Can Microbials Enhance Commercial Calves’ Gut Integrity, Immunity and Health?

Abstract

Supplemental Microbials (SM) could offer commercial young dairy calves with healthy subjects to enhance gut microbial diversity and host health if calves are managed properly and optimally. The possible helpfulness of SM, however, must not be overstated and overemphasized. The major aim of this editorial was to address whether SM is practically workable in preventing digestive disorders namely diarrhoea. Another aim was to underline the possible efficacy of such products in enhancing calf health and immunity. Protecting newborn calves against infectious diseases and concurrently, improving their health and growth in early life is strictly related to herd economics and production sustainability. Diarrhoea is the most prevalent infectious disease, causing calf morbidity and mortality worldwide. Supplementing dairy calf diets (i.e., milk or starter) with potentially beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast has been attempted to improve the gut microbial ecosystem and optimize nutrient assimilation and immunity. However, infectious diarrhoea still remains a major problem in many dairy and beef farms around the globe. Since diarrhoea has a multi-factorial nature, it seems that the possible efficacy of SM depends on the environmental and management conditions in which the calves are raised. The rearing system (e.g., individual vs. group housing), diet, environmental microbial load and other management factors are involved in the incidence of diarrhoea. Therefore, using probiotic products may interact with such factors, thus influencing their effectiveness and likely causing inconsistencies concerning probiotics’ usefulness in commercial dairy farms.