PROBIOTICS USE IN RUMINANT NUTRITION

Abstract

Ruminant production in very prominent in livestock production. They are available all over Nigeria where pasture constitute their major source of feed. However, utilization of the available pasture depends on the microbes in the rumen which then determines the overall wellbeing of these animals and their productive capacity. Additives have been used to improve the ability of these microbes to productively utilize the feedstuff and consequently, the digestibility. The additives in use previously have been demonstrated to impact negatively on the health of the animals. Probiotics then became prominent as an additives because of the ability to improve the productive capacity of the microbes in the rumen without any known negative effect on the health of the animals. The study then reviewed probiotics use in ruminants and concluded that it improves the productivity of ruminants due to improved microbial activities.