Principles of Microbiology Nutrition

Discover the Nutrition Principles Priority operates by in this article.
Richard Breunig, founder of Priority IAC, and the inventor of Microbiology Nutrition and the Eleven Nutrition Principles.
The epicenter of a cow’s life, the rumen, functions through microbiology.
Priority IAC understands and applies microbiology to manage the complexity of the rumen and feeds the microorganisms correctly to yield the maximum benefit to the cow.
This is true nutrition – This is Microbiology Nutrition.

To understand Microbiology Nutrition and how it works, Richard Breunig, President and Founder of Priority IAC, shares his insights as he works with producers. 

To understand Microbiology Nutrition and how it works, Richard Breunig, President and Founder of Priority IAC, shares his insights as he works with producers. 

Richard Breunig: As a self-taught entrepreneur, I founded Priority IAC, Inc. in 1998. Priority IAC is a farm-developed concept, family-owned company bringing this technology directly to producers. As a dairy producer managing the world-renowned Clover Mist Farm, I saw firsthand the impact of microbiology on animal performance and health and am bringing this knowledge and power directly to producers through my invention of Microbiology Nutrition and discovery of Smartbacteria.

What is Microbiology Nutrition? What does it do? It is the pairing of two fields: the nutrition field and the field of microbiology. Just as the soil and our own gut is based on microbiology, so is the rumen. Priority’s knowledge and understanding of how Smartbacteria work in the rumen allows for a revolutionary approach to feeding cows that benefit the cow’s health, reproduction, production, and efficiency as these microorganisms thrive by being fed uniquely. This technology and invention stems from my firsthand experimentation as I researched and studied at Clover Mist Farm by feeding different strains to find the best workers. Only those that performed on the farm, ones the cows showed worked, made the cut to become Smartbacteria. Microbiology Nutrition is a specially designed approach to nutrition that focuses on Smartbacteria added to the rumen to do the work and keep the microbiome stable.

P-One™ is specially designed to deliver Smartbacteria that have specific modes of action to shift the microbiome’s profile, making it more unified so the cows benefit similarly from the same TMR. Then the ration is about feeding the microorganisms, as all that is fed supports microbial growth. These beneficial bacteria (Smartbacteria) eat something, make something, and then they die. When the microorganisms die, they make microbial protein. The cow benefits not only from the VFAs produced in the process, but the microbial protein from the dead bacteria as these cells are broken down and used by the cow as amino acids.

My invention stems from the foundation that everything living on Earth eats something and makes something. I spent more than ten years of trials at Clover Mist to find the right bacteria. There are trillions of strains within a genus and species: It’s like having trillions of bulls to select from, but you want to narrow it down to the very best. In working with bacteria, we’ve found the best performing individuals and identified them as Smartbacteria with jobs to do in the rumen to provide on farm results in the real world. This, the real proving ground.

How does Microbiology Nutrition change the way cows are fed? It’s about applying nutrition principles that are reliable. It’s about teaching these principles for the benefit of the cows and those who serve them. This allows the producer to manage their dairy effectively and manage the dairy around principles. Nutrition feeds the microbiology, microbiology feeds the body. It’s about getting the forages made at early maturity, made at the highest moisture, to ferment as quickly as possible. Smartbacteria need to be there first as the first ingredient with no straw, no dry hay, and no garbage feed. We are able to provide a more efficient and dense ration with easy principles to understand – it’s empowering! We add the microbiology, the Smartbacteria in P-One™, as the first ingredient and then we feed these microorganisms following the Eleven Nutrition Principles I’ve established. Microbiology Nutrition is the way to make feed efficiency work. The rumen is a continuous fermentor, with inputs coming in, altering fermentation. Everything we feed an animal is the food for the microbiology of the rumen. So the first step is to add the correct, optimal microbiology.

What does P-One™ do? The Smartbacteria in P-One™ are selected organisms to utilize the required carbohydrate load so to keep the cow out of acidosis as these microorganisms have specific modes of action that stabilize and maintain rumen pH. This creates a more uniform microbiome so to handle the same TMR. It is a beneficial tool for the producer as it helps the cows go through immediate feed changes, dry matter or moisture changes, and other variables much more easily.

Can cows be healthy if their MUNs are below 10? Yes, many producers come to us with herd MUNs in the teens. Anything above zero is waste as the test for MUN is really a measure of excess nitrogen. While the tank average is just that, an average. The balance is in the 6, 7, 8 range. MUN is a number, however, manure is the best indicator of what is going on in the rumen fermenter. Excess nitrogen from protein leaves the body through the manure, milk, urine and the bottom of their feet, so protein fed in excess is quite expensive and detrimental to cow health and performance.

How does mold impact foot health? Forages made too dry, not fermented correctly create an environment for moldy feed that produces toxins which not only disrupt rumen function, but need to exit the body through other avenues including the feet.

So when Priority does my ration where do I get my feed? We are quite different – Priority is about empowering the producers. They have the freedom to buy their mixes where they want, we provide the microbiology (P-One™) and trace minerals (TracePac Gold™ Smart Release Crystals™) to support the principles of Microbiology Nutrition. Producers are free to take their mix wherever they want. It is their mix and can do business wherever they chose.

Are trace minerals important in Microbiology Nutrition? All minerals support microbial growth, but trace minerals have the most impact. TracePac Gold™ Smart Release Crystals™ are in a form that’s highly available, in support of microbial growth, to enhance immune function, which benefits reproduction. The right trace minerals have a tremendous role in the growth of microorganisms.

Are there less ingredients in a Priority Ration? Microbiology Nutrition – It’s a simple ration, there are requirements for energy, protein, minerals and amino acid balancing. All in balance with the ability to maximize carbohydrates (energy), the rumen microbes have the best opportunity to maximize VFA’s and microbial protein. This microbial protein comes free to the producer and perfectly amino acid balanced. A list of ingredients doesn’t make the ration right!

Many out there say Priority is a high corn ration, is that true? That’s not true. Energy comes from many sources of carbohydrates, with most coming from high quality forages that deliver fermentable fiber. There are two sources of fiber: ADF (lignin/wood) which is not used or fermentable, and NDF which is fermentable. Both are fiber, one is simply a pass-through while the other is used in fermentation. With Microbiology Nutrition and Smartbacteria, we can embrace higher NFCs. NFCs are fermentable fiber, starch, sugar, and silage acids – All energy that can be used. Thus, the wood fiber is not needed.

How do you reduce intakes and get the same or more milk? Microbiology Nutrition allows us to provide the cow with a more energy dense ration. This is simply reducing ADF or the wood portion of fiber allowing the highest percent of what is fed to be used in fermentation. There is more milk on less intake, less manure as a higher percent is used in fermentation, more lay down time as she doesn’t have to eat as much to get her needs met and, a much more efficient ration. The more dense the ration the lower the risk of ketosis.

How do producers make high quality forages? Early maturity and wet – This will bring the highest percent used with the least amount of waste. Water is energy. The more moisture left in the plant at harvest makes everything more available to the cow, like a pasture. With Microbiology Nutrition everything that goes into the rumen is simply food for the organisms. Hydration is key. If it is dry the rumen spends more time and works harder trying to put water back into the feed – Wetter feeds are already hydrated. The rate, or speed, and the volume that the rumen is able to use with wetter feeds is far greater than with drier feeds. However, this is why microbiology must be first. If the rumen cannot handle the load, then you have issues with SARA or acidosis. It is so important on the day of harvest to make sure you are harvesting at early maturity and with the most moisture possible. Then you need to get the forage covered as quickly as possible. That day of harvest dictates the quality of the forage for the entire year. Feeding quality forages, with no straw, allows the rumen to be an efficient fermentor. The rumen works on fermentation, which means the pieces of feed need to get small and hydrated so the microorganisms can ferment that feed. Cud chewing is doing the same thing making the pieces smaller and wetter. There’s no logic to particle length. There’s no logic that the rumen needs something scratched. The industry tells producers the cows need particle length, fiber length, and scratch factor; but the key is lowering ADF and making the forages wetter. When the cow goes out to pasture to eat, she’s not measuring. The cow is eating the most lush, highest moisture tops of the plants which are the most digestible/fermentable. Plant breeding has advanced. Harvesting early maturity and wetter has yielded a higher amount to ferment and quicker. We get higher production levels, but concede animal health if the rumen cannot utilize the load of carbohydrates. The Smartbacteria in P-One™ utilize the load and speed of wetter forages that ferment faster and more complete in the rumen. Molds and the mycotoxins they produce throw off the fermentation, reproduction, and foot health. By making forages earlier and wetter, producers have the best chance of their forages fermenting without molds.

Why does Priority encourage wetter feeds? The forage put up wet packs better in storage with water weight, ferments more quickly producing more organic acids dropping pH more quickly to ferment. This is the best way to prevent mold and wild yeast issues that create rumen havoc, costly to the producer that lasts the life of the forage. Then there is the advantage in rumen fermentation where a higher percent is used quicker for more milk and butterfat.

What do you mean by feeding to an empty bunk? Rations are formulated for a 24 hour period. All the cows’ ration needs should be met in the 24 hour period if, totally eaten. Any leftovers are costly and the ration made wasn’t delivered. The ration should be eaten and managed around 23 hours empty bunk, so that all cows are ready for the next 24 hour period.

How does Microbiology Nutrition improve transition and fresh cow health? An energy dense ration allows fresh cows to get their needs met more quickly, which helps keep them out of ketosis. Straw or poor hay should not be used in dry cow rations. Neither is easily fermented and both hold up fermentation post calving, when the demand for energy is the greatest, risking ketosis.

Can I feed an all corn silage ration? An all corn silage ration is certainly possible with Microbiology Nutrition, corn silage has a bit of starch and the balance is forage. For example if silage is 35% starch, then 65% is forage, just a different color than haylage or ryelage.

What is the role of a Priority nutritionist? Education is so important to us. Our greatest role as your nutritionist is to educate and get the control back in the producers’ hands. Education is crucial in allowing the producer to hone in on management. This includes harvesting early maturity forages and making them wetter to ferment and preserve better; therefore, doing the same in the rumen for optimal efficiency and cow health – All done without straw or poor quality hay. A producer’s talent with cows and management is real. Cows tell the producer what does and doesn’t work. We share and educate why the cow is doing what she does. The Eleven Microbiology Nutrition Principles provide the foundation to nutrition. These are the tools producers can use to manage their dairy, it’s a win-win.

What is feed efficiency? How does it work? Feed efficiency is the most milk for each pound of dry matter intake. This can only be done with Microbiology Nutrition. Feed efficiency was promoted heavily with the goal being 1.5lbs of milk for every dry matter pound of intake. Today it’s not widely used, because of the risk of acidosis, the industry couldn’t figure out how to reach that number without cow health issues. Microbiology Nutrition takes that risk out because we add the right organisms to get the rumen right. These organisms then use the energy from the feeds efficiently/correctly. It allows us to do nutrition in a much different way. It’s logical and in the best interest of the cow as she has less work to do. It’s getting the most calories, energy, in a pound of intake. You get this by feeding the very best forages with low ADF. Straw is being used to counter fermentable fiber, but why feed something that doesn’t get used? It is simply taking up space in the rumen and acting as a pass-through. Straw is the opposite of ration density as it is adding something that has no value to the cow. Ration density achieves feed efficiency. We use ingredients that are dense in energy and/or protein so that cows get more with less intakes. For example, soybean meal is far denser than distillers. Even better, roasted soybeans provide high levels of both protein and fat. The idea is to meet the cows’ energy and protein needs quicker, with less intakes, to get the same or more production. This means the cow will eat less feed, there is less feed that needs to go through the fermentor (rumen), and there is less manure and waste.

Why does pH matter? pH is the key to all life, everything requires it’s optimal and consistent pH to be able to thrive: the soil, the body, the rumen – All need a stable pH. The organisms grow and flourish to provide their end products in a stable pH environment. P-One™ the magic of Microbiology!