Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 delivered via free choice mineral on cow and calf performance parameters in a commercial beef operation

• Cow-calf pairs are exposed to forages of varying nutritive quality during the grazing season, and that is converted to live pounds to determine ranch profitability. • Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CNCM I-1077), a well-documented active dry yeast, improves ruminal fiber digestibility of low- to high-quality forages, thus enhancing forage and rangeland use and animal performance. • We offered 436 multiparous red Angus cows a free-choice mineral supplement with and without the referenced active dry yeast, while they were grazing on native rangeland in Kansas between February and August of 2023. • Cows consuming the active dry yeast mineral supplement had greater body-condition scores and weaned heavier calves compared to cows not consuming the active dry yeast at the time of weaning. • Our data suggest that providing Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 via a free-choice mineral to grazing cow-calf pairs improves both cow and calf performance and the productivity of native rangeland, resulting in greater returns for cattle producers.