Effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product on heat-stressed dairy cows

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) on body temperature indices, metabolism, acute phase protein response, and production variables during heat stress (HS). Twenty multiparous lactating Holstein cows (body weight = 675 ± 12 kg; days in milk = 144 ± 5; and parity = 2.3 ± 0.1) were used in an experiment conducted in 2 replicates (10 cows/replicate). Cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments: control diet (CON; n = 10) or the CON diet supplemented with 19 g/d of SCFP (n = 10; NutriTek, Diamond V, Cedar Rapids, IA). Cows were fed their respective diets for 21 d before initiation of the study. The experiment consisted of 2 periods: thermoneutral (period 1; P1) and heat stress (period 2; P2). During P1 (4 d), cows were fed ad libitum and housed in thermoneutral conditions for collecting baseline data. During P2 (7 d), HS was artificially induced using an electric heat blanket (EHB; Thermotex Therapy Systems Ltd., Calgary, AB, Canada). Cows were fitted with the EHB for the entirety of P2. Rectal temperature, respiration rate, and skin temperature were obtained twice daily (0600 and 1800 h) during both periods. Overall, HS increased rectal temperature, skin temperature, and respiration rate (1.4°C, 4.8°C, and 54 breaths/min, respectively) relative to P1, but no dietary treatment differences were detected. Compared with P1, HS decreased dry matter intake and milk yield (36 and 26%, respectively), and the reductions were similar between dietary treatments. Relative to P1, HS increased milk fat content and milk urea nitrogen (17 and 30%, respectively) and decreased milk protein and lactose contents (7 and 1.4%, respectively). Overall, HS increased (52%) plasma cortisol concentrations of CON, but circulating cortisol did not change in SCFP-fed cows. Heat stress increased circulating lipopolysaccharide binding protein and serum amyloid A (SAA; 2-and 4-fold, respectively), and SCFP supplementation tended to decrease peak SAA (~33%) relative to CON cows. Overall, although HS did not influence circulating white blood cells and neutrophils, SCFP increased circulating white blood cells and neutrophils by 9 and 26%, respectively, over CON in P2. In conclusion, HS initiated an acute phase protein response and feeding SCFP blunted the cortisol and SAA concentrations and altered some key leukocyte dynamics during HS.

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Product (Olimond BB) Alters the Early Response after Influenza Vaccination in Racehorses

“…This is in line with findings in calves and lambs where the SCPF feeding had no influence on the fraction of circulating immune cells subpopulations [ 15 , 25 ]. In contrast, according to the literature, SCFP supplementation raised the numbers of circulating leukocytes and neutrophils in heat-stressed cows [ 26 ] and the fraction of monocytes and B-cells in adult dogs [ 9 ]. These effects of SCFP supplementation on circulating immune cell populations indicate that SCFP feeding may not always lead to an altered blood immune cell composition and that species, age of the animals, feeding regimes, housing and other conditions affect the outcome of an SCFP supplementation.…”

Heat Stress-Mediated Activation of Immune–Inflammatory Pathways

“…In recent years, probiotics and prebiotics such as yeast extracts or galacto-oligosaccharides (GOSs) have been promoted as feed additives to enhance immunity and GIT health [ 111 ] in heat-stressed cows [ 60 , 112 , 113 ], birds [ 49 ], and rats [ 108 ]. In most of these studies, the benefits in productive parameters, health, and welfare of the animals as a result of supplementation with pro- and prebiotics were examined.…”

Changes in milk production and blood metabolism of lactating dairy cows fed Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture fluid under heat stress

“…Other studies observed that heat stress increased MUNs, and feeding SCCFSCCFs had no detectable effects on MUNs [12]. Heat-stressed cows mobilize skeletal muscle to provide amino acids to produce acute-phase proteins (Johnson, 2012) and glucose (Baumgard and Rhoads, 2013).…”

“…The other metabolic indices, including AST, ALT, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, and creatinine, were not affected by the SCCF supplementation or experimental TMRs. Some studies observed that the blood parameters were not affected by the S. cerevisiae treatment [12,27]. However, other studies reported that S. cerevisiae supplementation favorably influenced the energy metabolic status and might have a liver-protecting effect on high-yield cows [28,29].…”

“…Many studies have reported that feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae positively influences the dry matter intake (DMI), rumen pH, nutrient digestibility, immune function and milk quality of dairy cows [5][6][7]. Because of its effects on the rumen fermentation and nutrient digestion, some authors have suggested that feeding yeast products may be most beneficial to dairy cows under heat stress [8][9][10][11][12]. Arambel and Kent [8] suggested that yeast products might be more effective under heat stress than under normal conditions.…”