Gut health plays a crucial role in livestock performance, influencing growth rates, immunity and feed efficiency. A well-balanced digestive system ensures animals absorb nutrients effectively, leading to better overall health and productivity.
Kathryn Thompson :: Thursday 17th April 2025 :: Latest Blog Posts
5 Ways to Improve Livestock Gut Health This Spring
Gut health plays a crucial role in livestock performance, influencing growth rates, immunity and feed efficiency. A well-balanced digestive system ensures animals absorb nutrients effectively, leading to better overall health and productivity. However, spring's unpredictable weather – fluctuating temperatures, increased rainfall and fresh pasture growth – can disrupt gut stability, making livestock more susceptible to digestive stress.
At BW Feeds, we understand the importance of a strong digestive system in livestock. With decades of experience in formulating high-quality, nutritionally balanced feeds, we help farmers optimise gut health to support resilience and performance throughout the changing seasons.
Why Gut Health Matters
A healthy gut microbiome is essential for digestion, nutrient absorption and overall livestock wellbeing. The gut is home to billions of beneficial bacteria that help break down feed, extract essential nutrients and support immune function. When gut health is compromised, livestock struggle to absorb key nutrients, leading to poor growth rates, reduced milk yields and lower feed efficiency.
Beyond digestion, the gut is closely linked to the immune system. A well-balanced microbiome helps protect against harmful pathogens, reducing the risk of illness and minimising reliance on antibiotics. Conversely, poor gut health can lead to digestive upsets, increased stress and a higher likelihood of infections.
For farmers, maintaining optimal gut health means healthier animals, improved productivity and greater returns on feed investment. By focusing on digestion-friendly nutrition, you can support your livestock through the challenges of spring and beyond.
5 Practical Ways to Improve Gut Health
Add Prebiotics and Probiotics
Prebiotics and probiotics work together to support a healthy gut microbiome, but they serve different functions.
Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that help maintain balance in the digestive system. These "good" microbes compete with harmful bacteria, aiding digestion, improving nutrient absorption and enhancing immune defences. Probiotics are particularly useful during periods of stress – such as changes in diet or weather fluctuations – when the gut is more vulnerable to imbalances.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, are non-digestible fibres that act as food for beneficial gut bacteria. By nourishing these microbes, prebiotics help them multiply and function effectively, promoting a stable gut environment. Common prebiotic sources in livestock diets include chicory root, beet pulp and certain cereal grains.
By including both prebiotics and probiotics in livestock feed, farmers can enhance digestion, improve feed efficiency and reduce the risk of gut-related illnesses, ensuring animals remain healthy and productive throughout spring.
Incorporate Fibre-Rich Ingredients
Fibre plays a key role in digestion by promoting gut motility and supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria. Livestock diets that are too low in fibre can lead to digestive problems, while the right balance helps maintain a healthy gut environment.
One common issue caused by inadequate fibre is acidosis, a condition most often seen in ruminants like cattle and sheep. Acidosis occurs when animals consume too much rapidly fermentable feed – such as lush spring grass or high-starch concentrates – causing an excess of acid in the rumen. This disrupts gut bacteria, leading to reduced appetite, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, lameness or even death.
To prevent acidosis and other digestive upsets, incorporating fibre-rich ingredients like sugar beet pulp, alfalfa and structured forages can help slow digestion, regulate pH levels and provide a steady, controlled release of energy. This is particularly important during the transition to spring grazing, when animals are adjusting to richer pasture.
Ensure Adequate Water Intake
Hydration is essential for proper digestion and gut function. Water helps break down feed, transport nutrients and maintain a stable gut environment. During spring, as temperatures fluctuate, livestock may need encouragement to drink consistently. Regularly checking water sources, ensuring they are clean and easily accessible, and monitoring intake levels can prevent dehydration and digestive upsets.
Balance Minerals and Vitamins
A well-balanced supply of essential minerals and vitamins is crucial for maintaining gut health and overall immunity in livestock. Deficiencies in key nutrients can weaken the gut lining, reduce digestive efficiency and make animals more susceptible to disease.
- Zinc plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the gut lining. It helps repair and strengthen intestinal cells, reducing the risk of leaky gut syndrome – a condition where harmful bacteria and toxins pass into the bloodstream, leading to inflammation and illness. Zinc is particularly important for young, fast-growing animals and high-performing livestock like dairy cows.
- Selenium acts as a powerful antioxidant, helping to reduce inflammation and protect gut tissues from damage. It supports immune function, reducing the risk of infections that can disrupt digestion. Selenium deficiency is a common issue in UK soils, meaning livestock often require supplementation to maintain optimal health.
- Vitamins A, D and E contribute to various aspects of digestive health. Vitamin A supports gut tissue development and immune response, vitamin D aids calcium absorption and overall gut function, and vitamin E works as an antioxidant to protect against oxidative stress. Ensuring adequate levels of these vitamins helps livestock maintain a strong digestive system, especially during seasonal transitions.
Providing a well-balanced diet with the right levels of these nutrients – whether through mineral supplements, fortified feeds or carefully managed grazing – can significantly improve gut health, reducing digestive disorders and boosting overall livestock performance.
Make Gradual Feed Changes
Sudden dietary changes can disrupt gut flora, leading to digestive disturbances such as bloating or diarrhoea. Whether transitioning to spring grazing or adjusting feed formulations, gradual changes allow the gut microbiome to adapt, minimising stress. Introducing new feeds slowly over 7–10 days ensures a smooth transition and supports digestive stability.
Tailored Gut Health Solutions for Your Herd or Flock
Every farm is unique, and so are the gut health needs of your livestock. Factors such as species, age, production stage and diet all influence digestive health, meaning a one-size-fits-all approach to feeding may not deliver the best results. Customising your livestock's diet can help maximise feed efficiency, improve nutrient absorption and reduce the risk of digestive upsets.
At BW Feeds, we specialise in mill and mix services, providing tailor-made feed formulations designed to support optimal gut health. By working with farmers to analyse their livestock's specific needs, we create balanced rations that include the right levels of fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, minerals and vitamins. Whether you need a high-fibre blend to prevent acidosis in cattle or a mineral-rich ration to support poultry gut health, we can help.
By investing in a gut health-focused feeding strategy, you can enhance livestock performance, boost immunity and improve overall wellbeing – helping your animals thrive through the challenges of spring and beyond.
Need expert advice on livestock gut health?
Get in touch with BW Feeds today to discuss how our bespoke feed solutions can support your herd or flock. Our team is here to help you optimise nutrition and keep your livestock in peak condition