Evaluating the effects of direct-fed microbial supplementation on the performance, milk quality and fatty acid of mid-lactating dairy cows

• Published in: Veterinary medicine and science 2023-09, Vol.9 (5), p.2212-2220
• Main Authors: Asil, Ali Kiani, Mohammadabadi, Tahereh, Chaji, Morteza, Direkvandi, Ehsan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidosis; Animal lactation; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Bacteria; Blood; Body weight; Cholesterol; Digestibility; direct‐fed microbial; Experiments; Fatty acids; Feed additives; Feeds; Goats; immune system; Inoculation; Lactose; Leukocytes (basophilic); Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Lymphocytes; Microorganisms; Milk; milk fatty acid; Milk production; Monocytes; Original; Proteins; RUMINANTS; Yeast
• ISSN: 2053-1095; 2053-1095
• DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1180

The objective of the experiment was to investigate the effect of a mixture of direct-fed microbial (DFM) on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, milk yield and composition, milk fatty acid and blood parameter in crossbred mid-lactating cows. Twenty-four crossbred Holstein cows (body weight = 650±15 kg; days in milk = 100±20; daily milk yield = 25±3 kg) were used in a completely randomized design with three treatments: (1) CON, without DFM; (2) LS, inoculation with Lactobacillus fermentum (4.5 × 10 CFU/day) plus Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1.4×10 CFU/day); and (3) LSM, inoculation with LS plus Megasphaera elsdenii (4.5 × 10 CFU/day). All animals received the same ration with 45.7% forage and 54.3% concentrate. Results showed that the highest feed intake was observed in treatments LS and LSM (p = 0.02). Compared with the CON, milk production, 4% fat-corrected milk, energy-corrected milk, fat (kg/day), protein (kg/day) and lactose (kg/day), FE and percent of fat were increased (p