Source: FERA news release
FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals is pleased to introduce FerAppease, a unique analogue of the naturally occurring Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (MBAS) used to improve cattle welfare, animal health and performance, providing more profitability for ranchers, backgrounders/feedyards, and dairy farmers. Originally used in swine, research shows FerAppease minimizes the animal’s perception of danger, allowing it to feel safe and more comfortable during routine management procedures, such as weaning, transport, calving, relocation and much more.
All ingredients in FerAppease are FDA approved under GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). The product is applied topically. Operators spray FerAppease on the back of the animal’s head and just above the muzzle. The MBAS enters a gland in the animal’s nose, reducing stress reactions by the brain’s hypothalamus and amygdala.
During clinical trials, treated animals in all stages displayed enhanced performance and immunity. “Consider calves. Weaning stress can cause them to quit eating and may reduce vaccine efficacy. They lose weight and are more likely to get sick,” says FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals founder and CEO Rodrigo Bicalho, D.V.M, Ph.D. “Researchers found FerAppease-treated weaned calves were noticeably calmer and explored their surroundings as if they had been weaned for months. In addition, the well-known post-weaning body weight shrinkage disappeared, with treated animals having an extra 36 pounds compared to control calves at 45 days post weaning.”
In another study working with ranchers who precondition weaned calves, FerAppease helped by reducing stress (lowering cortisol levels), increasing dry matter intake, increasing response to vaccination, and improving weight gain. Ranchers saw an extra 20 to 50 pounds per head, allowing them to sell more live weight.
In a feedyard study, steers receiving MBAS displayed illness symptoms sooner than average, allowing them to receive prompt treatment. Steers were more responsive to antibiotics, reducing mortality rates and decreasing retreatment by nearly 50 percent. “Cattle are prey animals, instinctively hiding sickness to appear strong,” says Dr. Bicalho. “Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) often occurs in new feedyard arrivals. FerAppease allowed ranchers to better detect disease and save money.”
In another study, researchers found that dairy calves treated every 14 days from birth through weaning had notable decreases in diarrhea and mortality incidents. Compared to the control group, the FerAppease-treated calves also had improved recovery following Bovine Respiratory Disease treatment, increased consumption of starter feed and enhanced weight gain as they were 18 pounds heavier one week after weaning compared to control calves.
FerAppease was also evaluated on adult dairy cows. At the beginning of Stage 1 parturition, cows were randomly given a single dose of FerAppease or a placebo. The treated group saw a notable decrease in incidences of retained placentas, mastitis, metritis and lameness.
FerAppease treatments for weaned calves through adult cattle will cost $3 per head and for calves $1.50 per head. FerAppease use doesn’t require a veterinarian’s prescription or a Veterinary Feed Directive plan, and there are no meat withholding requirements. For more information and study data and to order, visit www.feraah.com/ferappease.
