fi - July 2006

major difference between this approach and beneficial effects diminished over time, pos- cin—resulted in diarrhoea and malabsorption
others was that these Dutch researchers used sibly because the calves “adapted to stressors in calves. However, they pointed out that
fresh fermented probiotic cultures ratherthan such as transportation, new environment, doses used were very high compared with
freeze-dried preparations. change in diet, and infection pressure.” In doses used in their work, while other work
The MSPB preparation consisted of their studies, the researchers observed that had shown that similar low inclusion rates of
commercially available, freeze-dried probi- the probiotic-induced improvement in growth neomycin and oxytetracycline in the diet of
otic strains of human origin—Lactobacillus during the first 8 weeks was negatively cor- veal calves resulted in improved faecal scores
acidophilus W55, Lactobacillus salivarius related with multiple factor index of ‘general compared with untreated calves. “Whether
W57, Lactobacillus paracasei spp. paraca- health status’ (GHS). “Thus,” the Dutch re- the antibiotic treatments influenced the ob-
sei W56, Lactobacillus plantarum W59, searchers suggested, “the positive effect of served probiotic effects remains disputable.
Lactococcus lactis W58, and Enterococcus probiotics on growth performance of calves The growth-promoting effect during weeks 1
faecium W54—all sourced from Winclove may only be present when their health status to 2 is more likely a consequence of reduc-
Bio Industries BV, based in Amsterdam. The is compromised.” They also suggested that ing weight-loss induced by stress factors
CSPBformulacontainedstrainsisolatedfrom this effect contributed to the tendency of during this adaptation period. However, the
veal calf digesta and faeces, for which lacto- probiotic treatment to reduce mortality, which antidiarrhoeal effect might be affected by the
bacillus strains were isolated from fresh faecal had been shown in work by others in calves antibiotics used.”
samples from healthy cattle and screened for and other species. The Dutch research team said their results
probiotic properties. In preparing the liquid “It is interesting to note,” the Dutch re- indicatedthatprobioticsmayreduceantibiotic
feed supplements, both MSPB and CSPB searchers commented, “that treatment with use in veterinary practice, as other research-
cultures were individually inoculated and CSPB significantly reduced mild diarrhoea, ers had suggested, which in turn “might
grown in a liquid fermentation medium. most probably of nutritional origin, whereas contribute to reducing microbial resistance
These Dutch trials used more than 400 MSPB did not. However, MSPB significantly against veterinary and human antibiotics.”

Holstein-Friesan calves purchased in the reduced therapeutic treatments against Regarding the performance of CSPB local market and transported to the research gastrointestinal disease. Perhaps the posi- versus MSPB, the Dutch researchers con-farms of the VanDrie Group (all-in-all-out tive effect of MSPB against gastrointestinal cluded that “the evidence for calf-specific management) and Sloten BV (continuous disease is based on a different mechanism bacteria colonising in calves efficiently is flow management), and included antibiotics of action than that of CSPB.” not strong.” Previous work by members of colistin and neomycin by milk replacer in the The Dutch researchers also noted that the Dutch team, “pointed at the superiority first week of transition. The complete results other researchers had concluded that use of a multispecies probiotic compared with a are available at http://jds.fass.org/cgi/content/ of certain antibiotics—particularly neomy- multistrain probiotic.” abstract/88/6/2154.

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Countering compromised health status

In their discussion of results, the Dutch researchers noted that previous research seemed to show that probiotics (direct-fed, live microbial products) were most effective in recently transported calves and that the

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