NZAgbiz launches first electrolyte product
Developed by NZAgbiz in conjunction with leading veterinary scientists, Novolyte has been formulated to replace fluids
lost due to scouring, treat dehydration and exhaustion and help calves recover from stressors such as transportation.
NZAgbiz is a Fonterra business unit that manufactures livestock nutrition products using primarily Fonterra ingredients,
and General Manager Greg Cate says Novolyte was the logical next step in their range of scientifically formulated animal
health supplements.
“All NZAgbiz products are based on solid scientific evidence and we saw the need for a high-quality electrolyte
replacement to help farmers raise calves that thrive,” says Cate.
There are a million dairy heifers reared on New Zealand farms each year and raising healthy and productive animals is a
process that begins as soon as calves arrive on the farm. Unfortunately, diarrhoea (scours) is common in new-born
animals. It has a variety of causes and leads to progressive dehydration, electrolyte loss and metabolic acidosis, which
are potentially fatal1. And despite significant progress in understanding it, scours continue to be a major cause of
economic loss to the industry2.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the development of oral rehydration therapy was one of the most
significant advances in human medicine of the twentieth century. Oral rehydration also continues to serve as the
backbone of treatment protocols for diarrhoea in neonatal calves2. DairyNZ recommend oral electrolytes as an easy and
successful method for treating diarrhoea in calves.
Novolyte contains key alkalinising agents to address severe metabolic acidosis, as well as essential ingredients to aid
the rehydration of calves with neonatal diarrhoea while providing energy to help restore the function of damaged gut
cells. Novolyte has the right concentrations1 of sodium required to correct dehydration and includes the recommended3
plasma volume of glucose-to-sodium levels.
Practical considerations have been carefully thought-through as well and Novolyte is readily dissolvable, comes with an
easy-to-use scoop and a re-usable zip tie to keep the product in optimum condition once opened. It contains high-grade
ingredients in a dry powder with good mixability. Like all NZAgbiz products, Novolyte contains high-grade ingredients
and its formulation is based on solid scientific evidence and expert input.
References:
1. Michell AR, Brooks HW, White DG, et al. The comparative effectiveness of three commercial oral solutions in
correcting fluid, electrolyte and acid-base disturbances caused by calf diarrhoea. Br Vet J 1992; 148:507-22.
2. Smith G. Treatment of Calf Diarrhea: Oral Fluid Therapy. Vet Clin Food Anim 2009; 25:55-72.
3. Brooks HW, Hall GA, Wagstaff AJ, Michell AR. Detrimental; effects on villus form during conventional oral
rehydration therapy for diarrhoea in calves; alleviation by a nutrient oral rehydration solution containing glutamine.
Vet J. 1998;155(3):263-74.