Effect of different levels of probiotics on rumen environment and microbial condition in local goat kids

The present study aims to find out the effects of adding different levels of probiotics and concentrate diet on the rumen environment, volatile fatty acid production and bacteria counts of local Iraqi goat kids. This study was conducted in the field of a goat breeder in the area of Karmashi Karma Bani Saeed district, Souk Al-Shuyoukh district, Thi-Qar Governorate, Iraq. This study was conducted for 105 days, including 15 days preliminary period on 18 male kids of local goats at the age of 3 months and with an average weight of 16.17 ± 1.10 kg. The kids were randomly distributed to six treatments with two levels of concentrated feed (40, 60%) and three (3) levels of probiotics (0, 2.5, 5) g/head/d. The probiotics included Lactobacillus acidophilus 108, Bacillus subtilis 109, Bifidobacterium 108, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae 109. The group of kids fed 2.5 gm probiotic/ head/ day and 40 or 60% concentrate feed were significantly superior to the kids that were fed only 40% concentrate diets without the addition (52.49, 53.61, 43.77 mmol/L), respectively. The % of acetic and butyric acids, were not affected by the addition of the probiotic at different levels of the concentrate diet. The group fed (60%) concentrate diet and the probiotic (2.5 or 5 g/ head/ day) had the highest percentages of propionic% (22.67, 22.33%), respectively, compared to the lowest percentages 17.71%, recorded by the kids fed 40% concentrate diet without probiotics. The pH of the rumen fluid was not affected fed different percentages of concentrate supplemented with two levels of the probiotic 2.5 or 5 g/head/day. While the level of NH3-N was affected by the concentrated diet, kids ate (60% concentrate) recorded significantly higher levels compared to that fed (40% concentrate). Addition of probiotics with different levels of concentrate diets produced highest total bacteria counts >10.50× 109 CFU/ml before feeding and >18.50 × 109 CFU/ml at the third hour after feeding.