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1. The present study was conducted to develop Citrus junos probiotics (CJP), using by-products of Citrus junos fermented with multispecies probiotic bacteria including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis. The effects of dietary CJP on the growth performance, immune status, caecal microbiology and meat oxidative stability of broiler were investigated. 2. A total of 240 one-day-old Ross broiler chicks were used in a 35-d experiment in which the chicks were randomly allotted to one of the 4 dietary treatments (0, 5, 10 and 20 g CJP/kg diet) in a completely randomised design. 3. Dietary supplementation of 5 g/kg CJP significantly increased body weight, average daily gain and average daily feed intake of broiler during the overall experimental period. 4. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)M concentration was significantly increased by 10 and 20 g/kg CJP, whereas the IgG and IgA concentration remained unaffected. In addition, 20 g/kg CJP significantly inhibited proliferation of Escherichia coli without affecting the concentration of Lactobacillus or Bacillus spp. 5. A significant reduction in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of breast and thigh meat was observed in response to increasing concentration of dietary CJP. 6. Thus, the results suggest that CJP up to a concentration of 20 g/kg can be used in the diet of broilers to improve immunity and to reduce caecal E. coli and TBARS values of breast and thigh meat without any adverse effects on growth performance.

The present study was conducted to develop a functional feed additive, Alisma canaliculatum probiotic (ACP), for beef cattle, using the medicinal plant Alisma canaliculatum along with probiotic strains. A three-step fermentation process was developed for the manufacture of ACP. The effects of dietary ACP on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat composition and oxidative stability in Hanwoo steers were investigated. Twenty-four Hanwoo steers (average 592.91 ± 10 kg bodyweight) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: control (basal diet), ACP 0.5% (basal diet + 0.5% ACP) and ACP 1.0% (basal diet + 1.0% ACP). Overall, dietary ACP resulted in significant elevation of bodyweight gain and feed efficiency compared with the control (P < 0.01). No significant differences in carcass characteristics were found among the dietary treatments, although carcass quality grade was improved by the ACP 0.5% diet (P = 0.007). Moisture, crude ash and crude protein contents were unaffected; however, crude fat and cholesterol contents were lower in steers fed ACP 0.5% (P < 0.05). Whereas the calcium of Hanwoo beef was unaffected by the dietary treatments, iron and magnesium contents were elevated by the ACP 0.5% diet compared with the control or ACP 1.0% diet (P < 0.01). Further, the ACP 0.5% diet improved the meat fatty acid profile by reducing saturated fatty acid content, especially myristic acid (P ≤ 0.05), as well as by increasing unsaturated fatty acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content, especially α-linolenic acid (P < 0.10). The ACP diet was found to have positive effects on unsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid and n-6/n-3 ratios (P ≤ 0.05). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values of the control group were higher compared with either of the ACP diet groups (P < 0.001). Overall, these data indicate that dietary ACP conferred beneficial effects on the growth performance, fatty acid profile, meat composition and oxidative stability in Hanwoo steers. Therefore, ACP may be used as a feed additive for beef cattle. The combination of medicinal plants and probiotics is a new possibility for addition to cattle feed supplements, as it provides complementary antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and lacks side effects. This study aimed to ferment Alisma canaliculatum with multi-strain probiotics and investigate its effects on Hanwoo steers. Alisma canaliculatum probiotics showed a potential role in improving growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat oxidative stability of beef cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]