Journal of Animal Feed Science and Technology

Probiotics are living microorganisms which when ingested have beneficial effects on the equilibrium and the physiological functions of the human intestinal microflora. Probiotics have been recently defined as “live microbes which transit the gastro-intestinal tract and in doing so benefit the health of the consumer (Tannock et al., 2000). The origin of cultured dairy products dates back to the dawn of civilization. Metchnikoff’s studies into the potential life-lengthening properties of lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, inspired Japanese scientist Minoru Shirota to begin investigating the causal relationship between bacteria and good intestinal health. Bifidobacterium were first isolated from a breast-fed infant by Henry Tissier in 1900. live microbial feed supplement which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance (Roy Fuller,1989). The micro biota of a newborn develops rapidly after the birth. It is initially dependent mainly on: the mother’s micro biota, mode of delivery, birth environment and rarely genetic factors. After infancy probiotics are supplied to us by raw foods; lactic acid fermented foods. Now a day, consumers are aware of the link among lifestyle, diet and good health, which explains the emerging demand for products that are able to enhance health beyond providing basic nutrition. The release of different bioactive peptides from milk proteins through fermentation by LAB is now well documented. PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) is higher than saturated fatty acids in meat products. Probiotics are extremely sensitive to heat and other processing conditions. New technologies, like microencapsulation and immobilized cell technologies, offer additional protection to probiotic organisms and new ways to include probiotics in foodstuffs.

Key Words: Dairy Products; Probiotics; Supplement; Peptides; Fermentation; PUFA; Processing.

It is conceivable that herbal agents could serve as safer alternatives as growth promoters due to their suitability and preference, lower cost of production, reduced risks of toxicity and minimum health hazards. Interestingly recent biological trials of certain herbal formulations in India as growth promoter have shown encouraging results and some of the reports have demonstrated improvement with respect to weight gain, feed efficiency, lowered mortality, increased immunity and increased livability in broiler chicken. Garlic seems to have potential to be used as an alternative to antibiotics and to improve production performance of broilers. Thus, an attempt was made to find out effect of dietary supplementation of garlic (Allium sativum) powder as herbal feed additives on acceptability, growth performance, mortality carcass traits and economics of broiler production.
To conduct the study a total of one hundred and eighty, day old broiler chicks of Cobb-400 strain were divided into three treatment groups with 4 replicates of 15 chicks in each using completely randomized design (CRD). All experimental chicks were randomly assigned to 12 pens. There was one control group (T1) fed on basal diet without any supplement and two treatment groups supplemented with 0.1 % garlic powder (T2) and 0.5 % garlic powder (T3). Garlic powder was mixed with control diet as per the proportion. The experiment was carried out for 6 weeks by dividing into two phases starter (0-3 wk) and finisher (4-6 wk). Feed intake and growth performance, were studied. Feed intake, body weight, body weight gain were recorded weekly. Average feed intake in gram/chick/week was calculated by dividing the total amount of feed by the number of chicks in the particular pen on particular week. The weekly average body weight gain was calculated by difference between the body weight of current and earlier weeks.
The body weight of birds was higher (P<0.001) in garlic supplemented birds as compared to  without supplemented control, with better weight in 0.1 % garlic powder (T2) supplemented birds as compared to  0.5 % garlic powder (T3) supplemented birds. Body weight gain was differ significantly at the end of 1st ,2nd ,3rd, 4th week of age with better gain in 0.1 % garlic powder supplemented birds as compared to without supplemented control and 0.5 % garlic powder supplemented birds. The body weight gain of 6th week differ significantly (P<0.001) with better gain in 0.1 % garlic powder supplemented birds followed by 0.5 % garlic supplemented birds and subsequently without supplemented control.
The overall body weight gain was higher (P<0.001) in 0.1 % garlic supplemented birds subsequently by 0.5 % garlic supplemented birds as compared to  without supplemented control. The total feed intake (0-6 wk) was significantly (P<0.05) superior in birds supplemented with 0.1 % garlic (T2) as compared to birds that were supplemented with 0.5 % garlic (T3) and without supplementation (T1). Dietary supplementation of garlic @ 0.1 % in broiler diet had beneficial effect on body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and dressed yield. Dietary supplementation of 0.1% garlic had beneficial effect in broilers for improving performance and also serves as one of the potential alternative to antibiotic growth promoter as well as reducing the cost of production in commercial broiler farming.

Keywords: Farming; Industry, Weight Gain; Supplementation; Herbal Promoters.

One hundred eighty (180) unsexed day old ‘Cobb400’ broiler chicks of same hatch were weighed individually and distributed randomly into four treatment groups, consisting 45 chicks in each treatment group. Each group was further divided into three replicates of 15 birds each. The four treatments were viz. – control - without supplementation of probiotic or prebiotic (T1), Prebiotic supplementation @ 500 g/tonne of feed (T2), Probiotic supplementation @ 100 g/tonne of feed (T3), Synbiotic supplementation in which probiotic @ 100 g/tonne of feed and prebiotic @ 500 g/tonne of feed (T4). The chicks were reared in deep litter system and standard farm managemental practices were followed.  The body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption of broiler feeding were studied.  The dietary supplementation of probiotic and synbiotic had better (P<0.05) body weight as compared to control and prebiotic fed birds.  

Keywords: Prebiotic; Probiotic; Feed Consumption; Body Weight Gain; Supplementation.  

Dairy farming in India is one of the most important means of providing livelihood and nutritional security to vast rural population. Though Gujarat is one of the leading states in dairy sector it has inherent constraints of low yielding non-descript cattle population along with scarcity of balanced resources of feed and fodder. No previous attempts had been made to study the attitude of dairy farmers towards rearing of Crossbred cows and relationship analysis between attitude and dairy farmer’s characteristics. So taking these considerations, the present study was conducted on the topic ‘Multivariate Analysis of Attitude of Dairy Farmers towards Rearing Crossbred Cows in Banaskantha District of Gujarat’. Total 120 dairy farmers were selected as respondents by using multistage random sampling from 12 villages, those who were having at least one Crossbred cow. Data were collected by personal interview method using a well structured interview schedule and collected data were analysed using appropriate statistical tools. The personal, socio-economic, communicational and socio-psychological profile of dairy farmers revealed that most of the respondents belonged to age group of 36 to 50 years and educated up to primary school level, had medium family size and low social participation. Majority were in a no training received group, followed by medium level of training received by farmers, have high experience in dairying and medium level of institutional infrastructure accessibility.
Most of farmers were having semi medium land holding, large herd size, high total annual income and majority of respondents were engaged in dairy farming occupation. Total milk production and sale were found at high level. Majority of the respondents were having high mass media exposure and medium extension contact. Most of the respondents were having high economic motivation and medium risk orientation. Majority of the respondents had neutral attitude towards rearing Crossbred cows, followed by favourable and unfavourable attitude. The variables namely education, social participation, training received, institutional infrastructure accessibility, occupation, herd size, milk sale, total annual income, extension contact and economic motivation had shown positive and highly significant relationship with the attitude of dairy farmers. While age showed the negative and significant relationship with attitude of dairy farmers towards rearing Crossbred cows. Repeat breeding problems in Crossbred cows due to faulty A.I. techniques and non availability of expert services to treat repeat breeders were the most important constraint experienced by dairy farmers. The study highlighted the need of organizing more number of training related with Crossbred cows rearing practices and active participation by dairy farmers which would bring a significant change in the attitude of dairy farmers towards Crossbred cows.

Key words: Repeat Breeding; Crossbreeding; A.I.Technique; Attitude; Dairy Farmers.