Effect of feeding live yeast products to calves with failure of passive transfer on performance and patterns of antibiotic resistance in fecal Escherichia coli

Fifty-two newborn Holstein calves with serum IgG concentrations less than 0.73 g.dL(-1) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: no added live yeast (control), 0.5 g of live yeast added to the grain for 84 d (SC; Saccharomyces cerevisiae), 0.5 g of live yeast added to the milk for 42 d (SB; S. cerevisiae, spp. boulardii), and 0.5 g of live yeast added to the grain for 84 d and to the milk for 42 d (SCSB). Calves were offered 440 g of milk replacer DM for the first 42 d and grain for ad libitum intake throughout the study. Plasma was analyzed weekly for concentrations of glucose and beta-hydroxybutyrate. Escherichia coli isolated from fecal samples collected every 2 weeks were used for determination of antibiotic resistance patterns. Calves receiving SC consumed more grain DM, had increased weight gain prior to weaning, and increased plasma glucose concentrations compared to controls. Days with diarrhea were reduced by feeding live yeast to calves. Antibiotic resistance in fecal E. coli was associated with the age of calves with highest levels of resistance observed in the 3 d calves. While calves receiving SCSB had higher levels of antibiotic resistance than controls, this effect was not associated with any of the other treatments. Improvements in performance of calves with failure of passive transfer were observed when live yeast was added only to the grain.