Effects of probiotic supplementation on milk production, blood metabolite profile and enzyme activities of ewes during lactation

Abstract

There is scarce information regarding the effects of probiotics in the diet of lactating ewes on milk yield and composition as well as on metabolite concentrations and enzyme activities in blood. Sixteen Sanjabi ewes, kept under the same feeding and management practices, were divided in two equal groups. The ewes in the first group were fed a diet without probiotics, while the ewes of the second group were fed the same diet supplemented with two grams of commercial probiotics (PrimaLac ® 454 Feed grade, containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, 2.5 × 10 7  CFU/g; Lactobacillus casei, 2.5 × 10 7  CFU/g; Bifidobacterium thermophilum, 2.5 × 10 7  CFU/g; Enterococcus faecium, 2.5 × 10 7  CFU/g). Milk yield measurements, milk composition and blood plasma analyses were carried out at the fourth, eighth and twelfth week of lactation. Probiotics had no effects (p>.05) on any of the examined variables during the first two-thirds of lactation. In the last third of lactation, probiotic supplemented ewes showed an increase (p