THE USE OF BACILLUS SPP. F FOR THE TREATMENT OF DYSBACTERIOSIS IN CALVES

Abstract

Diseases of newborn calves by intestinal infections occupy one of the leading positions in the infectious pathology of bacterial etiology and can account for up to 80% of all types of pathology in young calves. The main cause of calf mortality is endogenous infections caused by opportunistic pathogenic microflora. Domestic scientists have proved the antagonistic activity of the bacteria Bacillus spp. F (TNP-3 and TNP-5 strains) to Salmonella, Streptococcus, Leptospira, Mycobacterium tuberculosis in in vitro experiments, Enterococcus and Campylobacter. Thus, it is necessary to study the effect of Bacillus spp. F on the enterobiocenosis of calves in order to prevent dysbacteriosis. The authors conducted an experiment on newborn calves with diarrhoeal symptoms in farms of the Omsk region, from which experimental and control groups were formed. Calves of the experimental group (n = 6) were given a suspension containing Bacillus spp. F at a concentration of 0.5x109 m.t/ml, while the control animals (n = 5) were fed the usual diet. The authors also studied the microflora of the calf digestive system at the beginning and end of the experiment. The authors used classical and modern methods of laboratory diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases of young cattle caused by opportunistic pathogens. The composition of microflora, cultural, morphological and biochemical properties of the isolated cultures, as well as their resistance to antibacterial drugs have been studied. Enterobiocenosis of calves is represented by bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, nonpathogenic and enteropathogenic serotypes of E. coli, as well as such bacteria as Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Proteus spp., Citrobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Providencia spp. and Klebsiella spp. Sensitivity of most of the isolated cultures to ciprofloxacin, pefloxacin, levofloxacin and phosphomycin was detected. In calves of the experimental group after drinking a suspension containing Bacillus spp. F, an increase in the concentration of normoflora and a significant reduction in the number of opportunistic bacteria were observed.