This experiment was conducted on 60 Hanwoo calves comprising five feed additive groups, with 12 calves in each group, to determine the effects of additives at pre-and post-weaning on growth performance and blood profile. The groups were control, antibiotic (Neomycin 110 ppm), illite (2%), fermented green tea probiotics (FGTP, 0.5%), and mixed additives (FGTP 0.25%, illite 1% and licorice 0.1%). The calves were offered experimental pellet feeds ad libitum and after one month were supplied with imported timothy hay. They moved freely within the group and suckled their mother's milk during the pre-weaning stage (birth to 3 months) and were separated from their dam during the post-weaning stage (4-5 months). During the pre-weaning stage, the highest average daily gain (ADG) was recorded in the antibiotic-and mixed additive-fed groups followed by FGTP, control and illite groups. In the post-weaning stage, significantly higher total weight gain and ADG were recorded in both the FGTP and mixed additive groups compared to the other groups (p<0.05). Feed efficiency of mixed additive-and illite-fed calves were almost similar with antibiotic-fed calves compared to the other two groups, but the ADG was lowest in illite-fed calves during the pre-weaning stage. In contrast, post-weaning calves fed FGTP and mixed additives showed better feed efficiency. The values of hematological indices, differential leukocyte count, blood proteins and immunoglobulin among the additive-fed calves were not significantly different (p>0.05), although hemoglobin and hematocrit values were lower in FGTP compared to control, but similar in mixed additive and antibiotic groups. These results indicate no detrimental effects of feed additives on the blood profile of calves at both pre-and post-weaning age. Serum albumin in post-weaning calves of all feed additive groups were similar but significantly lower (p<0.05) than in the control group. Post-weaning, IgM was significantly lower (p<0.05) in illite-fed calves compared to other treatment groups, but there was no difference at pre-weaning. Considering all factors, the mixed feed additives and FGTP can be the replacement feed formula for antibiotic for Hanwoo beef calf production, especially when used post-weaning.

The objective of this experiment was to compare the effects of green tea by-product and green tea probiotics on the growth performance, meat quality and immune response of finishing pigs. A total of 72 crossbred "Landrace×Yorkshire" finishing pigs with an average of 76 kg body weight were assigned to 4 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment had 3 replications with 6 pigs per replication. The four dietary treatments were control, antibiotics (control diet with 0.003% chlortetracycline added), and diets containing 0.5% green tea by-product or 0.5% green tea probiotic supplementation. Weight gain was increased in 0.5% green tea probiotics treatment compared to others, but there was no significant difference (p>0.05). The incorporation of 0.5% green tea probiotics to diets reduced the feed conversion ratio in finishing pigs (p>0.05). The incorporation of 0.5% green tea by-product into the pig diet reduced the crude protein and fat contents of the meat (p>0.05). Pigs fed diets containing 0.5% green tea probiotic supplementation had lowered meat TBA values compared to those fed 0.5% green tea by-product (p<0.05). The proliferation of spleen cells stimulated with Con A (concanavalin: 0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 μg/ml) significantly increased with 0.5% green tea by-product treatment compared to antibiotic treatment (p<0.05), but was significantly decreased in 0.5% green tea probiotics treatment compared to the antibiotic treatment (p<0.05). When stimulated with 1.0 μg/ml Con A, splenocyte production of IL-6 from pigs treated with 0.5% green tea by-product or green tea probiotics was significantly increased compared to the antibiotic treatment group (p<0.05). Splenocyte production of TNF-α after treatment with 1.0 μg/ml Con A was significantly higher following 0.5% green tea probiotics treatment (p<0.05), while TNF-α production after 10.0 μg/ml LPS (lipopolysaccharide) was significantly higher in the 0.5% antibiotic treatment group (p<0.05).

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of green tea probiotics on growth performance, meat quality and immune response in finishing pigs, and to assess the possibility of substituting green tea probiotics for antibiotics in diets of finishing pigs. This green tea probiotics is made by mixing green tea powder and excipients (defatted rice bran and wheat bran) and fermenting the mixture with beneficial bacteria. A total of 90 crossbreed "Landrace×Yorkshire" finishing pigs with an average body weight of 72.5±2.5 kg were assigned to 5 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment had 3 replications with 6 pigs per replication. The five dietary treatments were control, antibiotic (0.003% chlortetracycline added) and 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0% of green tea probiotics. There were no significant differences in final body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio in the green tea probiotics and antibiotic treatments (p>0.05). Crude protein content was significantly increased in the 0.1 and 1.0% green tea probiotics treatment groups (p<0.05) and there was no significant difference in crude fat content of the meat among the treatments. The TBA value of meat was significantly lowered with 0.5 and 1.0% green tea probiotics treatments compared to that of controls and statistically similar to the antibiotic treatment after 3 weeks of storage (p<0.05). The growth of spleen cells stimulated with Con A (0.1 and 1.0 μg/ml) was significantly increased with 1.0% green tea probiotics treatment compared to that of the control treatment (p<0.05). The growth of spleen cells stimulated with LPS (1.0, 3.0 and 10 μg/ml) was significantly increased in the 0.5% green tea probiotics group compared to the antibiotic group (p<0.05). In Con A (1.0 μg/ml) medium, IL-6 production of spleen cells was significantly increased with 1.0% green tea probiotics treatment compared to that of the control (p<0.05). In LPS (10.0 μg/ml) medium, TNF-α production of spleen cells increased significantly in all green tea probiotics treatment groups compared to that of the control (p<0.05). Finally it can be summarized that addition of green tea probiotic has a positive effect similar to antibiotic and 0.5% is the suitable dietary supplementation dose for finishing pig production.

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This experiment was designed to evaluate effects of Dandelion (Taraxzcum coreanum) and Dandelion fermented probiotics medium on the growth performance and meat quality in broiler chicks. A total of 150 "Ross" broilers，1-day old, were assigned to 5 treatments in a completely randomized design. There were 5 replications per treatment and 6 broilers in each replication for 5 weeks. The dietary treatments included a control (Dandelion and Dandelion fermentation was not added), antibiotic (0.05 chlortetracycline was added), 1.0% Dandelion supplementation and 0.5 and 1.0% Dandelion fermented probiotics, respectively. There was no significant difference in final body weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of broilers fed diets containing antibiotics, 1.0% Dandelion supplementation and 0.5 and 1.0% Dandelion fermented probiotics. The total cholesterol, HDL and LDL in plasma and meat cholesterol content was not affected by 0.5 and 1.0% Dandelion fermented probiotics and 1.0% Dandelion supplementation (P>0.05). The oleic acid content was significantly increased in 0.5% Dandelion fermented probiotics compared to that of the control (P<0.05). As a result, Dandelion and Dandelion fermented probiotics result in the influence on decreasing cholesterol in blood, particularly when adding probiotics, oleic acid that is the important factor in taste testing of meat increases thus the quality and taste of the chicken meat could be improved with the effect.