The effect of fosfomycin, Saccharomyces bulardii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on performance, antioxidant activity and expression of interleukin-6 gene in Holstein calves

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fosfomycin antibiotic as well as yeast probiotics of S. bulardii and S. cerevisiae on performance, antioxidant activity and expression of interleukin-6 gene in Holstein calves. In order to test, 20 newborn Holstein calves were distributed in 5 treatments and 4 replications (each replication including 1 calf) for 60 days after feeding with colostrum in a completely randomized design from the age of 3 days. Experimental treatment diets include 1: control (without antibiotics and probiotics), 2: fosfomycin (0.165 g/kg BW), 3: milk-soluble S. boulardii (1 g/kg BW), 4: milk-soluble S. cerevisiae (1 g/kg BW) and 5: A mixture of S. boulardii and S. cerevisiae were dissolved in milk (1 g/kg BW each). The amount of feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio of none of the treatments were not significantly different from the control (P>0.05). The amount of serum glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzymes as well as the amount of interleukin-6 gene expression in the whole period in calves that used a mixture of S. boulardii and S. cerevisiae had the highest significant difference with the control (P<0.05). In general, the use of a mixture of yeast probiotics had a greater effect on the antioxidant system and immune system of calves than their separate use and also compared to antibiotics in calves nutrition.