Pharmacological effects of the use of enzyme and probiotic feed additive for dry cows

Abstract

The scientific research conducted worldwide on the use of probiotics in animal husbandry demonstrates only a positive effect on the functioning of the macroorganism, but questions persist about the various pharmacological effects of multicomponent microbial preparations in combination with enzymes important in the digestion of certain types of productive animals, which makes it important for veterinary medicine and farmers to obtain environmentally friendly and high-quality products. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a multicomponent enzyme and probiotic supplement on the duration of calving stages, prevention of postpartum complications in cows and some haematological parameters. Clinical, haematological, and statistical research methods were employed in this study. The research was conducted in a private dairy farm with 195 cows. The housing conditions and diet of the animals in the control group (n=6) and the experimental group (n = 17) were analogous, and the enzyme and probiotic supplement “ProActivo” (containing enzymes, Bacillus subtilis strain AX20, B. licheniformis strain EA22, and Enterococcus faecium) was added to the diet of the experimental cows at the rate of 10-14 g/animal, once a day, for 21-30 days before calving. A positive effect on the body of pregnant cows was found – elimination of diarrhoea symptoms in 4 days in 100% of diseased animals, and no changes in the control group. The study proved that the prenatal course of probiotic therapy of cows provided 95% prevention of afterbirth retention, a significant (P ≤ 0.001) reduction in the duration of the stage of afterbirth separation in cows of the experimental group (253.9±3.6 min) compared to the control group (326.8±8.9 min). A significant (P≤0.01) increase in the count of lymphocytes by 3.25±0.2 G/l, monocytes by 0.43±0.03 G/l, neutrophils (P≤0.001) by 1.6±0.28 G/l in cows treated with an enzyme-protein supplement was recorded, which is associated with the optimisation of the functioning of the primary immune system and the pharmacosynergistic effect of the multicomponent supplement. The findings obtained are valuable for veterinarians and dairy herd keepers, as the addition of an enzyme and probiotic supplement to the diet of dry cows will facilitate the calving stages and prevent afterbirth retention