Reprod. Nutr. Dev. 44 (2004) 449-457
DOI: 10.1051/rnd:2004051

Effects of the administration of Lactobacilli on body growth and on the metabolic profile in growing Maltese goat kids

Vincenzo Chiofalo, Luigi Liotta and Biagina Chiofalo

Dept. Morfologia, Biochimica, Fisiologia e Produzioni Animali, Sect. Zootecnica e Nutrizione animale, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy

(Received 15 May 2003; accepted 9 July 2004)

Abstract - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of some lactobacilli on body growth and on the metabolic-nutritional status in growing goat kids. Twenty growing Maltese goat kids (10 Control and 10 Bios) were studied. The animals of the Bios group received a concentrate including 1 g·kg^-1 of SEB Bovino^® (spray-dried), Akron S.r.l., Italy, with non bacterial components: gum arabic, soybean meal, silicate alum of magnesium, and with bacterial components: 10¹¹ cfu·kg^-1 each of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteri. Monthly, bio-metric and weight evaluations were carried out on each animal and individual blood samples were taken. The Bios group showed the highest body weight (Control 19 vs. Bios 23 kg P < 0.001), anamorphosis (Control 71 vs. Bios 78 P < 0.05) and body proportion (Control 35 vs. Bios 41 P < 0.001) indices; the lowest levels of Non Esterified Fatty Acids (Control 0.778 vs. Bios 0.403 mmol·L^-1 P < 0.001), triglycerides (Control 0.21 vs. Bios 0.18 mmol·L^-1 P < 0.05), urea (Control 8.83 vs. Bios 7.65 mmol·L^-1 P < 0.05) and the highest levels of Alkaline Phosphatase (Control 270 vs. Bios 851 U·L^-1 P < 0.01) and Creatine Kinase (Control 173 vs. Bios 285 U·L^-1 P < 0.01). The results testify to the better metabolic activity of the Bios group which achieved, at the end of the trial (7 months old), about 99% of the morphological development of the adult, therefore an adequate structure for mating and going into production within the first year of life.

Key words: goat kid / growing / Lactobacillus / morphological trait / metabolic profile

Corresponding author: Vincenzo Chiofalo vincenzo.chiofalo@unime.it

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2004