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To ascertain potent health-promoting effects of a synbiotic prepared using a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDC15 fermented milk and Cichorium intybus root powder in Labrador dogs, 15 Labrador adult female dogs were randomly distributed into three groups following a completely randomized design. Group I was fed a homemade basal diet alone and served as control (CON), while the other two groups were fed the same basal diet supplemented with low- (LSL) and high- levels (HSL) of the synbiotic. The experiment duration was of 9-weeks. The results of the study indicated that there were no variations (P > 0.05) among the groups with respect to voluntary food intake and digestibility of DM, OM, CP and EE. However, the digestibility of crude fibre tended (P = 0.051) to be higher in both the supplemented groups as compared to CON. Physical characteristics of faeces remained unaltered (P > 0.05) due to dietary treatments. However, faecal lactate was increased (P

OBJECTIVE The study examined the effect of condensed tannins (CT) containing Ficus infectoria and Psidium guajava leaf meal mixture (LMM) supplementation on nutrient metabolism, methane emission and performance of lambs. METHODS Twenty four lambs of ~6 months age (average body weight 10.1±0.60 kg) were randomly divided into 4 dietary treatments (CT-0, CT-1, CT-1.5, and CT-2 containing 0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 percent CT through LMM, respectively) consisting of 6 lambs each in a completely randomized design. All the lambs were offered a basal diet of wheat straw ad libitum, oat hay (100 g/d) along with required amount of concentrate mixture to meet their nutrient requirements for a period of 6 months. After 3 months of experimental feeding, a metabolism trial of 6 days duration was conducted on all 24 lambs to determine nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance. Urinary excretion of purine derivatives and microbial protein synthesis were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Respiration chamber study was started at the mid of 5th month of experimental feeding trial. Whole energy balance trials were conducted on individual lamb one after the other, in an open circuit respiration calorimeter. RESULTS Intake of dry matter and organic matter (g/d) was significantly (p

Little is known about biological significance of effects of dietary Boron (B) and Calcium (Ca) interaction on health and production of farm animals. This is a preliminary investigation to evaluate the effects of B supplementation in lambs fed diets with (normal) or without adequate (low) levels of Ca. Twenty-four crossbred ram lambs were randomly distributed into four groups with six animals each in a 2x2 factorial design namely, normal-Ca diet (NCa) and low-Ca diet (LCa) fed without or with 40 ppm B (NCaB-40 and LCaB-40). The lambs were fed paddy straw and hybrid napier hay-based total mixed ration (60 roughage: 40 concentrate) during 180 days experimental period. Compared to control, the LCa diet lowered (P0.05) to become at par with the control (NCa) upon supplementation of B (LCaB-40). The mRNA expression of SOD1 was lowered (P0.05) with the control (NCa). Further, B-supplementation restored lowered (P

Effects of varied dietary energy densities on immune response and performance of Muzzafarnagari lambs were ascertained in a 180-d study. Animals (n = 24), in three groups, were fed diets providing 100% (100E), 80% (80E) or 70% (70E) of their metabolizable energy requirement. Mean nutrient digestibilities varied significantly among treatments. Nitrogen intake was lower (p

This review focuses on the nutritional effects from birth until age at first calving on growth, mammary developmental changes, and first-lactation milk yield in heifer calves. The advancement in the genetic potential and the nutritional requirements of the animals has hastened the growth rate. Genetic selection for high milk yield has suggested higher growth capacity and hence increasing nutritional inputs are required. Rapid rearing by feeding high energy or high concentrate diets not only reduces the age of sexual maturity but also lowers the time period of attaining the age of first calving. However, high energy diets may cause undesirable fat deposition thereby affecting future milk yield potential. Discrepancies exist whether overfed or overweight heifers at puberty can influence the mammary development and future milk yield potential and performance. The data on post-pubertal nutritional management suggested that body weight at calving and post-pubertal growth rate is important in first lactation milk yield. There is a continuous research need for strategic feeding that accelerates growth of dairy heifers without reduction in subsequent production. Nutritional management from birth, across puberty and during pregnancy is critical for mammary growth and for producing a successful cow. This review will mostly highlight studies carried out on dairy breeds and possible available opportunities to manipulate nutritional status from birth until age at first calving.

The kinetics of the electron transfer reaction of NADH with 12-tungstocobaltate(III) has been studied over the range 5.07 ≤ 104[NADH] ≤ 15.22 mol dm-3, 7.0 ≤ pH ≤ 8.0 and 20 ≤ t ≤ 35oC in aqueous medium. The electron transfer reaction showed first-order dependence each in [NADH]Tand [12-tungstocobaltate(III)]T. The products of the reaction were found to be NAD+and 12-tungstocobaltate(II). The activation parameters ΔH#(kJ mol-1) and ΔS#(JK-1mol-1) of the electron transfer reactions were found to be 64.4±1.8 and -48.86±6.0. Negative value of ΔS#is an indicative of an ordered transition state for the electron transfer reaction.