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Research Article


Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves

Aikaterini Stoikou, Maria V. Alvanou, Ioannis A. Giantsis, Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Emmanouil Kalaitzakis, Konstantinos Efraimidis, Spyridon K. Kritas, Evanthia Petridou.


Abstract
Backround:
Mastitis in dairy cows and neonatal calf diarrhea are two major health problems in the livestock industry, leading to massive economic losses while reducing animal welfare. Alternative prevention strategies are of high importance in reducing the need of conventional antibiotic-based treatments.

Aim:
In the present study, we aimed to assess dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides for managing mastitis and diarrhea in neonatal calves and dairy cows/.

Methods:
Calves (24 per group) and cows (50 control group and 124 probiotic group) were provided with identical feed, and the probiotic (10^4 cfu/gr) was added in the experimental group only for 90 days.

Results:
Results showed no significant effect of L. mesenteroides on average daily gain (ADG) in calves (P=0.28); nevertheless, a significant reduction was observed in fecal harmful microbial scores and diarrhea incidence (P=0.012) compared to the control group. In cows, probiotic supplementation did not significantly alter milk yield (P=0.44) or bacterial presence (P=0.68) in milk samples. Although a numerical increase in mastitis cases was noted, it was not statistically significant (P=0.17).

Conclusion:
In conclusion, under the conditions of this study, dietary supplementation with L. mesenteroides at 10^4 cfu/gr for 90 days significantly reduced diarrhea incidence in neonatal calves but had no significant effect on their growth, nor on the milk yield or mastitis rates of dairy cows

Key words: Milk production; Antibiotic-based treatment alternatives; Average daily gain; Holstein calves; Probiotics.


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Stoikou A, Alvanou MV, Giantsis IA, Papageorgiou K, Papadopoulos D, Kalaitzakis E, Efraimidis K, Kritas SK, Petridou E. Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves. Open Vet. J.. 2025; 15(8): 3428-3438. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66

Web Style

Stoikou A, Alvanou MV, Giantsis IA, Papageorgiou K, Papadopoulos D, Kalaitzakis E, Efraimidis K, Kritas SK, Petridou E. Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves. https://www.openveterinaryjournal.com/?mno=270217 [Access: January 25, 2026]. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Stoikou A, Alvanou MV, Giantsis IA, Papageorgiou K, Papadopoulos D, Kalaitzakis E, Efraimidis K, Kritas SK, Petridou E. Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves. Open Vet. J.. 2025; 15(8): 3428-3438. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Stoikou A, Alvanou MV, Giantsis IA, Papageorgiou K, Papadopoulos D, Kalaitzakis E, Efraimidis K, Kritas SK, Petridou E. Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves. Open Vet. J.. (2025), [cited January 25, 2026]; 15(8): 3428-3438. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66


Harvard Style

Stoikou, A., Alvanou, . M. V., Giantsis, . I. A., Papageorgiou, . K., Papadopoulos, . D., Kalaitzakis, . E., Efraimidis, . K., Kritas, . S. K. & Petridou, . E. (2025) Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves. Open Vet. J., 15 (8), 3428-3438. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66


Turabian Style

Stoikou, Aikaterini, Maria V. Alvanou, Ioannis A. Giantsis, Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Emmanouil Kalaitzakis, Konstantinos Efraimidis, Spyridon K. Kritas, and Evanthia Petridou. 2025. Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves. Open Veterinary Journal, 15 (8), 3428-3438. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66


Chicago Style

Stoikou, Aikaterini, Maria V. Alvanou, Ioannis A. Giantsis, Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Emmanouil Kalaitzakis, Konstantinos Efraimidis, Spyridon K. Kritas, and Evanthia Petridou. "Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves." Open Veterinary Journal 15 (2025), 3428-3438. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Stoikou, Aikaterini, Maria V. Alvanou, Ioannis A. Giantsis, Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Emmanouil Kalaitzakis, Konstantinos Efraimidis, Spyridon K. Kritas, and Evanthia Petridou. "Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves." Open Veterinary Journal 15.8 (2025), 3428-3438. Print. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Stoikou, A., Alvanou, . M. V., Giantsis, . I. A., Papageorgiou, . K., Papadopoulos, . D., Kalaitzakis, . E., Efraimidis, . K., Kritas, . S. K. & Petridou, . E. (2025) Effects of dietary supplementation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides on performance, diarrhea, and mastitis in dairy cows and calves. Open Veterinary Journal, 15 (8), 3428-3438. doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i8.66


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