Improvement in livestock productivity by use of probiotics: A review

Rumen has a complex microbial eco-system, which could be manipulated to favour the better animal productivity by using appropriate probiotics. Successful use of Synergistes jonesil and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens encouraged the use of probiotics as feed additives. The microbial culture should be screened for certain characteristics before selecting it as probiotics. The in vitro digestibility, rumen metabolic production and viable counts of bacteria are being used as parameter for screening the strains. Most commonly used group of probiotics is lactobacilli besides Bifidobacterium, Propionibacterium, Enterococcus and Bacillus. Feeding of yeast/fungi improved palatability, rate of fibre digestion, rate of digesta flow, nutrient digestibility and milk yield in animals. The lactobacilli have anti-microbial effect against many pathogenic microbes of gastro-intestinal tract. Their feeding reduced incidence of diarrhoea in calf. L. acidophilus a very good binder of aflatoxin. The fungal isolates from wild compared to domestic isolates produced significantly higher fibre degrading enzymes. Inoculation of certain wild isolates into rumen of animals improved their productivity.