Orally dosing steers with Lactipro (Megasphaera elsdenii) decreases the quantity of roughages fed during finishing

摘要

The cost of roughages is relatively high in comparison to their contribution of nutrientsto feedlot diets. Widespread drought has affected roughage supplies in the cattle-feedingregions of the United States, further increasing the cost of roughages for feedlots.Despite their relatively high cost, roughages are incorporated into finishing diets tomaintain rumen function and to manage ruminal acidosis. The greatest proportionof roughage is utilized early in the feeding period when cattle are being transitionedfrom forage-based diets to concentrate-based diets, allowing ruminal microbes toadapt gradually to higher levels of starch and sugars. If cattle are not properly adaptedto concentrate-based diets, undesirable lactic acid-producing microorganisms, such asStreptococcus bovis, can rapidly proliferate and produce large excesses of lactic acid in therumen. This condition can precipitate feedlot acidosis, which can have serious consequencesfor health and performance of cattle.Lactipro (MS Biotec, Wamego, KS) is a probiotic drench containing Megasphaera elsdenii,which is a lactate-utilizing bacterium that prevents lactic acid accumulations in therumen of grain-fed cattle. Lactipro has been used successfully to accelerate the adaptationof cattle from roughage-based diets to concentrate-based diets. The objective ofthis study was to determine if Lactipro could be utilized to eliminate the step-up periodfor feedlot cattle, and in so doing decrease the amount of roughage required during thefinishing period.