EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTATION WITH YEAST ALONE OR MIXED WITH BOTH SPIRULINA OR BACILLUS SUBTILIS ON THE PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF EWES

Abdou, A. A.; Ghoniem, A. H.; El-Kotamy, E. M.; Zanouny, A. I.; Saudi, E. M.; Gheetas, R. M.; Saad, S. A.

doi:10.21608/ejnf.2025.420495

EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTATION WITH YEAST ALONE OR MIXED WITH BOTH SPIRULINA OR BACILLUS SUBTILIS ON THE PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF EWES

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

² Animal Production Faculty of Agriculture Mina

³ Animal Production Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University Cairo, Egypt.

10.21608/ejnf.2025.420495

Abstract

This study was performed to assess the impact of live yeast alone or with a blend of Spirulina, and Bacillus subtilis supplementation on the feed intake, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and performance of productive and reproductive ewes. Twenty-four pregnant ewes were divided into four similar groups (six in each) and fed to cover their recommended requirements, according to the NRC (2007). Animals were fed the conventional ration containing 50% concentrate feed mixture, 15% berseem, and 35% berseem straw without additive in the T1 group (as a control) or supplemented with 3 g of LY alone, or mixed with either 3g of SP or 1.5g of BS added to CFM for the T2, T3, and T4 groups, respectively. Results indicated that all supplements didn’t affect feed intake but significantly improved all nutrient digestibility except for ether extract digestibility and enhanced milk production and composition. All supplements didn’t impact pH values, but significantly lower ammonia-N concentration and higher total volatile fatty acid concentrations. Supplementing probiotics didn’t influence total protein, albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferases and alanine aminotransferases, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations, but increased glucose and decreased urea and creatinine concentrations significantly. Probiotic supplementation had no effect on the body weight of ewes, but improved lambs’ weight at weaning, feed conversion of ewes and the economic efficiency, especially for T2 and T3. It could be concluded that supplementing yeast with Spirulina or Bacillus subtilis might have positive effects on the productive and reproductive performance of ewes and their offerpring and enhance economic efficiency and the health conditions of sheep.

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