Setting up of teaching projects

Biodevas Laboratoires makes a point of presenting its knowledge and know-how to the upcoming generations. That is why, since 2018, Biodevas Laboratoires has been a partner to the La Germinière Lycée Agricole (Agricultural high school) at Rouillon.

The Lycée Agricole de Rouillon induction is for 450 trainees and students for general and technological courses:

• General and Technology Second grade, Scientific and Technological high school diplomas
• Professional high school diploma and BTS technical certificate.
• It joins forces with the Maine University in preparing for professional graduation qualifications.

Biodevas Laboratoires provides the products needed to reinforce the theoretical methods of the trainees during training, with concrete learning projects. Products supplied by the laboratory may also be used for practical workshop sessions attended by the trainees and update their information about the products already on sale like Pietix, Imusyne, Draistim or Parasyne.

Pietix
Pietix has been effective in its use for 6 months already. In March 2019, our team attended a trimming session and confirmed the improvement of the well-being of the animal with the least sensitive cows having the least painful lesions. The second trimming session will take place in September 2019 and will give the opportunity of assessing the results of Pietix use, cow by cow.

Imusyne
Imusyne is used during the run-up to calving to stimulate the immune system, limiting metritis and mastitis cases. It is used by the Lycée Agricole de Rouillon to improve the quality of cow colostrum in preparation for calving. To evaluate the qualities of this product, the Biodevas Laboratoires team presented the results of its tests to the operations director.

Draistim
The aim here is to evaluate the impact of using Draistim on the post-calving energy deficit. Draistim is used during the first week after calving, followed by a ketone body assay of the blood, 3 weeks after calving. The results are compared against a reference batch.

Parasyne
Parasyne limits the impact of internal parasites on dairy cows. It is applied to dairy cows in May. The efficiency of the product is assessed with the results of coproscopy before and after the use of the product, compared against a reference batch. If the protocol is feasible, a test will also be run on the second year efforts to show the advantage of using Parasyne in parasite control of young animals, in addition to the technique of pasture rotation.

The laboratory’s collaboration with the Lycée Agricole de Rouillon also extends to operations within the actual college by our technical team (veterinarian, technician). The operations cover a variety of subjects, such as the operating principle of the products, presentations of results, but above all discussions with the students to answer all their questions.

The last operation was held in February 2019 involving approximately 200 trainees in the final and next-to-last school years, and 20 or so adults in the process of professional reconversion

Round tables are organized in small groups to answer the questions of each attending student, and to discuss the use of Biodevas Laboratoires on the farm.