The power of meta-analysis

In the January 1998 issue of Dairy Herd Management, an initial effort was made to show the positive benefit of yeast culture on milk production. The article referenced eight studies that had been completed to date, with most of the studies showing a benefit from yeast supplementation.

To read that story and see the studies, click here.

Now, things have become a lot more sophisticated. A meta-analysis has been completed on the effects of feeding yeast culture, drawing upon an extensive review of literature. Thirty-six separate studies are included. In this month’s edition of the Journal of Dairy Science, the authors point to the power of the meta-analysis approach. Meta analysis provides the complete breadth of information relating to a specific treatment (and specific product) that can reduce the uncertainty often seen in small individual studies, the authors said. And, by the way, the meta-analysis did affirm the value of a commercially available yeast culture.

Read the abstract.

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