scholarly journals Role of probiotics in nutrition and health of small ruminants

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 893-906 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Abd El-Tawab ◽  
I.M.I. Youssef ◽  
H.A. Bakr ◽  
G.C. Fthenakis ◽  
N.D. Giadinis

AbstractSmall ruminants represent an important economic source in small farm systems and agriculture. Feed is the main component of livestock farming, which has gained special attention to improve animal performance. Many studies have been done to improve feed utilisation through addition of feed additives. For a long period, antibiotics have been widely used as growth promoters in livestock diets. Due to their ban in many countries, search for alternative feed additives has been intensified. Probiotics are one of these alternatives recognised to be safe to the animals. Use of probiotics in small ruminant nutrition has been confirmed to improve animal health, productivity and immunity. Probiotics improved growth performance through enhancing of rumen microbial ecosystem, nutrient digestibility and feed conversion rate. Moreover, probiotics have been reported to stabilise rumen pH, increase volatile fatty acids production and to stimulate lactic acid utilising protozoa, resulting in a highly efficient rumen function. Furthermore, use of probiotics has been found to increase milk production and can reduce incidence of neonatal diarrhea and mortality. However, actual mechanisms through which probiotics exert these functions are not known. Since research on application of probiotics in small ruminants is scarce, the present review attempts to discuss the potential roles of this class of feed additives on productive performance and health status of these animals.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasmin M.M. Mahmoud ◽  
Abd El-Kader Mahmoud Kholif ◽  
Mabrouk Elsabagh

Abstract This study addressed the effect of unconventional by-products on growth performance, carcass characteristics, some blood parameters, and caecal activities in New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. A total of 48 weaned NZW rabbits (748 ± 9.50 g BW, 6 weeks old), randomly assigned into three treatment groups (16 each, individually housed), were fed a basal diet containing BBP at 0.00 (Control), 1.00 (Broc1) or 3.00 (Broc2) % on a dry matter (DM) basis as feed additives, for 8 weeks. The Broc2 rabbits showed the highest (P < 0.05) body weight gain and feed intake followed by the Broc1 group compared to the control one. Feed conversion ratio and performance index did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatments. Nutrient digestibility was higher (P < 0.05) for Broc1 and Broc2 rabbits compared to the control. Both Broc1 and Broc2 rabbits showed higher (P < 0.05) empty edible carcass, giblets, dressing, head, liver, heart and kidney weights, but showed a lower non-edible carcass weight compared to the control. Blood proteins and liver function enzymes were increased (P < 0.05) whereas the glucose, total cholesterol, uric acid and creatinine were decreased (P < 0.05) in Broc1 and Broc2 rabbits compared to the control. The caecal concentration of total volatile fatty acids was increased (P < 0.05) but that of ammonia was decreased (P < 0.05) with Broc1 and Broc2 groups of rabbits compared to those of control. Thus, dietary supplementation of BBP at 3% of DM in rabbits’ diets could improve their growth performance, carcass traits, liver function and blood profile as well as the caecal fermentation parameters.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hujaz Tariq ◽  
Amit Sharma ◽  
Srobana Sarkar ◽  
Lamella Ojha ◽  
Ravi Prakash Pal ◽  
...  

There is a need for newer feed additives due to legal prohibition on inclusion of growth promoting antibiotics in livestock diets in several countries due to antimicrobial resistance. In this context, rare earth elements (REE) have gained attention among animal nutritionists as potential growth promoters. Currently, several studies have reported better weight gain, milk production, egg laying capacity and feed conversion efficiency among different breeds of farm animals following supplementation with REE, with however largely inconsistent results. Furthermore, REE supplementation has also shown to improve ruminal fibrolytic and proteolytic activities as well as flavor of meat with negligible residues in edible tissue, however the mechanism behind this action is still unclear. According to existing research, due to their poor absorption and similarity with calcium REE might exert their action locally on gut microbial populations within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Moreover, REE have also shown anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative as well as immune stimulating effects. The present review aims to broaden the knowledge about use of REE as feed additives for livestock and sum up efficacy of REE supplementation on performance and health of animals by comparing the findings. Till date, researches with REE have shown properties that make them a promising, new and safe alternative feed additive but further exploration is recommended to optimize effects and clarify discrepancy of various results before practical proposals can be drafted.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1918
Author(s):  
Aurele Gnetegha Ayemele ◽  
Mekonnen Tilahun ◽  
Sun Lingling ◽  
Samy Abdelaziz Elsaadawy ◽  
Zitai Guo ◽  
...  

This review examines several molecular mechanisms underpinning oxidative stress in ruminants and their effects on blood and milk oxidative traits. We also investigate strategies to alleviate or repair oxidative damages by improving animal immune functions using novel feed additives. Microbial pathogenic cells, feeding management, and body condition score were some of the studied factors, inducing oxidative stress in ruminants. The predominance of Streptococcus spp. (24.22%), Acinetobacter spp. (21.37%), Romboutsia spp. (4.99%), Turicibacter spp., (2.64%), Stenotrophomonas spp. (2.33%), and Enterococcus spp. (1.86%) was found in the microbiome of mastitis cows with a decrease of d-mannose and increase of xanthine:guanine ratio when Streptococcus increased. Diversity of energy sources favoring the growth of Fusobacterium make it a keystone taxon contributing to metritis. Ruminal volatile fatty acids rose with high-concentrate diets that decreased the ruminal pH, causing a lysis of rumen microbes and release of endotoxins. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities increased in high concentrate cows accompanied by a reduction of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activity. In addition, albumin and paraoxonase concentrations were inversely related to oxidative stress and contributed to the protection of low-density and high-density lipoproteins against lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl, and lactoperoxidase. High concentrate diets increased the expression of MAPK pro-inflammatory genes and decreased the expression of antioxidant genes and proteins in mammary epithelial tissues. The expression levels of NrF2, NQO1, MT1E, UGT1A1, MGST3, and MT1A were downregulated, whereas NF-kB was upregulated with a high-grain or high concentrate diet. Amino-acids, vitamins, trace elements, and plant extracts have shown promising results through enhancing immune functions and repairing damaged cells exposed to oxidative stress. Further studies comparing the long-term effect of synthetic feed additives and natural plant additives on animal health and physiology remain to be investigated.


Krmiva ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-66
Author(s):  
Sara Kolar ◽  
Slaven Jurić ◽  
Kristina Vlahoviček-Kahlina ◽  
Marko Vinceković

Demands for higher production and consumer demand for healthier food have encouraged intensive research for alternative animal growth promoters in recent years. Research trends are focused on the development of new products enriched with feed additives to improve animal health and enhancing production. Many of these compounds are unstable in the presence of light, air, water, or high temperatures and need to be protected during processing, storage, and application. By encapsulatied in microparticles, feed additives are protected from harmful external influences, and their stability and functionality are not diminished. Microencapsulation technology is used to protect payload and improve bioavailability by controlled and targeted delivery to the digestive tract. It is particularly suitable for the addition of feed additives in ruminant’s nutrition, because the correct choice of microparticle material allows the release of the feed additives in the small intestine, and not in the rumen. With proper use, microparticle formulations are an effective tool in animal nutrition that delivers nutrients and/or drugs to a specific site at the desired rate. The paper summarizes laboratory studies on the application of microencapsulation technology in feeding ruminants and monogastric animals. Numerous results of the application of encapsulated feed additives have shown a positive effect on animal health, increased productivity without negative effects on the final product, and environmental protection.


Author(s):  
M. I. Okoruwa ◽  
E. O. Aidelomon

The study was conducted to determine the influence of ginger powder and lime peel on manipulation of rumen function for live-weight gains of sheep. Twenty four West African dwarf sheep of about 8 – 9 months old with average weight of 7.00 ± 0.95kg were randomly assigned to four treatment diets in a completely randomized design. The prepared diets contained; ED1 (0% ginger powder and 0% lime peel powder that served as control group), ED2 (0% ginger powder and 3% lime peel), ED3 (1.5% ginger powder and 1.5% lime peel) and ED4 (3% ginger powder and 0% lime peel). In all the diets examined, ED1 showed higher significant (p<0.05) values in total fungi, Acetobact xylinum, Methanogens, total protozoa, Entodiniomorphs, Holotrichs, ammonia-nitrogen, total volatile fatty acids, acetate, butyrate and feed conversion ratio. However, total bacteria, Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus fibrisolvens, Bacillus spp, propionate, feed intake, nutrient digestibility, final and daily weight gains indicated significant (p<0.05) higher values in diet ED3 than diets ED1, ED2 and ED4. Rumen pH was significantly (p<0.05) higher in ED4 as compared with other diets. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in Fibrobacter succinogens, iso-butyrate, valerate, iso-valerate and initial weight among diets. It can be concluded that using 1.5% ginger powder and 1.5% lime peel in the diets enhanced rumen fermentation and ecology for growth performance of sheep.


Author(s):  
S L Bennett ◽  
J A Arce-Cordero ◽  
V L N Brandao ◽  
J R Vinyard ◽  
B C Agustinho ◽  
...  

Abstract Bacterial cultures, enzymes and yeast derived feed additives are often included in commercial dairy rations due to their effects on ruminal fermentation. However, the effects of these additives when fed together are not well understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in ruminal fermentation when a dairy ration is supplemented with combinations of bacterial probiotics, enzymes and yeast. Our hypotheses were that ruminal fermentation would be altered, indicated through changes in volatile fatty acid profile and nutrient digestibility, with inclusion of: (1) an additive, (2) yeast and (3) increasing additive doses. Treatments were randomly assigned to 8 fermenters in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square with four 10 d experimental periods, consisting of 7 d for diet adaptation and 3 d for sample collection. Basal diets contained 52:48 forage:concentrate and fermenters were fed 106 g of dry matter per day divided equally between 2 feeding times. Treatments were: control (CTRL, without additives); bacterial culture/enzyme blend (EB, 1.7 mg per day); bacterial culture/enzyme blend with a blend of live yeast and yeast culture (EBY, 49.76 mg per day); and double dose of the EBY treatment (2X, 99.53 mg per day). The bacterial culture/enzyme blend contained five strains of probiotics (Lactobacillus animalis, Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Bacillus lichenformis, Bacillus subtillis, and Enterococcus faecium) and three enzymes (amylase, hemicellulase, and xylanase). On d 8-10, samples were collected for pH, redox, volatile fatty acids, lactate, ammonia N and digestibility measurements. Statistical analysis was performed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Repeated measures were used for pH, redox, VFA, NH3-N and lactate kinetics data. Orthogonal contrasts were used to test the effect of: (1) additives, ADD (CTRL vs EB, EBY and 2X); (2) yeast, YEAST (EB vs EBY and 2X); and (3) dose, DOSE (EBY vs 2X). No effects (p &gt; 0.05) were observed for pH, redox, NH3-N, acetate, isobutyrate, valerate, total VFA, acetate:propionate, nutrient digestibility or N utilization. Within the 24h pool, the molar proportion of butyrate increased (p = 0.03) with the inclusion of additives when compared to the control while the molar proportion of propionate tended to decrease (p = 0.07). In conclusion, inclusion of bacterial cultures, enzymes and yeast to the diet increased butyrate concentration; but did not result in major changes in ruminal fermentation.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 805
Author(s):  
Wen Yang Chuang ◽  
Yun Chen Hsieh ◽  
Tzu-Tai Lee

As probiotics, fungi enhance animal health and are suitable animal feed additives. In addition to brewing fungi, there are also edible and medicinal fungi. Common fungi utilized in feeding programs include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae, Pleurotus spp., Antrodia cinnamomea, and Cordyceps militaris. These fungi are rich in glucans, polysaccharides, polyphenols, triterpenes, ergosterol, adenosine, and laccases. These functional components play important roles in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and immune system regulation. As such, fungal feed additives could be of potential use when breeding livestock. In previous studies, fungal feed additives enhanced body weight and egg production in poultry and improved the feed conversion rate. Several mycotoxins can be produced by hazardous fungi but fortunately, the cell walls constituents and enzymes of fungal probiotics can also act to decrease the toxicity of mycotoxins. Overall, fungal feed additives are of value, but their safety and usage must be studied further, including cost-benefit economic analyses.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
V Morales-Oñate ◽  
B Morales-Oñate

Por varias décadas se ha utilizado en los sistemas intensivos y semi intensivos de producción porcina los antibióticos promotores de crecimiento, con la finalidad de controlar los problemas digestivos y respiratorios y mejorar la eficiencia. Sin embargo, su utilización en la alimentación de animales destinados al consumo humano, se relaciona con la crisis de salud global por la resistencia a los antimicrobianos. A nivel internacional, varias jurisdicciones respondieron a través de la restricción o prohibición del uso de estos productos. Esta situación condujo a que diferentes grupos de investigación se centraran en el estudio y desarrollo de alternativas para mantener la salud de los animales y el rendimiento productivo. Dentro de estas alternativas se incluyen probióticos que son uno de los aditivos alimentarios más estudiados y se definen como microorganismo(s) vivo (s) que cuando se adicionan en cantidades adecuadas influyen benéficamente en la salud del huésped. La aplicación de estos productos en la alimentación de cerdos puede modular la respuesta inmune y mejorar los parámetros zootécnicos de conversión alimenticia y ganancia de peso vivo final. Además, se pueden utilizar en el tratamiento de enfermedades infecciosas digestivas, como la diarrea, lo que aporta un beneficio económico importante en la industria porcina. En este estudio, se realizó una revisión de las diferentes etapas fisiológicas de cerdos con 23 citas bibliográficas y 50 referencias sobre la utilización de probióticos en la especie porcina como la utilización de probióticos en la alimentación. For several decades, antibiotic growth promoters have been used in intensive and semi-intensive systems of swine production, with the purpose of controlling digestive and respiratory problems and improving efficiency. However, its use in feeding animals destined for human consumption is related to the global health crisis due to resistance to antimicrobials. Internationally, several jurisdictions responded by restricting or prohibiting the use of these products. This situation led to different research groups focusing on the study and development of alternatives to maintain animal health and productive performance. These alternatives include probiotics that are one of the most studied food additives and are defined as live microorganism (s) that, when added in adequate amounts, beneficially influence the health of the host. The application of these products in pig feed can modulate the immune response and improve the zootechnical parameters of feed conversion and final live weight gain. In addition, they can be used in the treatment of digestive infectious diseases, such as diarrhea, which provides a significant economic benefit in the swine industry. In this study, a review was made of the different physiological stages of pigs with 23 citations and 50 references on the use of probiotics in swine as the use of probiotics in food. Palabras Claves: Probióticos, antibióticos, rendimiento productivo, salud del huésped. Keywords: Probiotics, antibiotics, productive performance, guest health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed E. Kholif ◽  
Ayman A. Hassan ◽  
Osama H. Matloup ◽  
Ghada M. El Ashry

AbstractThe present experiment evaluated the inclusion of chelated phytogenic feed additives mixture in the diet of lactating cows for the first 3 months of lactation. A week before calving, thirty multiparous Friesian cows were divided into three treatments in a complete randomized design and fed a basal diet without supplementation (Control treatment), or the control diet supplemented with chelated phytogenic additives at 3 g (PHY3 treatment), or at 6 g/cow/d (PHY6 treatment). Menthol, levomenthol, β-linaloolm, anethole, hexadecanoic acid and pmenthane were the principal compounds identified in the additives mixture. Milk production, total solid, protein, fat, and lactose were increased with PHY3, but decreased by PHY6 (P<0.01). Whereas the PHY3 treatment increased (P<0.05) milk contents of Ca and Zn, PHY3 and PHY6 treatments increased (P<0.05) milk Fe and Mn concentrations. Though the PHY3 treatment increased (P<0.05) nutrient digestibility, the PHY6 treatment decreased (P<0.05) the digestibility of organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber. The PHY3 treatment increased (P<0.05) ruminal volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration and proportional acetate and propionate and decreased butyrate, while the PHY6 treatment decreased ruminal VFA concentration and proportional acetate. The PHY3 treatment increased (P<0.05) serum total protein, glucose, total antioxidant capacity, and the concentrations of Ca and Zn. Both PHY3 and PHY6 treatment decreased (P<0.05) the concentrations of serum triglycerides, and cholesterol. Daily inclusion of 3 g/cow of chelated feed additives mixture in diet of lactating cows improved milk production and ruminal fermentation, but additives dose of 6 g/cow/d had negative impact on cows’ performance.


2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 623-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Catalá-Gregori ◽  
Serge Mallet ◽  
Angélique Travel ◽  
Juan Orengo ◽  
Michel Lessire

A 36-d trial was conducted to evaluate two potential alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in broilers. The products tested were a prebiotic (PROFEED®) and a plant extract (XTRACT™). Ross male broiler performance and digestive tract function responses were studied. To evaluate the effect of these potential alternatives alone or in combination, seven diets were tested: positive control avilamycin 10 ppm (PC); negative control antibiotic-free (NC); NC + PROFEED® 600 ppm (P); NC + XTRACT™ 100 ppm (X); NC + PROFEED®/XTRACT™ 600/100 ppm (XPH); NC + PROFEED® /XTRACT™ 450/75 ppm (XPM); NC + PROFEED®/XTRACT™ 300/50 ppm (XPL). From 22 to 36 d of age, body weight gain (BWG) was improved by P, X, and XPM compared with NC (P < 0.05). Throughout the trial, broilers fed PC, P, X and XPL had a better feed conversion ratio (FCR) than those fed NC (P < 0.1). No relevant negative effect was observed for the parameters relative to the digestive tract function: ileal histomorphometry, anaerobic sulphite-reducing bacteria count (ASR), intestinal and caecal pH, caecal volatile fatty acids production (VFA) and litter score (LS). With the higher mixture dose (XPH), no improvement in broiler performance was observed, suggesting no synergistic effect of the two additives. Key words: Broiler, antibiotic growth promoter, plant extract, prebiotic


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