Efficacy of Yeast Culture Metabolites on Health and Productive Potential of Dairy Cows Under Heat Stress Condition

Abstract

Sajjad Ur Rahman, Dur E Nayab, Mariam Azam, Muhammad Mukarram Bashir, Zain Ul Abedin Merchant

Impact of yeast culture metabolites (YCM) supplementation on milk production and feed digestibility in 282 lactating dairy cows in their 2nd to 3rd lactation, exposed to thermal stress conditions, with temperature–humidity index ranging from 65 to 81. A 30-day switch-over experimental design was applied to reduce individual animal variation and ensure uniform management conditions. The cows were segregated into two groups A and B. Following a seven-day baseline period, one group received YCM supplementation (15 gm/h/d) for 15 days while the other served as the control, after which the treatments were switched over. Supplementation with YCM resulted in improvement in milk yield even under heat stress. In Group A, overall 1.1L per cow/day whereas in group B, cows responded positively to 0.98 L/day. YCM stabilized rumen pH, improved volatile fatty acid profiles, and increased microbial activity. Fiber degradation and nutrient utilization in supplemented cows was 56% compared to 44%.

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