Assessing the efficacy of pro bead-EC probiotics in Siruvidai native chicken

Introduction

The population of native chicken in Tamil Nadu showed a decreasing trend in native chicken production from 2001 to 2010 in most of the districts of the State. To provide support to the weaker section, the scheme on 'Rural livelihood improvement through backyard poultry rearing' was implemented in Tamil Nadu from 2011 onwards. The prevailing poultry culture in the State has further nurtured a lot of small and medium sized poultry farms and entrepreneurs in rural areas with the result there is an increase of 2.84% total poultry population in the State and 34.54% in Rural Backyard Poultry (20 th Livestock Census) [12] . Now a days, consumers often prefer native chicken meat due to its perceived superior taste, texture, and nutritional value compared to commercial broilers. Factors like traditional farming practices and sustainable production also contribute to this preference. Apart from that, backyard native chicken rearing is an important livelihood activity for small scale farmers in Tamil Nadu and contributes substantially to fulfill the household nutrition and income. In Theni district, Tamil Nadu, farmers are rearing Siruvidai native chicken, are reared in low cost, free /semi intensive method of rearing because of its adaptableness, resistance to various disease and consumer acceptance for its distinctive sensory qualities of meat and egg. However, growth performance and health outcomes in native birds can be constrained by variable feed quality, enteric challenges, and the absence of standardized supplementation practices. Probiotics, typically comprising beneficial strains such as Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus and others are reported to modulate the intestinal micro biota, enhance nutrient utilization, improve feed conversion ratio (FCR), and support mucosal immunity (Kabir et al., 2004; Panda et al., 2005) [3,8] . Probiotic supplementation mainly focused on commercial broilers and layers under controlled environments, leaving a gap regarding efficacy, dosage, and economic returns of probiotic supplementation in indigenous breeds chicken. Probiotics, Pro Bead-EC is formulated with the property of targeted delivery principle which is directly open into the intestine of chicken. It consists of probiotic strains.

(Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus firmus, Lactobacillus spp, Yeast-Saccharomyces cerevisiae) 10 8 CFU/Bead, cellulose acetate phthalate 15%w/v, Excipients Q.S. This product was developed by Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, a constituent unit of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, India. Accordingly, this study was designed to assess the efficacy of Pro bead EC supplementation in Siruvidai native chickens.

Materials and Methods

Experimental study was carryout in a Siruvidai native chicken farm from day one to 8 weeks age of birds in Aranmanai Pudur Village, Theni, Tamil Nadu. The birds are reared in semi intensive system. From day old to 8 week of age, birds were fed with commercial desi chicken feed along with regular management activities. Both test and control group birds were raised in same environmental condition. Group I test group birds (N=30) were fed with Pro Bead-NC (5 beads per bird) and after a period of one hour, fed with standard commercial desi chicken ration and group II control birds were fed with standard commercial desi chicken ration without Pro Bead-NC and both the groups were vaccinated against Ranikhet disease on 7 th and 21 st days. Body weight measured for both group birds 0 day, 2 nd , 4 th , 6 th and 8 th week end. To find out the livability percentage, mortality was recorded. Intestinal swap was collected from 10 birds randomly in both the groups in 8 th week end to estimate the coliform count and blood was collected from 15 chickens randomly in both the groups by filter paper technique at the end of 5 th week to assess the Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer against Ranikhet disease at Avian Disease Laboratory, TANUVAS, Thalaivasal Taluk, Salem District.

Results and Discussion

Native chicken ecotypes of Tamil Nadu remain integral to low-input, free-range and backyard systems because of their adaptability, disease tolerance, and consumer preference for meat and eggs with distinctive sensory qualities. The Siruvidai native chicken, a locally adapted type reared across parts of southern Tamil Nadu, is valued for its hardiness under resource-limited conditions and fluctuating climates. However, growth performance and health outcomes in native birds can be constrained by variable feed quality, enteric challenges, and the absence of standardized supplementation practices, factors that are particularly relevant in Theni district, where small and marginal farmers predominate. In this study, efficiency of dietary supplementation of Pro Bead-EC in Siruvidai native chicken were given in Table 1. 1). The magnitude of performance weight gain improvement aligns with prior reports for Bacillus-based probiotics in broilers and native chickens under tropical conditions (Jha, 2020; Shibi Thomas and Jayalalitha, 2021) [2,11] . Supplementation of probiotics improved the bodyweight gains likely arise from multiple mechanisms: competitive exclusion of pathogens, production of digestive enzymes, reinforcement of tight-junction integrity, and immunomodulation enhancing vaccine take (Lee et al., 2010; Markowiak and Slizewska, 2018) [4,5] . TANUVAS Aseel chicken showed improved body weight when fed with probiotics along with regular ration (Murugan et al. 2022) [6] . On account of livability at market age, there was no significant difference between test and control groups up to four weeks of age, after that Probead EC supplemented Siruvidai chickens had showed significant high livability percentage in sixth and eighth weeks of age when compared to control group. Supplementation of probiotics, native chicken showed decreased mortality percentage (Amar and Khan, 2012; Muthusamy et al., 2024) [1,7] . For estimation of coliform count, intestinal samples were analysed. There was no significant difference in coliform count of test and control groups. Similarly, probiotics supplementation in Assel chicken, there was no significant reduction in E. coli, Clostridium spp count, and the both groups showed absence of Salmonella spp (Shibi Thomas and Jayalalitha, 2021) [11] . Antibody titre against ranikhet disease was assessed, in test groups, significant increase in the HI titre than the control groups (Table 2). Rowghani et al. (2007) [10] reported that supplementation of probiotic in commercial broiler chickens diet, significant increase in the Newcastle antibody titers compared with those of control group.

Conclusion

The observations obtained in this revealed that supplementation of probiotics (Pro beads-EC) through feedin

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Siruvidai native chicken under semi intensive system of rearing significantly improved the body weight, livability and substantial increase in the HI titre against ranikhet disease.

Acknowledgement

The author acknowledge the Director of Extension Education, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai for providing financial support, utilization of infrastructure in the Farmers Training Centre, Theni and Thiru M Sivakumar, Sirividai chicken farmer who supported to carry out the experimental trial.

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