The effect of live Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast in the diet of rams on the digestibility of nutrients, nitrogen and mineral retention, and blood serum biochemical parameters

Authors: BARBARA KOWALIK, JACEK SKOMIAL, RENATA MILTKO, MALGORZATA MAJEWSKA

Abstract: The effect of live Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast added to the diet of rams on the digestibility of carbohydrates and protein in the total tract, retention of nitrogen and mineral elements, and concentration of biochemical parameters in blood serum was examined. The experiment was carried out on 12 Corriedale rams allocated to 2 groups of 6 animals each. The control group was fed meadow hay (45.4%), concentrate (53.2%), and a vitamin?mineral mixture (1.4%), while the second group was fed the same diet supplemented with 2 g day^-1 live S. cerevisiae. Adaptation to feeding lasted 21 days; the sampling period lasted 7 days. The digestibility of carbohydrates, protein, nitrogen, macroelements (P, Na, Mg, K), and microelements (Cu, Mn, Zn) and their retention, as well as total protein, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL, LDL, and VLDL in blood serum, were determined. Supplementation with live yeast caused a tendency towards decreasing (P = 0.066) the digestibility of N-free extract compared with animals fed the control diet. Magnesium retention showed a tendency to increase (P = 0.053) when rams were fed a diet supplemented with live yeast cells. Total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and LDL concentrations decreased significantly when yeast was added compared with animals fed the control diet.

Keywords: Yeast, digestibility, minerals, nitrogen, blood, rams

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