Effects of different sources of yeast on milk yield and composition in organic dairy sheep farming

摘要

The effects of yeast supplementation on nutritional status, milk yield and composition were investigated in sixty Sardinian ewes reared in an "organic" farm. Ewes were monitored from 30 days before lambing to 200 days in milk. Forty days before the expected lambing the ewes were divided in three homogeneous groups of 20 and treated as follow: YS group was supplemented with 10 g/head/day of live yeast; LY group was supplemented with 10 g/head/day of lyophilised yeast; the third group (C) was not supplemented. Ewes of YS-group showed higher (P < 0.05) average daily milk yield than their counterparts (1355 vs. 1162 and 1236 g/head/day in YS, LY and C groups, respectively). The inclusion of live yeast in the diet of dairy sheep increased milk productionbut, did not modify milk characteristics. Supplementation with lyophilised yeast had no effect on productive performance of dairy sheep.