IMPACT OF BUFFALO DAMS TREATMENT WITH PROBIOTICS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, IMMUNE RESPONSES AND BLOOD COMPONENTS OF THEIR NEW BORN CALVES

This work aimed to identify the relationship between performance, immune system and blood components of neonatal buffalo calves as affected by their dam treatments (DT) with or without probiotic cultures. 40 Egyptian buffalo cows were used in this study. Dams were classified into 4 treatment groups, G1 as control group without any treatment, Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast culture (20 g/h/d, YC, G2) group, Lactobacillus acidophilus (20 g/h/d, LB, G3) group, or the half dose of each as a combination (G4). The experimental period was 30-d pretill 105-d postpartum. Results revealed that, the dams treated with YC and LB combination (G4), has the best growth performance during birth and weaning, by increasing calf total gain by 31.7% relative to the control group and the immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM) concentrations in calf plasma and colostrum, during the first three days after calving. All hematological parameters (RBCs count, PCV percentage and Hb concentration), as well as plasma metabolites (total proteins, albumin, globulin, total lipids, total cholesterol and glucose concentrations) increased (P<0.05), while WBCs and creatinine decreased (P<0.05) in calves of treatment groups as compared to control one, being the best in G4 calves. Total antioxidant capacity and triiodothyronine concentration increased (P<0.05), while AST and ALT activity decreased (P<0.05) in calves of treatment groups as compared to control one, being the best in G4 calves. There were highly significant and strong correlation coefficients (r) between immunoglobulins in calf plasma and colostrum. In conclusion, dietary addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (10 g/h/d) and Lactobacillus acidophiolus (10 g/h/d) combination in the diets of Egyptian buffalos 30-d preup to 105-d post-partum improved growth performance, immunity response, blood hematology, metabolites, antioxidant capacity, enzyme activity and T3 hormone of the newborn calves.