Efecto de los probióticos en el rendimiento productivo y de salud en bovinos: Una revisión/Effect of probiotics on cattle health and performance: A review
Resumen
Los probióticos han emergido como una alternativa prometedora en la producción ganadera bovina, especialmente frente al uso prolongado de antibióticos, el cual ha generado resistencia bacteriana, residuos en productos de origen animal y riesgos para la salud pública. La investigación, realizada entre abril y mayo de 2025, incluye una revisión de la literatura científica publicada entre los años 2000 y 2025, disponible en bases de datos como Semantic Scholar, Scopus y Google Scholar; que se complementa con herramientas digitales como Elicit y Research Rabbit. Los resultados destacan beneficios significativos como la reducción en la incidencia y severidad de diarreas en terneros, acompañada de un crecimiento más estable; mientras que, en vacas lecheras se registraron mejoras en la composición de la carne y la leche e incrementos en la producción de esta última, así como una mayor ganancia de peso y eficiencia alimenticia. Estos hallazgos posicionan a los probióticos como una herramienta estratégica para avanzar hacia sistemas ganaderos más sostenibles; no obstante, persisten desafíos ante la brecha de conocimientos existente en varios estudios, como la falta de especificación de cepas y de dosis utilizadas, lo que dificulta la comparación de resultados y limita la formulación de recomendaciones prácticas para su aplicación en campo; por lo que este estudio propone analizar la evidencia científica disponible sobre los efectos del uso de probióticos en bovinos, considerando su impacto en la salud y el rendimiento productivo.
Palabras clave: animal; bienestar; bobinos; inmunidad; probióticos
ABSTRACT
Probiotics have emerged as a promising alternative in bovine livestock production, particularly in the face of prolonged antibiotic use, which has led to bacterial resistance, residues in animal products, and risks to public health. The research, conducted between April and May 2025, includes a review of the scientific literature published between 2000 and 2025, available in databases such as Semantic Scholar, Scopus, and Google Scholar, supplemented with digital tools such as Elicit and Research Rabbit. The results highlight significant benefits such as a reduction in the incidence and severity of diarrhea in calves, accompanied by more stable growth. In dairy cows, improvements in meat and milk composition, increases in milk production, as well as greater weight gain and feed efficiency were recorded. These findings position probiotics as a strategic tool for advancing toward more sustainable livestock systems. However, challenges persist due to knowledge gaps identified in several studies, such as the lack of specification of strains and doses used, which hinders the comparison of results and limits the formulation of practical recommendations for field application. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the available scientific evidence on the effects of probiotic use in cattle, considering its impact on health and productive performance.
Keywords: animal; welfare; cattle; immunity; probiotics
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Derechos de autor 2026 Carmen Dolores Zambrano Cornejo , Gustavo Adolfo Campozano Marcillo
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