EFFECT OF INULIN AND Lactobacillus casei ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, RUMINAL VARIABLES AND BLOOD METABOLITES IN WEANED LAMBS.

Abstract

Enteric infections cause diarrhea and death of lambs during weaning, representing economic loss. These infections have been treated with antibiotics; however, their inadequate use causes bacterial resistance. Prebiotics and probiotics can be an alternative to using antibiotics in lambs during weaning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of prebiotic of the inulin of Agave tequilana and Lactobacillus casei on the growth, ruminal and hematological variables, and blood metabolites in weaned lambs. The experimental design was completely randomized and the averages of the treatments were compared using the Tukey test. Treatments (T) were randomly assigned to 30 weaned male lambs (Katahdin x Dorset, 20.6 ±0.2 kg LW): T1: control (base diet); T2: T1 + 2 % inulin; and T3: T1 + 2 % inulin + L. casei. Evaluations included daily weight gain (DWG), dry matter consumption (DMC), fecal consistency and ruminal and hematological variables and blood metabolites. At the end of the study fecal samples were collected for count of total coliforms and lactobacilli. There were no differences (p>0.05) in DWG, FC and ruminal variables. The combination of inulin and L. casei increased (p£0.05) the percentage of basophils and the population of lactobacilli. The population of total coliforms in feces was higher (p£0.05) in the control group. The concentration of serum cholesterol decreased (p?0.05) 10 and 7 % in T3 and T2, with respect to the control group. The inulin of A. tequilana and L. casei increased the concentration of probiotic bacteria in the digestive tube and the cells of the immune system and decreased the incidence of diarrhea without affecting DMC and DWG of the lambs.