Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two commercial enzyme products on milk production in Egyptian buffaloes. Twenty-one lactating buffaloes (570±15 kg BW) were divided into three groups (n=7) in a randomized block design for four months. Buffaloes were fed a total mixed ration containing 60% forage [rice straw and berseem hay (Trifolium alexandrinum)] and 40% concentrates with either no enzymes added (Control) or an addition of 40 g of Veta-Zyme Plus® (VET) or 40 g of Tomoko® (TOM ) enzyme product per day for each buffalo. Enzyme addition did not affect feed intake (P>0.05), but increased the digestibility of nutrients (P<0.05) and serum glucose concentration (P=0.011). Furthermore, the addition of VET increased milk (P=0.017) and fat corrected milk (P=0.021) yields, fat content (P=0.045), total unsaturated fatty acid (P=0.045) and total conjugated linoleic acid (P=0.031) contents in milk and decreased the content of total saturated fatty acids (P=0.046), while the addition of TOM increased milk total protein (P=0.023) and true protein (P=0.031) contents. The two enzyme products both resulted in higher concentrations of lysine (P=0.045) and total essential amino acids (P=0.036) in milk. It was concluded that addition of commercial fibrolytic enzyme products (i.e. Veta-Zyme Plus® and Tomoko®) to the diet of early lactating buffaloes enhanced nutrient digestibility and milk production and quality.