Effects of a commercial probiotic supplement on performance, plasma metabolites and carcass characteristics in Morkhoz goat kids

Effects of feeding a commercial probiotic (primalac) on performance and carcass characteristics of Morkhoz goat kids were studied using 16 male kids (13.2 ± 1.6 kg body weight, 3 months old) based on a completely randomized design (2 treatments and 8 replicates). For this purpose kids were fed for 119 days. The amount of feed consumption was recorded daily and body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were recorded and calculated monthly. Blood samples were collected from jugular vein three times during the experimental period, in equal intervals. At the end of the experimental period animals from each treatment were slaughtered to determine the carcass characteristics. Feeding probiotic did not affect performance parameters including the final live body weight, average feed intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio. With the exception of creatinine concentration, which was lower (P