Maximise colostrum quality and vaccinal response with beta glucans: your herd’s ultimate defence!

Ensuring top-notch immunity isn't just about battling diseases – it's about preventing them too. That's where our secret weapon comes in: beta glucans. By boosting the animal immune system, beta glucans not only enhance vaccine responses but also fortify animals against stress and inflammation.

Picture this: throughout her lifetime, a sow receives several vaccines, each playing a crucial role in safeguarding her health and boosting immunoglobulin levels in colostrum for her piglets. While some vaccines are highly effective, adding a 'boost' effect can be a game-changer, rapidly stabilizing herds during outbreaks and priming piglets for a resilient future.

The best part? Incorporating immunomodulators like beta glucans doesn't just amplify one vaccine – it boosts our entire vaccination program, ensuring maximum protection for your herd.

What are immunomodulator?

Beta glucans are potent immunomodulators that fine-tune the body's immune response, enhancing its ability to defend against pathogens while regulating inflammation. By activating immune cells like macrophages and cytokines, beta glucans boost immunity, making them invaluable in improving vaccine efficacy and overall health in animals.

Different types of immunomodulators

beta glucans have a track record in enhancing immunity. They can be sourced from various natural sources. Common sources include yeast, oats, barley, and algae. These sources provide different types of beta glucans, they are not the same!

Linear beta-(1,3)-glucans are the most effective ones as they are more recognisable by the receptors in macrophages and dendritic cells. Linear beta-(1,3)-glucans can come from unicelular algae, now, lets don not confuse this with seaweed, because it is not, it is an amazing algae that grows naturally in fresh water.

How do they work?

In essence, beta glucans, once ingested, interact with the Dectin-1 receptor in macrophages and dendritic cells within the gut's lymphatic tissue. This interaction triggers a cascade of internal reactions, ultimately boosting the production of interleukins and other chemoquines. These substances facilitate lymphocyte differentiation and enhance the secretion of immunoglobulins. Linear beta glucans are preferred due to their superior binding capability compared to ramified forms, optimizing their immunomodulatory effects. Thus linear beta (1,3)-glucans coming from a unicellular algae , are more potent and effective than the ramified version coming from yeast. Due to it is composition it is easy to bind when they are linear.

Let’s not confuse unicellular algae with seaweed, unicellular algae that grows in fresh waters and on a lab and under specific and controlled environment produces beta (1,3)-glucans which are readily available and with a standardised concentration

Enough of the science behind it, lets jump off the lab and move to the farm from some real life experiences. You will see this in the next article- stay tunned