Effect of feeding the combination with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis on fecal microflora and diarrhea incidence of Korean native calves

Abstract

This study was investigated the effects of feeding the combination with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis on the diarrhea incidence and fecal microflora of weaned calves. A total of 12 newly weaned calves were allocated to two dietary treatments in a randomized design based on body weight. The dietary treatments included a commercial basal diet supplemented with: 1) no microbial inoculants (Control); 2) a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis (LB). Calves were fed diets for a 4-week period. At the end of the experiment, the counts of fecal lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae in LB were significantly improved compared to control (P<0.05). Over the 4-week period, fecal scores and duration of diarrhea in LB were significantly decreased compared with those in control (P<0.05). The present results suggest that LB is a potential feed additive which could be used for the balance of intestinal microflora and the prevention of diarrhea in Korean native calves.