Vet Med - Czech, 2010, 55(10):494-503 | DOI: 10.17221/2939-VETMED

Effects of probiotic dietary supplementation on diarrhoea patterns, faecal microbiota and performance of early weaned calves

J. Jatkauskas, V. Vrotniakiene
Institute of Animal Science of Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Baisogala, Lithuania

Twenty Lithuanian Black-and-White calves (10 bulls, 10 heifers) were used to evaluate the effects of the supplemental probiotic product, Enterococcus faecium M74 (2.4 g/day/calve), added to fresh milk and skimmed milk in a 56 day-study. The probiotic was administered by dietary supplementation to first group of calves and their respective pens (probiotic group), whereas the second group (control group) received no probiotic supplementation. The results of this trial indicate positive effects of the probiotic product Enterococcus faecium M74. The actual percentage of calves with diarrhoea was reduced from 50 % to 20% among the calves fed the pre-and probiotic diet. Probiotic supplementation reduced the faecal count of clostridia and enterococci. The calves fed Enterococcus faecium M74 weighed more at 20, 40 and 62 days of age by 4.9%, by 9.7% (P < 0.05) and by 9.4% (P < 0.01), respectively, than the control calves. The calves fed Enterococcus faecium M74 had increased daily weight gains compared with the calves not fed a probiotic product. The average weight gain and the daily weight gain of the probiotic-supplemented calves were by 7.8 kg (P < 0.01) and by 0.14 kg higher (P < 0.01) compared with the control calves. The calves given the Enterococcus faecium M74 also had forage and total DM intakes that were numerically higher than those fed the control diet, without any additive. During the 56 days experimental period, the average feed conversion rate was improved by 12.9% in the probiotic-treated group.

Keywords: dairy calves; Enterococcus faecium; growth rate; clostridia

Published: October 31, 2010  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Jatkauskas J, Vrotniakiene V. Effects of probiotic dietary supplementation on diarrhoea patterns, faecal microbiota and performance of early weaned calves. Vet Med-Czech. 2010;55(10):494-503. doi: 10.17221/2939-VETMED.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Abdula AA, Zimmerman G, Calvinho LF, Gianre VR, Voltero D (2002): Efficacy of probiotic added to whole milk and to milk substitute. Revista de Medicina Vetrinaria 83, 196-198.
    2. Abe F, Ishibashi N, Shimamura S (1995): Effect of administration of Bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria to newborn calves and piglets. Journal of Dairy Science 78, 2838-2846. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Abu Tarboush HM, Al Saiady MY, Keir El Din AH (1996): Evalualtion of diet containing lactobacilli on performance, fecal coliform, and lactobacilli of young dairy calves. Animal Feed Science and Technology 57, 39-49. Go to original source...
    4. Adams MC, Luo J, Rayward D, King S, Gibson R, Moghaddam GH (2008): Selection of a novel direct-fed microbial to enhance weight gain in intensively reared calves. Animal Feed Science and Technology 145, 41-52. Go to original source...
    5. Al-Saiady MY (2010): Effect of probiotic bacteria on immunoglobulin G concentration and other blood components of newborn calves. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 9, 604-609. Go to original source...
    6. Association of official analytical chemists (AOAC) International, Official Methods of Analysis. (1995): Association of Analytical Communities, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, Vol. 2.
    7. Awad WA, Ghareeb K, Abdel-Raheem S, Boehm J. (2009): Effects of dietary inclusion of probiotic and synbiotic on growth performance, organ weights, and intestinal histomorphology of broiler chickens. Poultry Science 88, 49-55. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Benyacoub J, Perez PF, Rochat F (2005): Enterococcus faecium SF68 enhances the immune response to Giardia intestinalis in mice. Journal of Nutrition 135, 1171-1176. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Bloom W (2006): Nutritional physiology of neonatal calves. Review Article. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 90, 1-11. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Choct M (2009): Managing gut health through nutrition. British Poultry Science 50, 9-15. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Collins DM, Gibson GR (1999): Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics: approaches for modulating the microbial ecology of the gut. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 69, 1052S-1057S. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Davis CL, Drackley J K (1998): The Development, Nutrition and Management of the Young Calf. Iowa State University Press, Ames, I.A. 338 pp.
    13. Donohue DJ, Donohue AM, Tellez G, Hargis BM (2002): New evidence that specific probiotics may reduce intestinal foodborne pathogen colonization and improve performance. In: Proceedings, Arkansas Nutrition Conference, Arkansas, USA, 56-59.
    14. EC 1831 (2003): Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition. Official Journal of the European Union L268/29.
    15. FAO/WHO - Food and Agriculture organisation of the United Nations/World Health Organisation (2001): Health and nutritional properties of probiotics in food including powder milk with live lactic acid bacteria. Report of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation. Cordoba, Argentina 1-4 October 2001. Available at: http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/food/foodandfoo_probio_en.stm.
    16. Fleige S, Preißinger W, Meyer HHD, Pfaffl MW (2007): Effect of lactulose on growth perfomance and intestinal morphology of pre-ruminant calves using a milk replacer containing Enterococcus faecium. Animal 1, 367-373. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. Fuller R (1989): Probiotics in man and animals. A rewiew. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 66, 365-378. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Gill DR, Smith RA, Ball RL (1987): The effect of probiotics feeding on health and performance of newly arrived stocker calves. Animal Science Research Report 119, 202-204.
    19. Gorgulu M, Suita A, Yurtseven S, Ongel E, Kutlu HR (2003): Effect of probiotics on growing performance and health of calves. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science 37, 125-129. Go to original source...
    20. Guarner F, Schaafsma GJ (1998): Probiotics. International Journal of Food Microbiology 39, 237-238. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. Havenaar R, Huis in't Veld JHJ (1992): Probiotics: A general view. In: Wood B.J.B.: The Lactic Acid Bacteria. Vol. 1. The Lactic Acid Bacteria in Health and Disease. Chapman and Hall, New York, NY. 209-224. Go to original source...
    22. Higginbotham GE, Bath DL (1993): Evaluation of Lactobacillus fermentation cultures in calf feeding systems. Journal of Dairy Science 76, 615-620. Go to original source...
    23. Hooper P (1989): The role of probiotics in production animals. World Association Veterinary Food Hygienist X International Symposium, Stockholm, 27-30.
    24. Hossaini SMR, Bojarpour M, Mamouei M, Asadian A, Fayazi J (2010): Effect of probiotic and antibiotics supplementation in daily milk intake of newborn calves on feed intake, body weight gain, fecal scores and health condition. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 9, 872-875. Go to original source...
    25. Kamra DN, Chaudhary LC, Neeta A, Singh R, Patrak NN (2002): Growth performance, nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation and enzime activities in calves fed on Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplemented diet. Indian Journal of Animal Science 72, 472-475.
    26. Lilly DM, Stillwell RH (1965): Probiotics: Growth promoting factors produced by microoganisms. Science 147, 747-748. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    27. Marcin A, Hajduk J, Leso B, Mati R, Falat M, Molnarova I, Valiga J (2003): Probiotic preparations on the basis of bacteria Entrococcus faecium M74 and IgY antibodies against the basic enteropathogens. Slovensky Vetrinarsky Casopis 28, 36-38.
    28. Morrill JL, Morrill JM, Feyerherm AM, Laster JF (1995): Plazma proteins and a probiotic as ingredients in milk replacer. Journal of Dairy Science 78, 902-907. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    29. Nabuurs MJ, Van Essen GJ, Nabuurs P, Niewold TA, Van der Meulen J (2001): Thirty minutes transport causes small intestinal acidosis in pigs. Research in Veterinary Science 70, 123-127. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    30. Ohya T, Akiba M, Ito H (2001): Use of a trial probiotic product in calves experimentally infected with Escherichia coli O157. JARQ. JPN Agriculture Research Q 35, 189-194. Go to original source...
    31. Samli HE, Senkoylu N, Koc F, Kanter M, Agma A (2007): Effects of Enterococcus faecium and dried whey on broiler performance, gut histomorphology and intestinal microbiota. Archives of Animal Nutrition 61, 42-49. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    32. Schrezenmeir J, de Vrese M (2001): Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics-approaching a definition. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 73 (Suppl.), 354S-361S. Go to original source...
    33. Soderholm JD, Perdue MH (2001): Stress and the gastrointestinal tract II. Stress and intestinal barrier function American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology 280, G7-G13. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    34. Timmerman HM, Veldman A, Van den Elsen E, Rombouts FM, Beynen AC (2006): Mortality and growth performance of broilers given drinking water supplemented with chicken-specific probiotic. Poultry Science 85, 1383-1388. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    35. Vahjen W, Taras D, Simon O (2007): Effect of the probiotic Enterococcus faecium NCIMB10415 on cell numbers of total Enterococcus spp., E. faecium and E. faecalis in the intestine of piglets. Current Issues in Intestinal Microbiology 8, 1-8. Go to PubMed...
    36. Willard MD, Simpson RB, Cohen ND, Clancy JS (2000): Effects of dietary fructooligosaccharide on selected bacterial populations in feces of dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research 61, 820-825. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content