Why Rotapoof?
The use of electrolytes for the treatment of scours in livestock is well
established, but many products on the market pay little regard to the animal's
true requirement for nutrients during and following episodes of diarrhoea, the
subsequent loss of fluids and the need for gut tissue repair following a major
nutritional breakdown.
Forum Products have had many years of experience with scour-treatment products
for calves. We have recently turned our technical experience towards the
problem of scouring in game birds and pheasants, particularly the poor recovery
and reduced performance following an outbreak of rotavirus which can be a
serious problem on many game farms.
Rotaproof is a powder mixture of electrolytes, glucose and other balanced
nutrients designed for rapid reversal of the fluid and electrolyte losses
caused by diarrhoea but also to help repair damaged gut tissue to enable the
bird to recover feed intake and growth rate.
Electrolytes
Rotaproof contains a mixture of electrolytes including sodium chloride,
trisodium citrate, potassium chloride and magnesium sulphate on a dextrose
monohydrate base.
The onset of diarrhoea (scours) can be due to a number of reasons including
viral infections (such as rotavirus) bacterial infection (e.g. salmonella , E.
coli), motile protozoa (e.g. hexameter), food problems (contaminants or sudden
food changes) or poisoning. Poor management of the birds can also lead to
scouring through increased stress on the birds which can often occur during
moving, feed change or changes in weather conditions.
Whatever the reason, the result is that the bird has a reduced ability to
absorb water and sodium from its gut or an increased secretion of water into
the gut. The consequential loss of fluids and electrolytes from the body leads
to dehydration and metabolic acidosis - the latter due to bicarbonate loss in
the faeces. Additional problems often occur and typically hyperkalaemia
(increased concentration of potassium in the blood despite an underlying loss
of potassium in the faeces) can lead to heart failure and death.
An oral rehydration solution (ORS) should be administered immediately scouring
is seen, or even prior to a potential outbreak (such as moving birds or
changing feed). It is important that the ORS is efficiently absorbed, restores
extracellular fluid volume and corrects the symptoms of acidosis and
electrolyte loss.
In addition to the role of an ORS in replacing fluids and electrolytes it is
important that the cell damage caused to the gut wall during an episode of
scours is repaired and the bird's feed intake and growth rate are restored as
quickly as possible. Rotaproof contains a nutritionally balanced amount of
other key nutrients to speed the recovery and prevent further outbreaks of
scours.
Threonine
Threonine is an essential amino acid which is concerned with protein deposition
and growth. However, additional to its role in protein deposition, threonine is
a key nutrient for the gut. Around 50% of the digestible threonine intake is
utilised by the gut itself rather than for lean meat production. Threonine is
the most abundant amino acid in mucins which protect the lining of the gut
wall. Immunoglobulins are globular glycoproteins which also contain a high
amount of threonine. Adequate supply of threonine is therefore required for an
adequate immune system.
Betaine
One of the key roles of betaine in the animal is to act as an osmolyte. An
osmolyte is a substance that affects the movement of water, is taken up by the
cell quickly, does not have any adverse impact on the cell and protects
cellular macromolecules from inactivation.
To understand why betaine's osmolyte role is important physiologically, it must
first be understood that water content of the cell is a key factor in
determining what physiological state the cell is in. The goal of osmotic
regulation is to keep the cell volume as constant as possible. A change in cell
volume can cause a change in cell activity.
Although some changes in cell water level are normal, large changes are
stressful and potentially harmful to the cell's long term survival. This means
that cell must find efficient ways of coping with these problems when they
arise. Betaine is particularly useful to cells when they are in danger of
dehydration (beyond "normal" parameters) typically during severe scouring.
Natural vitamin E
Compounds like vitamin E function as biological anti-oxidants and are essential
to neutralise free radicals which can be harmful to cells. Vitamin E has been
shown to enhance both humeral and cell-mediated immunity. Natural vitamin E,
extracted from the soyabean, has a high biological activity compared with
synthetically produced vitamin E due to the fact that it is a single isomer
(d-alpha tocopherol) rather than a mixture of stereo isomers typical of
synthetic vitamin E.
d-alpha tocopherol is more bioavailable than synthetic vitamin E especially in a
water soluble formulation such as Rotaproof, and has been shown to reduce both
the onset and severity of diarrhoea resulting in significantly reduced
mortality compared with synthetic vitamin E.
How to use Rotapoof?
Mix Rotapoof with water at a rate of 40g per litre. Give the solution orally
through drinkers. Continue use until diarrhoea has ended.
Pack Size: 2-kg (50 litres of solution)
Water should be offered at the following rates (but please note that following
an incidence of scours, dehydrated birds may drink considerably more than the
quantities indicated below):
Water consumption per 100 birds per day
Where is Rotapoof available?
Rotapoof is available from selected game-supplies merchants and specialist
veterinary surgeons. For details of your nearest stockist, contact Forum
Products Ltd on 01737 781416.
Rotapoof can be also delivered in 1-4 working days:
order now.
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