Climate change has been the major threat to livestock systems sustainability globally. This climate change has provoked many stressors, for instance, cold, heat, humidity, rain, ice and wind, that can directly or indirectly exert influence on the endocrine system and impact the performance of an animal including their production potential, reproductive system and regular estrous cycle. Also, the environmental stressors can contribute to the amenability of animals to infections; it is therefore, vital to understand how stressors alter the animal’s adaptive capacity and efficient methods in coping stress. This review aims at the scientific evidences regarding challenges due to cold stress and its potential mitigation by nutritional interventions. The cold is amongst the most potential environmental stressors which can adversely affect production potential as well as the growth of animals. Under cold stress the animals’ dietary intake increases, but the production capacity declines, furthermore, it can also culminate in physiological fluctuations, behavioral shift, tissue and intestinal impairment and soaring death rate. Maintenance of animal in its thermoneutral zone is important, otherwise any deviation from it proves life threatening. So, to cut back on the economic losses timely course of action must be taken to prevent the damages ascribed to the stressor. To maintain the production performance along with profitability, it is thus recommended to adapt scientific feeding regimens and also incorporate feed supplements (especially vitamins and minerals) to combat the devastating effects of cold stress.

Growth trial of 90 days was conducted on 12 male Corriedale lambs, divided in two groups of six lambs each, to study the effect of feeding of paddy straw based complete feed supplemented of probiotic mix (Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2×1010cfu/g + Lactobacillus acidophilus 6×109cfu/g) in equal ratio @ 3 % of DM, as per the in vitro studies, while complete feed without probiotics served as control. There was significantly (P less than 0.01) higher haemoglobin concentration, RBC, WBC and monocyte count in animals fed probiotic mix than control, with no significant effect on PCV, lymphocyte, eosinophill and neutrophill count. Blood glucose, total serum protein, albumin, globulin, BUN and serum creatinine values were statistically higher in probiotic mix supplemented animals. Lambs fed with probiotics show significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in serum cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides with increment of HDL-cholesterol than animals fed unsupplemented diet, with no effect on enzyme activities of liver enzymes. The lambs fed on probiotic mix shows significant reduction in faecal shedding of E. coli and total coliform with firm pellets faecal consistency. Probiotic mix has great potential to beneficially affect the haemato-biochemical parameters and gut micro-flora and hence improve physiological health status of animals.

A study was carried on 24 piglets (Large White York Shire × Desi) of an average initial weight of 20 kg of three gender groups, barrows, boars and gilts consisted of eight pigs each, of comparable body weight fattened from 20-48 kilograms (growing) to 49-96 kilograms (finishing) to see the effect of gender on growth performance, nutrient utilization and carcass traits. When comparing feed intake at the growing stage, gilts consumed significantly more (P less than 0.05) feed than boars and barrows. There was no significant difference in average daily weight gain among barrows, boars and gilts in growing and finishing stage. Gilts had significantly higher (P less than 0.05) feed conversion ratio than boars in growing period and barrows in finishing period. Nutrient digestibility was similar except crude protein among groups. Fasting weight and weight after bleeding was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in gilts with nonsignificant difference between barrows and boars. Sex has no significant effect on evisceration weight, dressing percentage and carcass length in pigs. Carcass backfat of barrows was significantly thicker (P less than 0.05) than that of boars and gilts, however, the loin eye area was significantly larger (P less than 0.05) in gilts than boars and barrows. There were no significant differences among groups concerning the proportions of ham, under cut, bacon and rib chop however, shoulder and loin percentages were higher (P less than 0.05) in gilts than boars and barrows.

To study effect of feeding graded levels of apple pomace on performance of crossbred calves, 90 days growth trial followed by 6 days metabolic trail was conducted on 16 female Jersey crossbred calves divided into four equal groups with control (T-0) fed concentrate diet without apple pomace and experimental groups viz, T-1, T-2 and T-3, where maize was replaced by 25%, 50% and 75% of apple pomace, respectively. There was no significant difference in dry matter intake, growth performance, feed conversion ratio and digestibility coefficients of CF, NFE, ADF and HC with inclusion of apple pomace in calf ration; however digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE and NDF reduced significantly at higher inclusion level (75%). There was also no significant difference in nutritive value of the experimental diets with respect to % DCP and % TDN, ME, DE and NR. There was no significant difference in the mean haemato-biochemical values, however significant (P < 0.05) effect of feeding apple pomace was observed on total serum proteins with lower values in animals of T 3 group as compared to control. Similarly non-significant differences were observed in ruminal pH, TVFA, total nitrogen, NH3-N, TCA-ppt. N and NPN values.

Twelve male Corriedale lambs (3–4 months old) were divided in 2 groups of 6 lambs each to study the effect of addition of probiotics in paddy straw based complete feeds on growth and nutrient utilisation. A complete feed was prepared using paddy straw and concentrate mixture in 50: 50 ratio. In probiotics group, probiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2×10¹⁰ cfu/g + Lactobacillus acidophilus 6×10⁹ cfu/g) was given @ 3% of dietary DM. The values for DMI, gain in body weight, body length, chest girth, feed conversion ratio, digestibility of nutrients (DM, OM, CP, CF, NFE, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose), balances of N, Ca and P, contents of DCP, TDN, DE and ME in the ratiom were higher (P<0.01) in probiotics supplemented group compared to control one. The feed cost per kg live weight gain was lower (P<0.01) in probiotics supplemented group. Hence, probiotocs supplementation @ 3% in the rations of lambs improved DM intake, growth, nutrient utilisation and economics of feeding.

Background: Considering the increasingly high cost of poultry feed and the economic aspects of poultry rearing, search for organic feed supplements for optimal growth performance along with maintaining the health status of poultry has emerged as a challenge for animal nutritionists all over the world. Over the years, medicinal herbs have fascinated a lot of consideration for their important role as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in animals. These compounds display some important pharmacological and growth promoting effects in animals. With this background, exploratory research was designed to study the effects of a locally available medicinal herb, Urtica dioica at different levels on the performance, serum biochemical, immune response and oxidative parameters of broilers. Methods: A total of 120-day old commercial broiler chicks were purchased; randomly distributed into four treatment groups. The groups were distributed as; group T1-control offered basal diet, groups T2, T3, T4 offered basal diet supplemented with Urtica dioica leaf powder @ 1, 1.5 and 2% respectively on dry matter basis. A growth trial of five weeks followed by a metabolic trial of seven days was conducted at the end of the experiment. The economics for broiler production was also calculated. In addition to this different biochemical, immune and oxidative parameter were also analyzed at the end of the experiment following standard procedures. Result: Significant improvements in various production parameters viz. body weight, FCR, digestibility of DM, CP were observed in birds fed nettle as feed additive in comparison to control, however non-significant changes in the values of feed intake, digestibility of CF, EE and NFE among treatment groups was also recorded. On calculating the economics, a lower production cost per kg live weight gain and a higher profit/bird was calculated for treatment groups fed nettle as feed additive. Significant improvements in various biochemical, immune and oxidative parameters were also observed in birds of phytogenic supplemented groups in comparison to control.