Vol. 11, Special Issue 8 (2022)

Author(s):
S Chandekar, R Arora and NK Sharma

Abstract:
Nutritional supplements have been used to mitigate heat stress in cattle. The present investigation was conducted at the Livestock Research Station, Kodamdesar, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences to evaluate the value of nutritional intervention on mitigation of heat stress (HS) in cattle for a period of 90 days during the months of June to August, 2019. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of feed additives on growth performance of growing Sahiwal female calves during summer season in arid region of Rajasthan. Eighteen Sahiwal growing female calves having ages between 6-15 months were procured, such that the calves were the best representation of the population. Calves were housed in a well-ventilated and protected shed and were allocated to three different groups, each group consisting of six calves. To study the effect of feed additives on performance of Sahiwal growing female calves during summer season, the selected female calves were divided into three groups viz., group 1 (G-1), group 2 (G-2) and group 3 (G-3). Group 1 (G-1) calves received basal diet and the calves of group 2 (G-2) and group 3 (G-3) were fed the basal diet additionally supplemented with feed additives. Total body weight gain (kg), were significantly higher for the calves receiving probiotics along with encapsulated niacin as supplementation followed by calves receiving only probiotics as feed supplementation as compared to calves receiving only basal diet. Based on the above it can be summarized that probiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC-47, Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Propionibacterium freudenreichii and sea weed powder) and encapsulated niacin can be effectively used as feed additives for improving growth rate and alleviating heat stress in Sahiwal calves under the arid conditions of Rajasthan.