Evaluation of Effective Microbes (EM) as Non-Conventional Feed Supplement to Lactating Crossbred Cows and Barn Malodor Control under Ethiopian Condition

The experiment was conducted at Holetta Agricultural Research Center with an objective to see whether supple- mentation of EM (Effect ive M icrobes) can result in modest level of performance in early lactating cros sbred dairy cows (50% Boran Vs Friesian). Four crossbred cows of same genetic make -up only differing in parit ies were arranged randomly in 4x4 Latin Square Design to receive the EM-1 fermented wheat bran (Bokashi) at 3% TDMI + Noug seed cake + ad lib native pasture hay (T1), Formu lated concentrate mix (0.5 kg/l of milk) + ad lib native pasture hay sprayed with EM -2 solution (T2), Formu lated concentrate mix (0.5 kg/l of milk) + EM -2 treated drinking water (1lt EM -2: 500 lt of water) + ad lib native pasture hay (T3), Formulated concentrate mix (0.5 kg/l of milk) + ad lib natural pasture hay (control) (T4). Supplementation of with EM only increased (P 0.05) for daily basal and total feed intake and milk yield and compositions when co mparison was actually made among the EM supplemented group and/or when these various forms of EM supplemented group were compared to cows in the control group. Cows receiving EM in the form o f Bo kashi displayed unusually superior daily growth (p<0.05) over those cows that have been dosed with EM through the sprayed natural pasture hay. Post treatment assessment fro m subjective judgments made by wo rkers on-station showed that EM application in dairy barn can effectively imp roves malodors in dairy pre-weaned calves. Therefore, fro m the present study, it can be concluded that different modes of EM provision sup- ported equal level of performance co mpared to cows in the control group except for live weight changes.