We investigated the effect of cellooligosaccharide (CE) or a combination of dextran and Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei strain JCM1134(T) (synbiotic; SB) feeding on growth performance, fecal condition and hormone concentrations in Holstein calves. Fifty-two female Holstein calves were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: CE feeding group (n = 16), SB feeding group (n = 18), and control group (n = 18). Body weight at 90 days of age, as well as daily body weight gain (DG) and feed efficiency after weaning to 90 days of age were greater (P < 0.05) in the CE feeding group than in the control group. The total fecal score tended to be lower (P < 0.1) in the SB feeding group than in the control group. Plasma insulin concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in the CE feeding group than in the control group at 90 days of age. Our results indicate that CE feeding improved DG and feed efficiency in calves. On the other hand, there was less effect on growth performance and fecal Escherichia coli counts in calves fed SB.

The effects of supplementing feed of cows in mid-to-late lactation with an active yeast product (Actisaf Sc 47) were evaluated using 15 Holstein cows in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. The animals were fed a mixed ration with 33% neutral detergent fiber, consisting of timothy hay (29.8%), a commercial concentrate (70.0%) and commercial calcium triphosphate (0.2%), twice daily to meet 105% of their energy requirement. Yeast supplement was set at 0, 5 and 10 g per day over 21-day periods, each of which consisted of 14 days for adaptation followed by 7 days of data collection. Milking performance, plasma metabolite parameters, rumen volatile fatty acids, lipopolysaccharide and microbial properties were measured. Although there were no significant differences in feeding and milking performance or blood parameters associated with supplementation, the acetate to propionate ratio in the rumen fluid tended to decrease (P = 0.08). The population of Bacteroidetes tended to be less prominent (P = 0.07) and the fibrolytic bacterium Fibrobacter significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the rumen fluid of the yeast 10 g group compared with that of the control. These data suggest that effects of supplementing live yeast to cows in mid-to-late lactation may be limited to microbial composition and fermentation characteristics in the rumen.

30The effects of oral administration of a prebiotic (cellooligosaccharide [CE]) and a 31 combination of a probiotic (a commercial Clostridium butyricum strain) and prebiotics 32 (referred to as symbiotics [SB]) on performance and intestinal ecology in Holstein 33 calves fed milk replacer (MR) or whole milk were evaluated. Forty female calves 34 (experiment 1) and fourteen male and female calves (experiment 2) were used in this 35 study. Calves were fed MR (experiment 1) or whole milk (experiment 2) necessary for 36 daily weight gain of 0.3 kg based on birth weight in two daily feedings and weaned at 37 46 d. Calves were divided into a CE feeding group, SB feeding group (only in 38 experiment 1), and control group. The CE and SB groups were fed CE at 5 g/day before 39 weaning and 10 g/day postweaning. Only the SB group received 10 8 colony-forming 40 units (CFU) of Cl. butyricum culture per day. Commercial calf starter was offered for ad 41 libitum intake. Health and feed intake of the animals were monitored daily, and body 42 weight were measured weekly. Fecal samples were analyzed for determination of 43 bacterial community composition by an RNA-based method (sequence-specific SSU 44 rRNA cleavage method) and for organic acid profiling. In 49-day experiments, feed 45 intake, daily gain, and occurrence of diarrhea of the calves were unaffected by either CE 46 supplementation or SB supplementation, and all calves were healthy during each 47 experiment. The fecal bacterial community compositions and the organic acid profiles 48were not different among groups in experiment 1. In experiment 2, the level of the Cl. 49 coccoides-Eu. rectale group was higher in the feces of CE group than controls at 4 50 weeks of age and fecal butyric acid concentration was higher (8.0 vs. 12.2 [mmol/kg 51 feces], P < 0.05) at that time. There were no differences in prebiotic bacteria (the genera 52Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) between groups at this time point. These results 53 suggested that CE and Cl. butyricum supplementation have less effect on the 54 3 performance of healthy calves fed MR. However, prebiotic supplementation seems 55 effective for modulation of the intestinal bacterial community of calves when 56 administered with whole milk. 57 58

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