Feeding of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeast Affects Fecal Flora of Holstein Calves

Neonatal calves are frequently affected by diarrhea which is the main cause of mortality and of economic loss in the cattle industry. The previous report showed that addition of Lactobacillus plantarum Chikuso-1 and Candida sp. CO119 to milk replacer significantly suppressed diarrhea of holstein calves but the mechanisms remain unknown. In the study, the effect of feeding of Chikuso-1 and CO119 (bacteria-fed) on fecal bacterial flora of holstein calves was examined. Fecal samples were collected on days 0, 3, 8, 15 and 22 from control and bacteria-fed calves and inoculated on the selective agar media for Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), coliform, aerobic bacteria, bacilli and clostridia, respectively for bacterial enumeration. Feeding of Chikuso-1 and CO119 significantly increased the number of fecal LAB on day 3 and tended to increase on day 8. The present results suggest that the addition of Chikuso-1 and CO119 improves fecal bacterial flora of holstein calves in early stage of lactation period when diarrhea is severer.