Performance responses of lactating Rahmani ewes fed diet supplemented with Enterococcus faecium NRC-3 or Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Production of new types of probiotics for animal nutrition mainly depends on the appropriate bacterial strain and efficient substrate. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of two probiotic strains containing 1.2 × 108 (CFU/g), produced on permeate media on performance responses of Rahmani ewes. Thirty early lactating ewes (about 2–3 years old and weighting on average 43.2 ± 0.3 kg) were randomly divided into three groups of 10 animals each using a completely randomized design. The 1st group was fed the basal diet (60% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + 30% Egyptian clover + 10% bean straw). While the ewes in 2nd and 3rd groups were fed the basal diet + 2 g of Enterococcus faecium NRC-3(EF) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR), respectively for 9 weeks. Ewes’ diet supplementation with EF or LR increased (p < 0.05) dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and non-structural carbohydrates digestibility compared to ewes of the control group. Glucose, total protein, and albumin concentrations significantly increased in the blood of EF ewes than those of LR and control. Probiotics increased ewes’ milk yield as well as milk protein, fat, and lactose yields, but no differences were observed between treatments when milk components were expressed as percentage. Milk fatty acids profile not changed due to EF or LR supplementation. Probiotics (E. faecium and L. rhamnosus) produced on cheese industry waste (permeate) have proven their ability to improve the productive performance of the lactating Rahmani ewes.