Supplementation of brewer’s yeast slurry improves the performance of dairy cattle

Brewer's yeast slurry is the by-product of the beer processing industry which includes live cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  It is rich in high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals essential for the growth and well-being of animals. Moreover, Saccharomyces cerevisiae improves the growth of beneficial microflora in the rumen of ruminant animals. Sri Lanka is importing a large amount of milk and milk products to fulfill the demand of consumers. Lack of high-quality feed is one of the major concerns which hinders the dairy production in the country. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing brewer's yeast slurry on the performance of dairy cattle in large scale production. In this study, 120 lactating cows were selected and divided into two groups as control and treatment considering their production, breed, and stage of lactation. The complete study period was 77 days. In the first period, the treatment group was fed with brewer's yeast slurry for 32 days. In the second period, which included 26 days both treatment and control groups were not fed brewer's yeast slurry. In the third period, the treatment group was fed brewer's yeast slurry for 19 days. Milk samples were collected daily and milk weight, fat content and density were measured. According to the results, milk production was significantly higher in the treatment group. Furthermore, supplementation of brewer's yeast slurry has improved the total solids and fat content of the milk.