Investigating the Use of Probiotics to Improve Nutrient Utilization and Growth Performance in Cattle: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 6, 885 - 897, 15.11.2025

Kayode Omowunmi Ahmed , Godswill Arinzechukwu Iwuchukwu , Uğur Şen , Toheeb Olalekan Olayiwola , Oluwagbemiga Tomisin Adegoke , Samson Damilare Emiola , Hasan Önder

https://doi.org/10.47115/bsagriculture.1771443

Abstract

Interest in non-antibiotic growth enhancers like probiotics has increased due to the global demand for sustainable livestock production. In order to synthesize empirical data and guide more sustainable and effective cattle feeding practices, this study systematically examines how well probiotic supplements enhance nutrient utilization and growth performance in cattle. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out. There were 14 peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials with 19 comparisons between different probiotic strains and cattle breeds. Key nutrient digestibility parameters were extracted, including dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD), crude protein (CP) digestibility, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility. Growth performance metrics, such as average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (FE), body weight gain (BWG), and dry matter intake (DMI), were also extracted. Heterogeneity was evaluated and pooled mean differences were computed using Review Manager (RevMan 5.4) software. Probiotic supplementation considerably increased CP digestibility (MD=+2.72%, P=0.004) and ADG (MD = +0.04 kg/day, P<0.00001), with moderate heterogeneity, according to the meta-analysis. Other outcomes, including DMD, OMD, FE, BWG, and DMI, frequently showed significant inter-study variability and non-significant or inconsistent results. Notably, probiotics' effects varied depending on the situation and were impacted by the cattle's age, diet type, dosage, and strain. Particularly for young calves and forage-based systems, probiotics can be a useful nutritional tool to slightly improve protein utilization and growth in cattle. The need for specialized application techniques and more investigation into particular strain-diet-animal interactions is highlighted by their inconsistent effects across studies. This study provides one of the first thorough meta-analyses that focus solely on probiotic supplementation (apart from prebiotics and enzymes) and its dual impact on cattle performance outcomes and nutrient digestibility. It offers evidence-based recommendations for sustainable livestock production and offers a nuanced understanding of the circumstances in which probiotics work best.

Keywords

Probiotics , Cattle , Nutrient utilization , Growth performance , Meta-analysis , Systematic review

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