Kosulnikov YuV, Kosulnikova AI, Vavulina TR, Laktionov YuV.

Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2026. Vol. 109. No. 3. Р. 212-228.

doi: 10.33284/2658-3135-109-3-212

Review article

Current aspects of probiotic technology for cattle feeding

 

Yuri V Kosulnikov1, Anastasia I Kosulnikova1, Tatyana R Vavulina1, Yuri V Laktionov1

1,2,3,4All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology, Pushkin, Russia

1yv.kosulnikov@arriam.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1134-3503

2a.kovalchuk@arriam.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7206-2395

3t.kudryashova@arriam.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5120-7229

4laktionov@arriam.ru,  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6241-0273

 

Abstract. This review analyzes modern biotechnological approaches to the development, production, and practical application of probiotic preparations in animal husbandry, with a specific focus on dairy cattle farming as a strategically vital sector of Russia's agro-industrial complex. In the context of building a national bioeconomy, probiotics are regarded not only as tools for enhancing animal productivity but also as eco-oriented solutions for reducing the industry's anthropogenic footprint—specifically by mitigating methane emissions and odor-causing compounds (ammonia, sulfur-containing volatiles) generated during ruminant digestion and manure processing. The paper systematizes data on the relationship between rumen microbiome composition and key indicators of cattle health and productivity. It demonstrates that targeted modulation of the rumen microbiota using specifically selected strains (Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, etc.) promotes improved enzymatic degradation of feed anti-nutritional factors (soy antigenic proteins, fiber), enhanced nitrogen digestibility, reduced formation of biogenic amines, and strengthened antioxidant defense mechanisms. Special attention is paid to innovative technologies of feed fermentation, including two-stage liquid fermentation at a temperature of 30 °C, which enhances the metabolic functions of various groups of probiotics. The stages of creating probiotic drugs are considered: isolation of promising strains from natural sources and their identification using molecular genetic methods; assessment of probiotic properties (enzymatic activity, resistance to stress factors of the gastrointestinal tract, absence of antibiotic resistance genes); optimization of the composition of nutrient media for deep cultivation in order to reduce cost; development of new formulations (immobilized on sorbents, microcapsulated, biofilm) that ensure the viability of microorganisms during storage and passage through the aggressive environment of the gastrointestinal tract. The practice of using probiotics in Russia and abroad confirms their key role in the transition of animal husbandry to sustainable, resource-saving and environmentally friendly technologies underlying the concept of bioeconomics.

Keywords: bioeconomics, agriculture, agricultural technology, biotechnology, microbial preparations, probiotics, feed, animal husbandry, cattle, rumen microbiome, methanogenesis, feed fermentation.

For citation: Kosulnikov YuV, Kosulnikova AI, Vavulina TR, Laktionov YuV. Current aspects of probiotic technology for cattle feeding (review). Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2026;109(3):212-228. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.33284/2658-3135-109-3-212

References

  1. Aleshin DE. Biotechnological industry products in animal feeding: probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotics, synbiotics and postbiotics. Fundamental and applied science: state and development trends. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership "New Science"; 2024:296-343. doi: 10.46916/04062024-2-978-5-00215-407-4
  2. Drobot EV, Gavrilina MY. Concepts of green, circular and bioeconomics in the context of sustainable development: synergy and strategy. Journal of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Law. 2025;15(6):3827-3844. doi: 10.18334/epp.15.6.123474
  3. Bogolyubova NV, Zelenchenkova AA, Kolesnik NS, Lahonin PD. Rumen methane production and its reduction using nutritional factors (review). Agricultural Biology. 2022;57(6):1025-1054. doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2022.6.1025rus doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2022.6.1025eng
  4. Miroshnikova MS, Arinzhanov AE. Rumen microbiocenosis is a tool for the construction of artificial biosystems. Ruminal bioreactor (review). Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2021;104(3):57-59. doi: 10.33284/2658-3135-104-3-57
  5. Murlenkov NV. Russian and global markets for feed probiotics. Scientific Journal of Young Scientists. 2019;2(15):5-8.
  6. Ovcharova AN, Petrakov ES. New probiotic preparations based on lactobacillus reuteri and prospects for their use in livestock farming (review). Problems of Productive Animal Biology. 2018;2:5-18. doi: 10.25687/1996-6733.prodanimbiol.2018.2.5-18
  7. Kiseleva IA, Nityaga IM, Markova YM, Lutsay VI. Safety assessment and identification of mixed probiotic microorganisms in enriched products. Russian Journal Problems of Veterinary Sanitation, Hygiene and Ecology. 2020;4(36):473-479. doi: 10.36871/vet.san.hyg.ecol.202004011
  8. Grigorieva ZhA, Novikova OB, Osipov AB, Khomenko RM. Evaluation of the effect of immobilization of a probiotic and xylanase on a polymeric matrix on their efficiency in diets for broilers. Poultry Farming. 2020;12:21-25. doi: 10.33845/0033-3239-2020-69-12-21-25
  9. Russian Statistical Yearbook 2024: stat .book. Rosstat. Moscow; 2024:630 p. [Internet]. Available from: https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Ejegodnik_2024.htm (cited 2026 Feb 12).
  10. Yildirim EA, Laptev GY,  Ilina  LA,  Dunashev TP, Tyurina DG, Filippova VA, Brazhnik EA,  Tarlavin NV,  Dubrovin AV,  Novikova NI,  Soldatova VV,  Zaitsev    The  influence of a dietary  Enterococcus faecium  strain-based  additive  on  the  taxonomic  and  functional  characteristics of  the  rumen  microbiota  of  lactating  cows.  Agricultural  Biology.  2020;55(6):1204-1219. doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2020.6.1204rus  doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2020.6.1204eng
  11. Kolevatykh EP, Pilip LV, Syrchina NV, et al. Transformation of the microbiota of animal husbandry waste under the influence of chemical reagents to eliminate odor. Theoretical and applied ecology. 2022;4:159-165. doi: 10.25750/1995-4301-2022-4-159-165
  12. Federal State Statistics Service [Internet]. Available from: https://www.gks.ru (cited 2026 Feb 12).
  13. Chizhayeva AV, Dudnikova AN. Scientific review: the theoretical and practical aspects of constructioning of probiotic preparations. Scientific Review. Biological Sciences. 2017;2:157-166.
  14. Yarkova TM. The status and problems of dairy cattle breeding in Russia. Food Policy and Security. 2024;11(1):119-134. doi: 10.18334/ppib.11.1.120368
  15. Yarkova TM. Socio-economic accessibility of food: assessment methodology. Food Policy and Security. 2022;9(2):163-176. doi: 10.18334/ppib.9.2.114735
  16. Abdelbagi M, Ridwan R, Fidriyanto R, Rohmatussolihat, Nahrowi, Jayanegara A. Effects of probiotics and encapsulated probiotics on enteric methane emission and nutrient digestibility in vitro. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2021;788(1):012050. doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/788/1/012050
  17. Agregán-Pérez R, Alonso-González E, Mejuto JC, Pérez-Guerra N. Production of a potentially probiotic product for animal feed and evaluation of some of its probiotic properties. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021;22(18):10004. doi: 10.3390/ijms221810004
  18. Cai X, Yi P, Chen X, Wu J, Lan G, Li S, Luo S, Huang F, Huang J, Shen P. Intake of compound probiotics accelerates the construction of immune function and gut microbiome in Holstein calves. Microbiology Spectrum. 2024;12(6):e0190923. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01909-23
  19. Fernández S, Fraga M, Silveyra E, Trombert AN, Rabaza A, Pla M, Zunino P. Probiotic properties of native Lactobacillus spp. strains for dairy calves. Beneficial Microbes. 2018;9(4):613-624. doi: 10.3920/BM2017.0131
  20. Guan N, Li C, Liu W, Wu Q, Zhu J, Gao T, Song , Guo R, Yuan F, Tian Y. et al. Isolation and probiotic functions of Bacillus subtilis and its inhibitory effects on colitis. Biology. 2025;14(12):1786. doi: 10.3390/biology14121786
  21. Guo G, Shen C, Liu Q, Zhang SL, Shao T, Wang C, Wang Y, Xu Q, Huo W. The effect of lactic acid bacteria inoculums on in vitro rumen fermentation, methane production, ruminal cellulolytic bacteria populations and cellulase activities of corn stover silage. Journal of Integrative Agriculture. 2020;19(3):838-847. doi: 10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62707-3
  22. Jeyanathan J, Martin C, Eugène M, Ferlay A, Popova M, Morgavi DP. Bacterial direct-fed microbials fail to reduce methane emissions in primiparous lactating dairy cows. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology. 2019;10:41. doi:1186/s40104-019-0342-9
  23. Kerek Á, Palkovicsné Pézsa N, Kaszab E, Jerzsele Á, Farkas O. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of probiotic strains in the context of antimicrobial resistance. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2025;12:1684650. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1684650
  24. Lambo MT, Chang X, Liu D. The recent trend in the use of multistrain probiotics in livestock production: an overview. Animals (Basel). 2021;11(10):2805. doi: 3390/ani11102805
  25. Latham EA, Pinchak WE, Trachsel J, Allen HK, Callaway TR, Nisbet DJ, Anderson RC. Paenibacillus 79R4, a potential rumen probiotic to enhance nitrite detoxification and methane mitigation in nitrate-treated ruminants. Science of the Total Environment. 2019;671:324-328. doi: 1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.390
  26. Matthews C, Crispie F, Lewis E, Reid M, O'Toole PW, Cotter PD. The rumen microbiome: a crucial consideration when optimising milk and meat production and nitrogen utilisation efficiency. Gut Microbes. 2019;10(2):115-132. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2018.1505176
  27. Myo NZ, Kamwa R, Khurajog B, Pupa P, Sirichokchatchawan W, Hampson DJ, Prapasarakul N. Industrial production and functional profiling of probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici 72 N for potential use as a swine feed additive. Scientific Reports. 2025;15:14940. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-99826-8
  28. Nalla K, Manda NK, Dhillon HS, et al. Impact of probiotics on dairy production efficiency. Frontiers in microbiology. 2022;13:805963. doi: 3389/fmicb.2022.805963
  29. Nguyen HA, Tran PT, Dam HT, Nguyen HV, Le TH, Ho PH, Lan Huong N. Whole genome sequence analysis of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain S2.5 as a potential probiotic for feed supplement in livestock production. Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. 2024;22(3):100404. doi: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2024.100404
  30. Olchowy TWJ, Soust M,  Alawneh J.  The  effect  of  a  commercial  probiotic  product on the milk quality of dairy cows grazing on pasture. Journal of Dairy Science. 2019;102(3):2188-2195. doi: 3168/jds.2018-15411
  31. Park M-K, Hwang T-K, Kim W, Jo Y, Park Y-J, Kim M-C, Son H, Seo D, Shin J-H. Probiotic feed additives mitigate odor emission in cattle farms through microbial community changes. Fermentation. 2024;10(9):473. doi: 10.3390/fermentation10090473
  32. Pedraza-Hernández J, Elghandour MMMY, Khusro A, Camacho-Diaz LM, Vallejo LH, Barbabosa-Pliego A, Salem AZM. Mitigation of ruminal biogases production from goats using Moringa oleifera extract and live yeast culture for a cleaner agriculture environment. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019;234:779-786. doi: 1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.126
  33. Pereira JQ, Ritter AC, Cibulski S, Brandelli A. Functional genome annotation depicts probiotic  properties  of  Bacillus  velezensis    Gene.  2019;713:143971. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.143971
  34. Perez RH, Ancuelo  AE,  Zendo    Genotypic  and  phenotypic  characterization  of bacteriocinogenic  lactic  acid  bacterial  strains  for  possible  beneficial,  virulence,  and  antibiotic resistance   traits.  Journal  of  Microbiology,  Biotechnology  and  Food  Sciences.  2022;11(5):e4990. doi: 10.55251/jmbfs.4990
  35. Ramos SC, Jeong  CD,  Mamuad  LL,  Kim  SH, Kang SH, Kim ET, Cho YI, Lee SS, Lee SS. Diet transition from high-forage to high-concentrate alters rumen bacterial community composition, epithelial transcriptomes and ruminal fermentation parameters in dairy cows. Animals. 2021;11(3):838. doi: 3390/ani11030838
  36. Wanapat M, Viennasay B, Matra M, Totakul P, Phesatcha B, Ampapon T, Wanapat S. Supplementation of fruit peel pellet containing phytonutrients to manipulate rumen pH, fermentation efficiency, nutrient digestibility and microbial protein synthesis. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2021;101(11):4543-4550. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.11096
  37. Wu R, Chang S, Zhang H, Yang X, Gu R, Wang S, Liu X, Bat-Ochir M, Wu J. Compound probiotics microcapsules improve milk yield and milk quality of dairy cows by regulating intestinal flora. Food Bioengineering. 2024;3(1):110-125. doi: 10.1002/fbe2.12084
  38. Xu L, Zhan ZC, Du S, Wang S, Zhang Q, Wang C, Yang W, Deng X, Zhan Z, Li Y, Zhou Y, Chen X. Isolation, functional evaluation, and fermentation process optimization of probiotic Bacillus coagulans. PLoS One. 2023;18(11):e0286944. doi: 1371/journal.pone.0286944
  39. Zhang A, Cao Y, Zheng Y, Sun L, Yin W, Yu J, Yu B, Yan L, Yan X, Liang Y, Pu X, Song Y, Yu A. Low-temperature two-stage probiotic fermentation enhances nutrition and safety of pig liquid feed. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2025;110(1):25. doi: 10.1007/s00253-025-13633-9

Information about the authors:

Yuri V Kosulnikov, Cand. Sci. (Engineering), Researcher at the Laboratory of Ecology of Symbiotic  and  Associative  Rhizobacteria, All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology, 3 Podbelskogo highway, Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia, 196608, tel.: 89811225242.

Anastasia I Kosulnikova, Research Engineer at the Laboratory of Ecology of Symbiotic and Associative Rhizobacteria, All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology, 3 Podbelskogo highway, Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia, 196608, tel.: 89253432661.

Tatyana R Vavulina, Cand. Sci. (Biology), Research Engineer at the Laboratory of Ecology of Symbiotic  and  Associative  Rhizobacteria, All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology, 3 Podbelskogo highway, Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia, 196608, tel.: 89313520024.

Yuri V Laktionov, Cand. Sci. (Biology), Leading Researcher at the Laboratory of Ecology of Symbiotic  and  Associative  Rhizobacteria, All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology, 3 Podbelskogo highway, Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia, 196608, tel.: 89117341040.

The article was submitted 08.04.2026; approved after reviewing 04.06.2026; accepted for publication 14.09.2026.

Download