The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFP) on performance and health of calves during the first 63 d of age. New Zealand Holstein calves (30 male and 30 female) at 2 d of age were blocked by sex and date of birth then randomly assigned within blocks to one of 3 treatments. A texturized grain starter was fed ad libitum containing 0 (Control), 0.5 or 1% SCFP (Original XPC, Diamond V) of DM. The basal diet contained steam-flaked corn (33.1%), wheat bran (7.6%), Soybean meal (14.3%), Extruded soybean (4.2%), canola meal (8.0%), and DDGS (16.0%) and was without antibiotics. In addition, the supplemented calves were fed 1 g/d SCFP (SmartCare, Diamond V) in milk from d 2 to 30. All calves were fed 4 L of colostrum within 1 h of birth and were subsequently fed milk twice daily until weaned at 56 d of age. Performance and health of all weaned female calves were monitored until 63 d of age to determine the effect of pre-weaning treatment of SCFP on weaning stress. Starter intake, fecal score and medical treatment were recorded daily. Body weight measures and blood samples were collected on d 2, 28, 56, and 63. Serum was analyzed for BUN, NEFA, IGF-1, glucose, albumin, total protein and oxidative biomarkers. Data were analyzed by MIXED procedure in SAS with contrast statement to declare Control vs. all SCFP, and 0.5% SCFP vs. 1% SCFP in starter grains. Calf was the experimental unit. Body weight, DMI, blood parameters and oxidative biomarkers did not differ. Supplementation of SCFP lowered (P < 0.05) fecal scores, and diarrhea frequency. Number of medical treatments and medication costs were also lower (P < 0.05) with SCFP. After weaning, SCFP reduced diarrhea in a dose-dependent manner with greater effect seen with 1% SCFP in starter grain. Overall, SCFP reduced diarrhea and pre-weaning medical costs and helped calves better manage weaning stress. The effects of SCFP were greater with the higher dosage of SCFP in starter grain. Table 1.

Item1	Treatment			SEM	Contrasts (P-value)
CON	SCFP1	SCFP2	CON vs.SCFP1 and SCFP2	SCFP1 vs. SCFP2
ADG (kg/d)
PrW	0.70	0.72	0.73	0.03	0.29	0.84
PoW	1.09	1.12	1.12	0.11	0.78	0.98
Fecal scores
PrW	1.86a	1.53b	1.52b	0.04	< 0.001	0.62
PoW	2.19a	1.85b	1.71b	0.12	< 0.001	0.21
Diarrhea frequency
PrW	20.81a	10.80b	9.20b	1.83	<0.001	0.41
PoW	42.86a	21.43b	2.86c	7.62	<0.001	0.03
Medications
PrW	0.20a	0.15b	0.15b	0.02	< 0.001	0.86
Price ($)
PrW	0.56a	0.44b	0.44b	0.05	0.01	0.97

^a,b,cP < 0.05. ¹PrW = pre-weaning; PoW = post-weaning; Medications = average no. of medical treatments/calf/day; Price = average cost of medication/calf/day.