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Feed material · calves
Actilyte
Brand Actilyte · Manufacturer Actifeed
↗ public sourceswww.actifeed.com/en/actilyte.html· 4 studies, 4 independent/mixed
Evidence · moderate
The active substance is backed by 4 studies including meta-analyses; the verdict per claim below reflects what the literature actually shows, not the brochure. Strength reflects the active substance, not the brand.
What the manufacturer claims
Free
Captured from the product page, typed and attributed — the producer’s own statements, checked against the literature below.
Physiological
Rapidly replenishes fluids and electrolytes, even in severe dehydration.
Physiological
Low osmotic penalty (carbohydrate-polymer technology) versus dextrose/glucose; no interference with milk digestion.
Physiological
Counters acidosis and supports digestive health.
Manufacturer’s own words — not independently verified. The ledger below gives the evidence verdict for each.
Claim ↔ evidence ledger
Verdict free · receipts in Power
Each claim against the studies on the active substance, with the funding split. Open a row for the studies behind the verdict.
Claim
Verdict
Evidence & funding
PhysiologicalRapidly replenishes fluids and electrolytes, even in severe dehydration.
Mixed
2 studies · 100% indep
›
Read Oral electrolyte therapy reliably rehydrates and restores electrolyte/acid-base status in scouring calves — a well-established, independently supported principle.
2021
Evaluation of strong-ion-difference concentration of an oral electrolyte and buffering solution for neonatal calf diarrhoeaA higher strong-ion-difference oral solution significantly raised blood pH, bicarbonate, base excess and sodium 6–24 h after administration in naturally diarrhoeic calves.
Evaluation of a nutritive oral rehydration solution for the treatment of calf diarrhoeaORS rehydrated calves and prevented metabolic acidosis more effectively than milk replacer (higher sodium); high-osmolality solutions maintained energy/glucose but low-osmolality solutions were better for hydration when milk continued.
PhysiologicalLow osmotic penalty (carbohydrate-polymer technology) versus dextrose/glucose; no in…
Supported
1 study · 100% indep
›
Read Low-osmolality formulations give better plasma expansion and avoid hypernatraemia/impaired abomasal emptying when calves keep nursing — supporting the carbohydrate-polymer design.
2021
Tonicity of oral rehydration solutions affects water, mineral and acid-base balance in calves with naturally occurring diarrhoeaLow-tonicity ORS gave greater plasma expansion (+4.8% vs +1.0% control), maintained serum sodium, and avoided the lower blood pH, higher faecal sodium loss and higher urine osmolality seen with hypertonic ORS.
PhysiologicalCounters acidosis and supports digestive health.
Supported
1 study · 100% indep
›
Read An alkalinising oral electrolyte corrects the strong-ion acidosis of scours.
2009
Efficacy of oral rehydration solutions containing sodium bicarbonate or acetate for calves with diarrhoea, dehydration and strong-ion acidosisBicarbonate- and acetate-containing ORS raised plasma bicarbonate and corrected strong-ion acidosis in diarrhoeic, dehydrated calves; alkalinising agent and osmolality affect abomasal emptying and plasma volume.
Bottom line. Oral electrolyte therapy is the established, evidence-based treatment for calf scours: it rehydrates and corrects the electrolyte loss and metabolic acidosis better than milk replacer.
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Why these studies The evidence for a proprietary product is the evidence for its active substance. These are the studies (meta-analyses first) behind the verdicts above, with funding labelled.
Year
Study & effect size
Funding
Type
Access
2021
Tonicity of oral rehydration solutions affects water, mineral and acid-base balance in calves with naturally occurring diarrhoeaLow-tonicity ORS gave greater plasma expansion (+4.8% vs +1.0% control), maintained serum sodium, and avoided the lower blood pH, higher faecal sodium loss and higher urine osmolality seen with hypertonic ORS.
Efficacy of oral rehydration solutions containing sodium bicarbonate or acetate for calves with diarrhoea, dehydration and strong-ion acidosisBicarbonate- and acetate-containing ORS raised plasma bicarbonate and corrected strong-ion acidosis in diarrhoeic, dehydrated calves; alkalinising agent and osmolality affect abomasal emptying and plasma volume.
Evaluation of strong-ion-difference concentration of an oral electrolyte and buffering solution for neonatal calf diarrhoeaA higher strong-ion-difference oral solution significantly raised blood pH, bicarbonate, base excess and sodium 6–24 h after administration in naturally diarrhoeic calves.
Evaluation of a nutritive oral rehydration solution for the treatment of calf diarrhoeaORS rehydrated calves and prevented metabolic acidosis more effectively than milk replacer (higher sodium); high-osmolality solutions maintained energy/glucose but low-osmolality solutions were better for hydration when milk continued.
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Analysis & tools
◆ Power
The working map a maker won’t give you — built only from the evidence on this page. Nothing here is marketing.
◆ Power view
Open the analyst workbench
Dose benchmark, the independent-vs-sponsored split, the pooled meta-analysis effects, the contradictions and the gaps — all derived from the studies above.
Dose: label vs effective trial range vs EU max
Independence-of-evidence breakdown
Pooled meta-analysis effect sizes
Compare · CSV / JSON · API
Dose benchmark
Label / recommendedPer label, per feeding (oral)
Effective in trialsTypically ~2 L per administration in trials; formulations differ in osmolality and strong-ion difference
EU maximumDietetic feed — no additive maximum
Effectiveness depends on osmolality and buffering, not a fixed dose.
Oral electrolyte therapy is the established, evidence-based treatment for calf scours: it rehydrates and corrects the electrolyte loss and metabolic acidosis better than milk replacer.
Actilyte's low-osmolality (carbohydrate-polymer) design is supported in principle — low-tonicity solutions give better plasma expansion and avoid the hypernatraemia and impaired abomasal emptying of hypertonic solutions, which matters when calves keep nursing.
An alkalinising agent to counter strong-ion acidosis is likewise supported.
There is a real energy-versus-hydration trade-off, and ORS treats the consequences of scours, not the cause.
The evidence is at the oral-electrolyte class level; no Actilyte-specific trial was retrievable, so product-specific magnitudes are not established.
Where studies disagree: There is a genuine trade-off: high-osmolality solutions deliver more energy/glucose but impair hydration and abomasal emptying; low-osmolality solutions hydrate better but supply less energy — the design must balance these. Oral rehydration treats the consequences of diarrhoea (dehydration, acidosis), not its cause.
Gaps: No Actilyte-specific published trial was retrieved; the evidence is for the oral-electrolyte class and the low-osmolality principle. No meta-analysis specific to calf ORS formulations was found (human low-osmolarity ORS meta-analyses exist as supporting context).
Manufacturer’s stated mechanism (their words): An oral rehydration solution for diarrhoeic calves: it replaces lost water and electrolytes, supplies energy via a carbohydrate-polymer (lowering osmolality versus dextrose/glucose), and provides an alkalinising agent to counter the metabolic acidosis of scours — without interfering with milk digestion.
Compare & export
Put this beside alternatives on the same active substance (e.g. HMBi / other rumen-protected methionine), and take the data with you.
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