Cattle affected with HBS usually die within 12 to 36 hours after the onset of symptoms. The fatality rate is 85 to 100 percent.

The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher, knowing of the benefits of Celmanax manufactured by Vi-COR, tested its effectiveness against factors responsible for causing HBS.

"The data indicate that the development of HBS requires the dual insults of a pathogenic bacteria and a fungal or mycotoxin challenge," explains Sangita Jalukar, product development and research coordinator at Vi-COR.

These challenges are not limited to moldy feed containing Aspergillus fumigatus and Clostridium perfringens Type A as previously thought.

Results also showed that Celmanax Liquid, at 0.1 percent, was able to completely eliminate the cytotoxic effects of both purified mycotoxins as well as extracts from moldy forages in vitro.

Additionally, in a dose dependent manner, Celmanax Liquid significantly reduced the adherence of E. coli O157:H7 to explants of healthy jejunal tissue. At a physiologically relevant concentration (0.01 percent) the reduction was 10 fold.

There are no effective treatments for HBS; however, new approaches to managing pathogen issues in livestock using feed ingredients that contain MOS (mannan oligosaccharide) or other yeast-based prebiotics like Celmanax are gaining support.

"They may be able to play a significant role in reducing the effects of some pathogenic bacteria, mycotoxins and, as a result, the incidence of HBS," says Jalukar.  PD

—From Vi-COR news release