Effect of Probiotic and Synbiotic Supplementation on Different Milk Constituents in Sahiwal Cattle

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of probiotic and synbiotic supplementation on production performance of lactating Sahiwal cattle in arid region of Rajasthan. Eighteen apparently healthy Sahiwal cows in their second month of lactation were randomly assigned to three groups. One group acted as control and were given basal diet only and the cows in other two groups were supplemented with probiotic and synbiotic at the dose of 15g/animal/day and 10g/animal/day, for three months. The supplementation of probiotic and synbiotic supplementation resulted in significantly (P<0.01) higher milk fat percentage (4.62 and 4.54 percent against 3.99 percent) in supplemented cows. Highly significant (P<0.01) increase in the milk lactose percentage (4.92 percent) and total solids (13.35 and 14.25 percent against 12.51) was evident in probiotic supplemented cows. However, milk lactose percentage though higher in synbiotic supplemented group (4.78 percent) compared with control cows (4.75 percent), the difference was not statistically significant. No significant effect of probiotic and synbiotic supplementation was evident on milk protein (3.31 and 3.33 percent against 3.35 percent), and solids not fat (8.73 and 8.70 percent against 8.51) percentage during the course of supplementation. It can be concluded that the supplementation of probiotic and synbiotic at the dose of 15g/animal/day and 10g/animal/day can effectively increase different milk constituent (Milk fat percentage, Milk lactose percentage and total solids) significantly.