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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #263767
Title: Current status of practical applications: Probiotics in dairy cattle

Author
item Callaway, Todd
item Edrington, Thomas
item Poole, Toni
item Nisbet, David

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2011
Publication Date: 12/15/2011
Citation: Callaway, T.R., Edrington, T.S., Poole, T.L., Nisbet, D.J. 2011. Current status of practical applications: Probiotics in dairy cattle. In: Callaway, T.R., Ricke, S.C., editors. Direct Fed Microbials/Prebiotics for Animals: Science and Mechanisms of Action. New York, NY: Springer Verlag Publishing. p. 121-136.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The gastrointestinal microbial population of dairy cattle is dense and diverse, and can be utilized to reduce pathogenic bacterial populations as well as improve animal productivity and environmental impacts. Because of the nature of the dairy industry, probiotic products have been widely used to enhance milk production and feed efficiency. The individual efficacy of probiotics in dairy cattle is due to specific microbial ecological factors within the gut of the food animal and its native microflora that alter the competitive pressures of the gut. This chapter explores the ecology behind the efficacy of probiotic products against foodborne pathogens that inhabit food animals.