A small scale study on the effects of oral administration of the β-glucan produced by Aureobasidium pullulans on milk quality and cytokine expressions of Holstein cows, and on bacterial flora in the intestines of Japanese black calves

This small exploratory study administered Aureobasidium pullulans cultured fluid containing beta-glucan to Holstein cows and to Japanese Black cows and their newborn calves. In the Holstein cows, milk somatic-cell counts did not change significantly; some milk-composition and serum-cytokine measures showed non-significant trends. In the calves, intestinal bacterial profiles appeared to change after administration. The sample was small and the findings were described as preliminary. The study involved livestock, not human participants, and it does not establish oral bioavailability or health benefits in people.