Impact of probiotics on neonatal calves

Colonisation of potentially pathogenic bacteria can cause diarrhoea and respiratory disease in neonatal calves, which are the 2 primary causes of early calf morbidity and mortality. Morbidity rates due to neonatal diarrhoea can be as high as 21% in individual herds, and mortality rates can be as high as 5-8%. Animals harbour a complex microbiota inside the digestive tract which can be modified to promote or even restore health. Antimicrobials and probiotics can be used to modulate the microor