PREVENTION is better than cure when it comes to animal health – and British producers can now access cutting edge global technology to reduce the need for antibiotics and other medicines.

French firm Olmix, which specialises in marine biotechnology and uses algae to improve animal, plant and human health, recently acquired Nottinghamshire-based Micromix, to offer a complete package of animal and plant care.

“The key to good animal health and productivity is providing optimum nutrition and a clean, hygienic environment,” said Robert Hamilton, animal care manager at Olmix UK.

“Olmix has a complete range of natural products which are scientifically proven to aid digestion, strengthen immunity, and improve hygiene – and now British farmers have access to all of that technology.”

Producers can learn how research into biosolutions is feeding through to practical benefits on farm at the Dairy-Tech show, Stoneleigh, on February 6, where Olmix and Micromix are exhibiting for the first time.

“Micromix has received a lot of funding for research and development - most recently from Innovate UK - and when combined with Olmix’s research budget of €8-9m (£7-7.9m) a year, the benefits to farmers are considerable,” said Wilson Boardman, managing director at Micromix.

“I’ve never come across a company anywhere in the world that is so dedicated to algae and prepared to spend so much on research and development.”

By isolating different active ingredients derived from sustainably sourced algae, the firm can target specific areas of animal health. Solutions include Diet – a micronised clay mixed with algal extracts and electrolytes, which both protects against digestive disorders and revives calves suffering from diarrhoea.

Other products include MMi.S - which binds a wide range of mycotoxins in feed, thereby preventing mycotoxicosis – and Mistral; a clay-based sanitiser which reduces incidence of mastitis, digital dermatitis and calf infections.

But it’s not just about the animal – nutrition is derived from plants, and Olmix offers a truly holistic approach to animal and plant health, with a range of biostimulants and foliar nutrients proven to boost crop yields and quality.

“Instead of feeding low quality grass or silage, topped up with expensive supplements, surely it’s better to grow better quality forage in the first place,” said Chris Gamble, sales manager at Micromix.

“For example, applying Micromix Essential – a foliar fertiliser containing all the essential micronutrients required for animal health and growth – to pasture is proven to increase forage quality, leading to higher blood nutrient levels in the livestock, alongside better growth rates and feed conversion efficiencies.”

Other solutions enable farmers to boost plant resistance to disease, reducing the need for chemical intervention.

“Farmers are rightly sceptical about the benefits of alternative health products, but we now have the science to explain and prove the benefits of algae,” said Mr Hamilton.

“At a time when producers are under immense pressure to reduce chemical and antibiotic use, this technology will prove vital in maximising animal health and productivity in a sustainable way.”

For more information visit www.olmix.com or visit our stand (I60) at Dairy-Tech.