The Effect of Feeding of Bacterial Probiotic in Milk or Starter on Growth Performance, Health, Blood and Rumen Parameters of Suckling Calves

In present study 30 female Holstein calves with average 40.4 kg birth weight were used from 14 until 65 days of age. Calves randomly divided to 3 treatments include: 1) bacterial probiotic (4×109 cfu/day) added to the starter 2) bacterial probiotic added to the milk replacer 3) Control, without microbial additive. Dry matter intake, Body weight gain, average daily gain feed efficiency, BUN and total plasma protein were not affected by treatments. Mean plasma glucose, fecal score and health status were affected by treatments. Apparent digestibility of DM, NDF and OM also pH and N-NH3 concentration of rumen fluid between diets were not significant discrepancy. This study showed that addition of bacterial probiotic in starter decrease glucose concentration, addition bacterial probiotic in milk increase blood albumin and addition bacterial probiotic in starter or milk replacer improved health status and decrease fecal score.