UC Davis

Feeding probiotics has been shown to improve the health and production characteristics of dairy calves. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of a probiotic fed daily on health outcomes, average daily gain, frame growth, feed efficiency, and intake when fed to Holstein heifers from birth to 180 d. A total of 324 Holstein heifer calves from a California dairy were enrolled within 48 h of birth into two treatment groups: 1) control group (CON: 176 calves) were given 0.5 g of lactose added to milk once daily from birth to weaning (60 d) and then 0.75 g in grain from weaning to 180 d and 2) probiotic group (PRO: 153 calves) were given 0.5 g (1.1 × 1010 CFU2/g) of probiotic in milk once daily from birth to weaning and then 0.75 g (1.65 × 1010 CFU2/g) of probiotic in grain from weaning to 180 d of a B. subtilis, B. lichenformis, L. animalis, and P. freudenreichii probiotic (Bovamine Dairy Plus, Chr. Hansen, Milwaukee, WI). The lactose powder was given to CON to balance the lactose content in the probiotic treatment and to ensure no difference in the handling of milk bottles. The PRO ADG was lower during the hutch period (1 - 91 d) and higher fecal shedding of Clostridium at 21 d and 42 d collections. There were no differences in all other health and performance outcomes.