Dairy Science Commons^™

Effects Of Feeding Probiotics To Pre-Weaned Dairy Calves, Sara Tomis

Honors Scholar Theses

Pre-ruminant calves are particularly susceptible to pathological and environmental stressors that may have negative effects on their health and growth. Supplementing probiotics to this vulnerable population may have positive implications for the dairy industry, as probiotics may encourage improved growth rates and enhanced health in dairy neonates. However, there is variation in existing literature with regard to effectiveness. This study seeks to explore the impact of dietary probiotic supplement on health and growth parameters in pre-weaned dairy calves. Holstein and Jersey calves (n=30) were assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups, receiving either 0 or 5 grams of probiotic containing …