Effects of compound lyophilized probiotics on selected faecal microbiota, immune response, and antioxidant status in newborn buffalo calves

Abstract

• Feeding of compound probiotics of Limosilactobacillus reuteri BF-E7 and Ligilactobacillus salivarius BF-17 influenced the select faecal microbiota favourably in Murrah buffalo calves. • Compound lyophilized probiotics modulated antioxidant enzyme activities in buffalo calves. • Probiotics feeding significantly enhanced immune response of Murrah buffalo calves. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of compound lyophilized probiotics on selected faecal microbiota, immunity, and antioxidant potential in newborn buffalo calves. Eight Murrah buffalo calves (3-5 days old) were grouped according to body weight and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: (1) Group I (CON) was fed a basal diet without supplementation, while (2) Group II (LP) was supplemented with a compound lyophilized probiotic (1×10 8 CFU/calf/d) containing Limosilactobacillus reuteri BF-E7 and Ligilactobacillus salivarius BF-17 along with the basal diet for 30 days. The current study results indicated that supplementation of compound lyophilized probiotics as a feed additive significantly (p < 0.05) increased cell-mediated immunity, humoral immunity, and lymphocyte proliferation responses of buffalo calves. The erythrocyte antioxidant activities of catalase (p < 0.05) and superoxide dismutase were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the LP group, while glutathione peroxidase showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the two groups. The faecal population (log 10 number of DNA copies/g of fresh faeces) of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genus was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the LP group than in the CON group, with a concomitant reduction in the counts of pathobionts E. coli (p < 0.05) and Clostridium perfringens (p < 0.05). Overall, the present findings conclude that compound lyophilized probiotic feeding could enhance the immune status and improve antioxidant potential by balancing intestinal microbiota composition during the first four weeks of life.