Use of probiotic preparations to increase productive qualities in goats: a review

Abstract

An analytical review of scientific publications on probiotics in goat breeding was carried out. It has been established that the most popular probiotic microorganisms in goat farming are bacteria of the species Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum and single-celled yeast of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Including probiotic microflora in the diet increases the number of bacteria in the rumen contents of goats. Reducing the number of Clostridia and Escherichia coli in animal faeces is achieved by replacing the native faecal microflora with streptococci and lactic acid bacteria. It has been shown that feeding probiotic preparations is accompanied by an improvement in the metabolic status in the body of goats and is expressed by an increase in the concentration of total protein and its fractions, haemoglobin, erythrocytes, macro- and microelements in the blood of animals, and optimisation of lipid metabolism. Probiotics help preserve villi and inhibit inflammation of the intestinal epithelium of animals, exhibit antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties, and help reduce putrescine concentration in faeces. Feeding probiotics ensures an increase in daily milk yield, fat and protein content by increasing the digestibility of diet solids, primarily crude fibre. The probiotic potential of some microorganisms is expressed in increased concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids in goat milk and meat with a decrease in the atherogenic index of raw materials. The use of drugs helps to increase the absolute increase in live weight of goat kids against the background of the harmonious development of the physique of young animals due to the production of microbial phytase, a decrease in the redox potential of chyme and an increase in the number of microorganisms that consume lactic acid. Some authors report the absence of a significant effect when using probiotics in feeding lactating animals and raising goat kids.