Effect of probiotic feeding on milk yield and quality, weight gain, blood biochemical and hematological indices of crossbred dairy goats

The effect of probiotic feeding on the performance acrossbred dairy goats was determined by conducting three separate experiments for each type of microbial cultures: lactic acid bacteria (Pediococcus acidilactici 3G3 and Lactobacillus plantarum BS), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2030), and the combination of both (Pediococcus Acidilactici 3G3, Lactobacillus plantarum BS and Sacchraromyces cerevisiae 2030). Experiment 1 aimed to determine the effect of probiotic feeding on the milk yield and components of lactating crossbred dairy goats. A total of 16 crossbred lactating goats were randomly assigned into four treatments orally fed with 6ml of 5x10 sup 9 cfu/ml microbial cultures: T sub 1-control; T sub 2-lactic acid bacteria (P. aciddilactici 3G3, L. plantarum BS, S. cerevisiae 2030). Results revealed that probiotic feeding did not significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) affect the total milk yield of lactating crossbred dairy goats but induced a total net income increase of P8.82 per animal/day compared to the control group. Milk components such as total milk fat yield, solid-non-fat, and lactose were significantly affected (P less than or equal to 0.05) by probiotic feeding except for total protein yield. The objective of Experiment 2 was to determine the effects of probiotic feeding on the performance of crossbred lactating dairy goats with elevated somatic cell counts. Sixteen lactating goats diagnosed with elevated somatic cell counts (4-strong positive CMT) in both teats were randomly assigned into four treatments the same with Experiment 1. Analysis of Variance results showed that dairy goats fed with probiotics highly significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) caused reduction on the somatic cell counts on the dairy goats with significant (P less than or equal to 0.001) improvement on milk yield and solid-non-fat yield. The effects of probiotic feeding on the weight gain, blood biochemical and hematological indices of crossbred dairy goat kid were determined in Experiment 3. Sixteen goat kids were randomly assigned into four treatments similar to Experiment 1 and 2. Results showed that treatment fed with probiotics had significantly (P less than 0.05) higher weight gain compared to the control group. Plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) and triglycerides concentrations were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) affected during the 30th and 60th day of probiotic feeding. Significant effect on white blood cell counts was noted during the 60th day. Concentrations of glucose, red blood cells and hemoglobin remained unchanged throughout the experiment period.