Background: With the ban on the use of antibiotics as feed additives and growth promoters in animal nutrition, livestock scientists are now shifting their attention towards natural and safe products like organic acids, probiotics, prebiotics and herbal growth promoters. Plants containing essential compounds can be a cost-effective means of improving efficiency of nutrient utilization and growth performance of animals. The medicinal properties of garlic may have beneficial effects on nutrient utilization and health of animals. However, very few studies have been reported whereby garlic has been fed to ruminants. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary inclusion of garlic (Allium sativum) on feed intake, growth performance and feed conversion efficiency in goat kids. 
 
Methods: Twelve kids of similar age were randomly allotted to two equal groups (n=6) on basis of body weight. All animals were maintained on common feeding regime consisting of required concentrate mixture and roughage as per requirement given by ICAR (2013). Kids in experimental group were supplemented with garlic @ 250 mg per kg body weight whereas; the control group was remaining unsupplemented. The study was conducted for 90 days. Animals were weighed fortnightly in the morning before offering feed and water. The data on growth rate in terms of body weight, average daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency were analysed as per standard procedures.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The results indicated that overall mean body weight and average dry matter intake were statistically (P&gt;0.05) similar in both the groups. No significant difference was observed in feed conversion efficiency between the treatment groups. The average daily gain was statistically similar in both the groups, but numerically 5.31 per cent increased ADG was observed in garlic fed group. From the results it can be deduced that the garlic supplementation improves average daily gain by 5.31%. However, it has no effect on feed intake and feed conversion efficiency of goat kids.&nbsp;

Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Garlic (Allium Sativum) on Feed Intake, Growth Performance and Feed Conversion Efficiency in Goat Kids

Background: The feed supplements to ruminant animals have gained great attention of nutritionists to improve feed utilization, growth and reproductive performances during the past decades.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The animals feed supplements were classified into nutrient and non-nutrient feed additives. They include substances, micro-organisms or preparations. The feed supplements and their purified constituents were fed to give animals&rsquo; nutritional requirements and to improve the quality of feed and animal products.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Changes in animals&rsquo; production, reproduction and therapeutic performances have been confirmed over feeding supplements. Numerous purified components include &beta;-carotene, antioxidant and others. The supplements change feed intake, nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation products. Such enhancements in feed utilization and growth performances resulted in improvements of oocytes, embryos and feti quality. Furthermore, blood corpuscles and plasma parameters, immunity and therapeutic performances were altered due to feeding supplements. Hence, the current review article was designed to collect, consolidate and discuss the effects of feed supplements on productive, reproductive and therapeutic performances on mammalian species.

Effects of Nutritive and Non-nutritive Feed Supplements on Feed Utilization, Growth and Reproductive Performances in Mammals

A field study on early lactating crossbred cows (n=35) was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding balanced rations on milk production, enteric methane emission, metabolites and feed conversion efficiency (FCE). In comparison to requirements, the dietary intake of protein and energy were higher by 25.0 and 12.7% whereas, calcium and phosphorus intake were lower by 30.0 and 27.0%, respectively. Balanced feeding improved daily 4% FCM yield by 0.7 kg/cow (P&lt;0.05) and intestinal flow of microbial nitrogen (N) by 37.0% (P&lt;0.01), whereas, reduced (P&lt;0.01) feeding cost by 17.0% and enteric methane emission (g/d/cow and g/kg milk yield) by 14.6 and 18.1%, respectively. Level of IgG, IgA, IgM and uric acid content increased significantly, whereas BUN level reduced (P&lt;0.01) from 18.2 to 15.0 mg/dl. FCE improved (P&lt;0.01) from 0.8 to 1.0 and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis also improved (P&lt;0.01) by 63.6% owing to feeding of balanced rations indicating better performance of cows. Present study indicates that feeding nutritionally balanced rations improved milk production, feed conversion efficiency and reduced methane emission in lactating cows under field conditions.

Impact of feeding balanced rations on milk production, methane emission, metabolites and feed conversion efficiency in lactating cows

Background: Cooked rice had a low crude protein ranging between 9.2 and 12.6% but had a remarkably high nitrogen free extract (NFE above 84%) indicating a very wide gap in the available nitrogen to available soluble carbohydrate. Hence, the study was undertaken to investigate the effects of urea supplementation in cooked rice feeding regimen on nutrient utilization and production performance of goats.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Methods: The in vitro dry matter and protein degradability characteristics of cooked rice were determined by using rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC). An animal experiment was conducted in twenty-four non descriptive kids at 90 days of age randomly divided into four treatments (T1 - 0%, T2 - 1.5%, T3 - 2.0% and T4 - 2.5% of urea in the diet as such basis) for 180 days. The average daily gain, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded during the trial. The digestibility trial was conducted at the end of the trial for 15 days. 
&nbsp; 
Result: Rumen fermentation pattern of cooked rice revealed lower ruminal pH (5.5), effective degradability of DM and N of cooked rice were 52.5% and 33.2% respectively with 0.44% of rumen digestible nitrogen and 1.42% of potential microbial nitrogen production. The scope of urea supplementation was 1.85%. The average daily gain was 53.23, 71.66, 96.75 and 76.91g/day and feed conversion ratio were 9.70, 7.74, 6.61 and 8.52 in groups 0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5% respectively was significantly (P&lt;0.01) improved in 2.0% urea supplementation over other treatments. Hence, it is advocated the supplementation of urea at 2.0% level as such basis along with cooked rice for enhanced growth performance of goats.

Optimization of Urea Supplementation to Goats in Cooked Rice Feeding Regimen Followed in Tamil Nadu&nbsp;

<div style="text-align:justify">The present experiment was designed to evaluate the sweet sorghum (SS) silage which is both grain and forage yielding type, with or without supplementation in a 120 d growth-cum-digestion trial to develop SS silage based feeding system for growing ram lambs. Twenty four ram lambs (11.33 &plusmn;0.12 kg) were randomly divided into four groups of six each and fed SS silage, SS silage supplemented with dried subabul leaves, concentrate mixture and ground maize grain at 1% of their live weight. &nbsp;Digestibility study was conducted at the end of the growth trail following collection period of 7 days. The CP content of SS silage was 8.44%. ADG (g) was significantly (P&lt;0.01) higher in lambs fed SS silage with supplements than without supplements. &nbsp;Feed conversion ratio (DMI kg/kg gain) in Nellore growing ram lambs ranged from 6.56-9.02 and significant difference (P&lt;0.01) was observed among the experimental groups. Among the supplemental groups cost ()/kg live weight gain was significantly (P&lt;0.01) highest in ram lambs fed with concentrate followed by supplementation with dried subabul leaves and ground maize grain. No significant difference was found among the four groups for digestibility coefficients except for EE (P &lt;0.01). Lambs fed on sole SS silage had significantly lower DMI, DCP and TDN intake (P &lt;0.01) than those fed on SS silage with supplemental diets. Feeding sweet sorghum silage with supplements like top feeds, compound feed and maize grain at 1% of their body weight improved performance, nutrient digestibility and met energy/protein requirements in growing lambs. It is concluded that supplementation of SS silage with ground maize at 1% of their live weight is considered to be economical for rearing of growing ram lambs.&nbsp;</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Effect of feeding sweet sorghum silage with or without supplementation on nutrient digestibilities and performance in Nellore brown ram lambs</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: This study was conducted to determine the effect of supplementing probiotics and antimicrobial agents on the meat quality of broiler chickens. 
 
Methods: A complete randomized design was used and 90 male chickens were randomly assigned to five treatments which were replicated 3 times with each replicate having 6 chickens. The treatments had the same nutrients (20% CP and 12MJ/kg) but different supplementation levels of the probiotics and antimicrobial agents.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Antimicrobial and effective microorganism supplementations did not have any effect (p&gt;0.05) on feed intake, growth rate and live weights. A significantly lower (p&lt;0.05) feed conversion ratio was observed with supplementation of the antimicrobial. Blood glucose levels were optimized at an effective microorganism supplementation level of 29.00 ml of EM/l of drinking water. Supplementation with 100 ml of EMs per litre of drinking water reduced significantly (p&lt;0.05) the pH of ileum. Effective microorganism supplementation level of 85.00 ml per litre of drinking water optimized the crop pH value. Antimicrobial and effective microorganism supplementations did not have any influence (p&gt;0.05) on live weight, carcass weight, breast weight, drumstick weight ad thigh weight. Similarly, antimicrobial and effective microorganism supplementations did not have influence on meat tenderness, juiciness and flavour. There were no antibiotic and effective microbe residues in the meat. It is, therefore, concluded that effective microorganism supplementation did not have much effect on production parameters, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Ross 308 broiler chickens.</div>

Effect of Feed Supplementation with Probiotics and Antimicrobial Agents on Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

<div style="text-align: justify;">This study was undertaken to assess the performance of Madras Red sheep fed concentrate feed at different physiological stages such as prior to breeding (14 days), late gestation (last 42 days) and early lactation (first 60 days) &nbsp;and compounded feed for growing lambs up to 120 days of age. The study was conducted at Postgraduate Research Institute in Animal Sciences, Kattupakkam, Tamil Nadu. In this, sixty ewes were selected in the age group of 3 to 5 years and divided into three groups with twenty in each group. The first group was allowed for grazing for seven hours daily from 9.00 A.M to 4.00 P.M and served as control group (G1).The second and third group (G2 and G3) of animals were supplemented with concentrate feed @ 10% and 20% of their daily dry matter requirement, respectively. The result indicates that the supplementation of concentrate feed to sheep significantly (p&lt;0.05) improved the production and reproduction performance of sheep in terms of body weight gain during late pregnancy and early lactation, conception rate, lambing percentage, birth weight and ADG of lambs in group (G3) when compared to concentrate feed supplementation @ 10 % of dry matter requirement (G2) or non-supplemented groups (G1). It is concluded that the net profit available per ewe was more in G3 followed by G 2 and G1 groups.</div>

Effect of concentrate feed supplementation during different physiological stages in Madras Red Sheep

<div>Background: Probiotic is the best solution (Produce antimicrobial compounds, inhibit colonization of pathogenic microorganism, increase digestive ability and confer better health to the host) as an alternative to antibiotics against various microbial infection in freshwater and marine water. The freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio was selected for this research work (due to high growth rate, high protein content, ability to survive under different climatic conditions and its availability throughout the year) to observe the effect of probiotic Enterococcus gallinarum N3 supplemented feed on its growth. 
 
Methods: In this present research work Prepared three different concentration of probiotic Enterococcus gallinarum N3 (0.1%. 0.5% and 1.0%) along with basal diet containing other ingredients (fish meal, groundnut oil cake, wheat bran, starch and Vitamin mineral premix). Initially 14 days acclimatized freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio to laboratory condition selected randomly for four treatment groups as Control (C) and probiotic feed treated T1, T2 and T3 group. The experiment was carried out for 42 days with continuous aeration, natural photoperiod of 16 hrs light and 8 hrs dark, maintain temperature constant and fishes fed diet twice daily. The feed ingredients and experimental diets analysed for proximate composition and measured Weight gain, Specific growth rate (SGR), and Feed conversion efficiency (FCE).&nbsp; 
 
Result: The proximate composition of the feed was determined as percentage dry matter in which 36.21% protein, 6.8% moisture and 7.8% of lipid. The probiotic feed experiment was conducted for 42 days&nbsp;and entire group of fishes was survived. The effect of probiotic feed on growth performance of Cyprinus carpio was measured as initial weight, final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. The growth changes were observed before and after treatment with 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0% of probiotic E. gallinarum N3 fed to Cyprinus carpio. The final weight (g) and final length (cm) was measured in treatment T1 (3.107 g; 3.32 cm), T2 (3.258 g; 3.40 cm) and T3 (3.413 g; 3.52 cm) respectively as compared with Control group C (2.255 g; 2.98 cm). The percentage weight gain obtained in group T1 (37.78%), T2 (44.45%) and (51.55%) respectively as compared with Control group C (29.54%). Maximum specific growth rate was observed in treatments T1 (0.94 % day-1), T2 (0.99% day-1) and T3 (1.02% day-1) as compared with control group C (0.56% day-1). The results showed better growth performance and feed utilization in all the three treated groups T1, T2 and T3. The best growth performance (final weight, final length, weight gain, specific growth rate and feed conversion efficiency) and feed utilization (moisture, protein and lipid) was observed best in T3 (1 g kg-1) group of fishes as compared to control C group. There was significant difference (P &gt; 0.05) in final weight, final length, weight gain, specific growth rate and feed conversion efficiency.&nbsp;</div>

Effect of Probiotic Enterococcus gallinarum N3 Supplemented Feed on Growth Performance of Freshwater Fish Cyprinus carpio

<div>Communal grazing does not offer adequate forage for ruminants throughout the year. This problem is exacerbated during the dry season when grazing is scarce and of poor nutritional quality. Mineral shortages are common in communal grazing environments and yet they are nutritional requirements for optimal development, physiologic functioning and productivity in animals, as well as for cattle growth, reproduction and health. However, the use of groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) shell (GNS) that are readily available but have no direct nutritional benefit in humans, have not been extensively investigated as a potential source of animal feed. This paper investigates the potential of GNS as feed supplement for ruminants on pasture and its use in other industries. After extracting the seed, the groundnut shell, accounts for roughly 21-29 per cent of the total weight of the nut. Despite the high lignin content of the shell that necessitates adequate processing before use in animal feed, groundnut shell includes 0.50 per cent crude protein, 59.0 per cent crude fiber, 2.50 per cent ash and 4.43 per cent carbs. Sodium (42.00 mg/100 g), potassium (705.11 mg/100 g), magnesium (3.98.00 mg/100 g), calcium (2.28 mg/100 g), iron (6.97 mg/100 g), zinc (3.20 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (10.55 mg/100 g) are all abundant in groundnut shells. In view of this, GNS, a by-product of industrial processing of groundnuts is a rich source of nutrients and can be used to supplement ruminants on pastures during times when pastures are in short supply and of poor quality. Studies are needed to investigate their use to supplement cattle on pasture grazing during times of feed shortage. However, its use as animal feed supplement is likely to face challenges from other industries such as biofuel production.</div>

Groundnut Shells as a Potential Feed Supplement for Ruminants on Pastures: A Review

Background: Tejpatta leaves are well known for their use as spice in food for taste and aromatic purposes. It is mainly used for flavoring food and widely used in pharmaceutical preparation because of its hypoglycemic, stimulant, carminative, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-ulcer and antimicrobial properties. Keeping the aforementioned properties in view, the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Tejpatta leaf powder on growth performance and haemato-biochemical parameters of broilers for boosting poultry industry production.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Two hundred and twenty five day-old chicks were randomly assigned into five dietary treatment groups (T1-T5) using CRD, each consisting of 45 chicks with roughly equal average body weights. Each group of 45 chicks was subdivided into three replicates (R1, R2 and R3) having 15 chicks per replicate. The T1 group fed basal diet only, while T2, T3, T4 and T5 groups were fed Tejpatta leaf powder @ 0.25%, 0.75%, 1.25% and 1.75%, respectively, along with basal diet. 
 
Result: Significant (P&lt;0.01) effect on growth characteristics was noticed in broiler chicks due to dietary supplementation of Tejpatta leaf powder. Significantly (P&lt;0.01) higher body weight, weekly body weight gain, average daily body weight gain and performance index was noticed in T4 group and lowest was observed in T1 group. Significantly (P&lt;0.01) higher feed intake was observed in T5 group and lowest was in T1 group. Lowest feed conversion ratio was observed in T4 group and highest in T1 group. Non-significant effect on hemoglobin, packed cell volume, red blood corpuscle count, serum glucose, total protein and cholesterol and creatinine levels was observed in various treatment groups. It was concluded that supplementing broiler diet with Tejpatta leaf powder @ 1.25% could be beneficial for improving broiler chick growth performance and hemato-biochemical parameters while having no adverse effects on broiler chicks.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Tejpatta (Cinnamomum tamala) Leaf&nbsp; Powder as Feed Additive on Growth Performance and Haemato-biochemical Parameters of Broilers