Use of multi-strain probiotics in linseed meal based diet for Labeo rohita fingerlings

Effect of degraded flaxseed meals on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and health status of broilers

OBJECTIVE

The present study evaluated the effect of flaxseed meal degraded by a protease, Lactobacillus plantarum, or both on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and health status of broilers.

METHODS

There were four diets containing flaxseed meals in its non-degraded form (control, CON), degraded with 3,000 U/kg of protease (enzymatic, ELM), 1.0×109 CFU/kg of Lactobacillus plantarum (fermented, FLM), or both (dual-degraded, DLM). Each form of flaxseed meals was added at 15% of diet. A total of 480 yellow-feathered broilers at 22 d of age were distributed into 4 groups with 6 replicates of 20 chickens each. The feeding trial lasted for 42 d. Growth performance, apparent fecal digestibility (dry matter, energy, crude protein, and ash), and serum immunoglobins and antioxidases were determined at 42 and 63 d of age.

RESULTS

Results showed that ELM, FLM, and DLM increased (p<0.001) the contents of peptides and decreased (p<0.001) cyanogenic glycosides, compared to CON. The diets with degraded flaxseed meals increased (p<0.05) feed intake and body weight gain throughout the feeding trial, and the digestibility of energy, crude protein, and ash at the end of feeding trial. Furthermore, all degraded groups enhanced (p<0.05) broiler health status by increasing serum immunoglobulins A and G. Additinally, DLM showed more pronounced effects (p<0.05) on these parameters than ELM or FLM.

CONCLUSION

Flaxseed meals degraded by enzymolysis, fermentation, or both had improved nutrition and application in broilers.

Effect of eco-friendly probiotics-supplemented rapeseed meal-based diet on the performance of Catla catla fingerlings

Ever-increasing human population compels the researchers to search for alternative food sources such as fish meat. For increase of fish growth and proper feed utilization, probiotics were added in rapeseed meal-based diet in current trial for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients in fish and ultimately higher growth with lower aquatic pollution. Fish gut microbiota is important for the feed utilization and absorption in body for higher growth. A 70-day study was conducted to investigate the effects of probiotics-supplemented rapeseed meal-based diet on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, and absorption of minerals in Catla catla fingerlings with lowering water pollution level. Six test diets were prepared by using different levels of multi-strain probiotics i.e. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 g/kg (0.0-0.5%) in rapeseed meal-based diet. At the rate of 4% of live wet weight, Catla fingerlings were fed two times a day and faeces samples from each tank were collected. According to the results, it was observed that probiotics supplementation (@2 g/kg) in rapeseed meal-based diet resulted with improvement in nutrient digestibility (CP, 72%; fat, 75% and GE, 70%), mineral absorption (Ca, 72%; Na, 76%; K, 70% and P, 70%), specific growth rate (SGR, 1.55), improved feed conversion ratio (FCR, 1.22) and weight gain percentage (WG%, 303%) of fingerlings. It was also noticed that probiotics supplementation decreased the discharge of minerals and nutrient through faeces, as compared to control diet; hence, it plays a significant role in reducing water pollution. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that probiotics inclusion at level of 2 g/kg was useful to formulate the cost effective and eco-friendly fish feed with the maximum improvement in growth and fish health by using rapeseed meal-based diet, as compared to control and other test diets.