SUCKLING CALVES PERFORMANCE AND IMMUNE STATUS AS AFFECTED BY LACTOCOCCUS LACTIS AS A PROBIOTIC SOURCE

This study sought to investigate the effects of Probiotic, Lactococcus lactis bacteria (LC.) on growth performance, nutrients digestibilities, diarrhea incidence and immune status of buffalo calves. Thirteen suckling buffalo calves were divided into two groups according to their body weight, age and sex (T1Control (No LC. supplementation, T24 g LC. Per calf in breast milk). The Calves were fed 10% of their body weight fresh milk 2 times daily and provided calf starter and clover hay to meet their requirements of DM according to Kearl (1982). Calves body weight was recorded at the start of the experiment and thereafter regularly at 10 days interval. Diarrhea occurrence also faecal scores have been detected. After completion of the feeding trial, three animals per treatment were used in a metabolism trial. We obtained blood samples at the end of the study from each calf through jugular vein puncture. Obtained results showed significant (P< 0.5) increase in roughage, concentrate and total DM intakes with calves fed LC-supplemented than the control (T1) group during the periods of P3, P4 and P5. Supplementation of LC. L to calves in T2 group had showed an increase in body weight than T1group; the increase in total gain and average daily gain (ADG) was significant (P<0.05), CP, CF, EE and NFE digestion coefficients keep on the same trend. Diarrhea occurred on T1 calves were more than T2 calves, and the duration of diarrhea at the same time was longer in control calves than treated calves. The number of E.coli in feces was more in control calves than treated calves. Immunological parameters (IgA, IgG and interleukin 2) have been increased in treated calves than control with no significant difference (P>0.05).