Use of a new probiotic based feed supplement in calf nutrition

Abstract

The results of testing a new feed supplement BFL in calf nutrition are discussed. This probiotic was developed by the staff of the Microbiology laboratory of the Siberian Cheese-Making Research Institute of the Federal Altai Scientific Center of Agro-Biotechnologies and it includes useful strains of Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Lactobacillus plantarum taken from the Siberian collection of microorganisms. The scientific and economic experiment was conducted on the bred livestock farm PZ Komsomolskoe in the Pavlovskiy District of the Altai Region. The research targets were Black Pied calves (bull-calves) at the age of 4-48 days. For the experiment, a control and experimental groups of five comparable calves were formed. The age of the calves when tested was 4-18 days. The experiment lasted 30 days. The conditions of calf housing and feeding fully met all the necessary requirements. The difference between the groups was that the calves of the trial group were fed milk during morning and evening feeding which was supplemented with the BFL feed supplement. The research goal was to study the effect of a new feed supplement based on bifidobacteria and lactobacilli on blood biochemical indices of Black Pied calves. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were taken from the control and trial animals. The following biochemical indices were studied in the obtained blood serum: total protein, albumins, globulins, calcium, phosphorus, chlorides, cholesterol, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). According to the data obtained, a positive effect of the BFL feed supplement on the physiological status of calves was revealed. In the animals of the trial group, there was a tendency to increase the level of globulins, 9.1% increase of phosphorus content was found, as well as 21.2% increase of cholesterol level and 15.1% decrease of AST values.