about the odor of dairy operations. The product turned out to be much more effective that we had even hoped. Not only does Bio 5™ improve milk quality by increasing milk fat and protein – it also reduces odors.”

The product is a culmination of decades of work in related industries and research into methods of blending ingredients. “We’ve watched farmers utilize some of these ingredients for years but it always seemed like the products were missing something. We learned through trial and error that the way we put the ingredients together is critical,” Zamzow said.

“Bio 5™ contains a unique blend of bacteria, including several species of bacillus, but the real magic is in the proprietary nutrient delivery package,” Zamzow added.  The product comes in a powder that can be incorporated into existing rations, pelletized, or mixed into salt or mineral blends.

“The huge reduction in the calf abortion rate in the test herd was the most surprising result,” Zamzow said. Live births rose by 21 compared to the same period last year. There were 11 fewer calf deaths.  

“Feed additives rarely produce such dramatic results,” he continued.

“Bear Creek was the perfect operation for this project,” said Jevohn Miller, Catalyst’s sales representative in Iowa.  “The owners maintain detailed records going back six years and covering a wide variety of indicators. These records allowed us to compare our results with the same month in previous years, and even to look at the impact of the average daily temperature during the trial.“

“Based on our test data, an investment in Bio 5™ would yield a return on investment of nearly 40 percent — and that’s a conservative payback calculation,” said Zamzow.  “We believe the product will save producers money over the long run. We’re thankful for the milk fat and protein numbers because that’s what brings attention to the product, but the other benefits are actually worth a lot more money to the dairy farm in the long run. I’m confident we will see additional benefits as we study the test results further.”

Trials in China are scheduled to begin this fall. Asian livestock producers are considering using Bio 5™ as part of a protocol to reduce the use of antibiotics, Zamzow added.  

Catalyst is exhibiting Bio 5™ at Booth MC EL 01 at the World Dairy Expo, which runs through Saturday (Oct. 7, 2017).

Catalyst, formerly Pharm-Tech, was established in the 1960s. The Zamzow family, which purchased Pharm-Tech in 2008, has been involved in the animal feed and premix business for over 83 years. It offers products for companion animals and the agriculture industry worldwide. Headquarters are in Nampa, Idaho, with manufacturing facilities there and in Des Moines, Iowa.

Catalyst is certified by Validus as a “Safe-Feed/Safe-Food” facility under the Food Safety Modernization Act, and is certified as an organic premix manufacturer by the State of Iowa under the U.S. National Organic Program  (7 CFR 205). Additional information about Catalyst is available at http://catalystnng.com or by calling (515) 254-1290.

A video is available at https://youtu.be/r6uCqMlqw8U. High-resolution photos are available upon request.

Media Relations: Jo Murray
(208) 726-5869 or [email protected]

Contact at Dairy Expo:
Dana Partridge, Catalyst, Director - Midwest Sales and Operations
Cell: (515) 491-8487