title: Effect of Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis supplementation of ewe's feed on sheep milk production and young lamb mortality.
abstract: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate under field conditions the effect of a probiotic containing Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis on young lamb mortality and sheep milk production when administered in the late pregnancy and lactation feed of ewes. In a sheep farm, two groups of milking ewes with identical genetic material, management, nutrition, health status and similar production characteristics were formed. One group (46 ewes) served as control, while the other one (48 ewes) served as a probiotic-treated group. Both groups of ewes received a similar feeding regiment, but the ewes of the second group were additionally offered a probiotic product containing B. licheniformis and B. subtilis (BioPlus 2B, Chr. Hansen, Denmark) at the approximate dose of 2.56 x 10(9) viable spores per ewe per day. Lamb mortality during the 1.5 months suckling period, and milk yield during the 2 months of milk collection for commercial purposes have been recorded. In the non-treated control group, 13.1% mortality was observed versus 7.8% in the probiotic-treated group (P = 0.33), with mortality being mainly due to diarrhoea. Microbiological examination of diarrhoeic faeces from some of the dead lambs in both groups revealed the presence of Escherichia coli. The average daily milk yield per ewe was significantly lower in the control group (0.80 l) than that in the probiotic-treated group (0.93 l) (P < 0.05). Fat and protein content of milk in ewes that received probiotics was significantly (P < 0.05) increased compared with untreated ewes. It was concluded that supplementing ewe's feed with probiotics may have beneficial effect on subsequent milk yields, fat and protein content.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. skritas@vet.auth.gr
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kritas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Govaris
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Christodoulopoulos
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Burriel
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D001407:Bacillus / Q000502:physiology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000502:physiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003612:Dairying; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D019936:Probiotics; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control