A meta-analysis on the effects of probiotics on the performance of pre-weaning dairy calves

Table 3 The summary of the meta-analysis on the effects of probiotics on the rumen fermentation parameters of pre-weaning calves

		SMD			Heterogeneity			RMD				Egger’s test	Begg’s test
	n	Random effect	95% CI	P-value	Chi-squared (Q)	P-value	I², %	Control mean	Random effect	95% CI	P-value	P-value	P-value
Rumen pH	20	0.412	−0.171, 0.995	0.166	137.78	< 0.001	86.9	5.958	0.154	0.128, 0.180	< 0.001	0.009	0.014
Microbial protein, mg/dL	2	2.173	−0.975, 5.321	0.176	15.29	< 0.001	93.5	163.620	13.184	10.457, 15.912	< 0.001		1.000
NH₃, mmol/L	17	−0.103	−0.482, 0.276	0.595	47.55	< 0.001	66.4	7.924	−0.113	−0.830, 0.604	0.757	0.228	0.138
Total VFA, mmol/L	13	0.053	−0.538, 0.643	0.861	63.37	< 0.001	81.1	71.916	−0.271	−3.238, 2.696	0.858	0.006	0.017
Acetate, mmol/L	10	−0.453	−0.822, −0.084	0.016	14.10	0.119	36.2	40.463	−2.815	−4.946, −0.684	0.010	0.477	0.788
Propionate, mmol/L	12	0.168	−0.740, 1.075	0.718	102.28	< 0.001	89.2	26.808	−0.44	−2.861, 1.981	0.722	0.094	0.216
Butyrate, mmol/L	15	0.722	0.356, 1.088	< 0.001	27.43	0.017	49.0	4.823	0.788	0.307, 1.270	0.001	0.570	0.234
Valerate, mmol/L	15	−0.174	−0.772, 0.423	0.568	97.21	< 0.001	85.6	1.739	−0.055	−0.127, 0.016	0.130	0.288	0.692

ISSN: 2049-1891