Production of probiotics for animal health and nutrition

Lactic acid-producing bacteria from food or animal origin were obtained from the BIOTECH culture and were selected based on the growth rate and lactic concentration for use in this work. The substrates used in the fermentation medium were prepared from agricultural carbohydrates and industrial by-products and optimization of cultivation conditions was performed. Cultivation process of high cell concentration was developed using a low cost medium in the bioreactor coupled with ceramic membrane-filtration system to increase the specific growth rate, substrate consumption, high cell concentration and less lactic acid product inhibition. The effect of various sugars used in the culture medium were optimized in batch and continuous processes. The high cell concentration at final fermentation process was 10**8 cells/ml. Three forms of probiotic products were developed, liquid, powder, and capsule. The probiotic product was formulated using different carriers, and storage conditions were also established. Results indicated that shelf life could be prolonged even at ordinary room temperature. It was found that storage of the product at 3 deg C after 12 months with non-fat skim milk as carrier gave the highest viable cell count of 1.08 x 10**7 cells/g followed by cassava + lactose which was 8.15 x 10**5 cells/g of product. For the powdered form of product, the downstream process was also conducted by centrifugation, filtration and freeze-drying or by using high density cell concentration in dry carriers. The final product had a moisture content of 16-20% and was kept in plastic bags. Feeding trials using the locally developed probiotics were performed on swine, broilers and dairy cattle. Results showed that animals fed with the feed combined with probiotic grew faster as compared to those fed with feed combined with antibiotics with the pregnant soe, the mortality of the very young piglet was very minimal as compared to the one which used antibiotics for young piglets. In dairy cattle, the period of lactation was prolonged for more than ten days with the use of probiotics in the cattle feed