ALMANTAS SHIMKUS
Laboratory of Meat Characteristics and Quality Assessment, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania
SHIMKUS, ALMANTAS, 2004. Prebiotic and synbiotic preparations in calves' feeding. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 10: 491-498
The experiment was carried out at the Center of Practical training and Experiments of Lithuanian Veterinary Academy with Lithuanian Black and White heifers. Three groups of calves were formed: control, I experimental and II experimental. The ration of experimental calves was supplemented with I experimental group - 2 kg/t of prebiotics -mannan-oligosaccharides, II experimental - 2 kg/t of synbiotic mixture. Probiotic preparations produced by "Cenzone"C (USA) firm: probiotic YEASTURE and prebiotic mannan-oligosaccharide were used. The results of the experiments evidently demonstrated that probiotic preparations in the ration for 1-6 month age calves facilitate growth, improve digestibility of the ration nutrients, positively effect microflora and microfauna of the digestive tract. Prebiotic preparation mannan-oligosaccharide can increase daily weight gain by 3.4 %, the digestibility of the nutrients - by 0.1 - 0.6% (P>0.05), and synbiotic preparation (YEASTURE + mannan-oligosaccharide) increased daily weight gain by 5.5%, the digestibility of feed nutrients - by 0.5-2.4 % (P>0.05), compare to the control group. Due to the effect of probiotic preparations total count of infusoria in the rumen fluid of experimental calves increased by 35.9 and 68.5%, total bacterial count - by 31.2 and 81.9% respectively. The probiotic preparations used during the experiments positively effected activity of microorganisms. Fermentation in the rumen of experimental calves tended to be intensified by 24.7 and 26.9% comparing to the calves of the control group. Synbiotic preparations in calves feeding seem to be more promising than prebiotic preparations.