Synergistic effects of Emblica officinalis with optimized synbiotic formulation on the growth and neonatal health of Murrah buffalo calves

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the synergistic effect of Emblica officinalis with optimized synbiotic formulation (Cichorium intybus and Ligilactobacillus salivarius BF17) on the growth, faecal microbiota, antioxidant and immunological status of Murrah buffalo calves. A synbiotic (comprising Cichorium intybus and Lg. salivarius BF17) and the phytobiotic powder of Emblica officinalis were selected for an animal experimental duration of 60 days. Twenty Murrah buffalo calves (5–7 days old) were assigned in a completely randomized design into four treatment groups as follows: Group I served as control (CON) supplemented with basal diet only, and Group II (SYN) was fed a synbiotic formulation comprising Lg. salivarius BF17 at 10⁸ CFU/g/d/calf and Cichorium intybus L. (chicory) root powder at 8 g/d/calf; Group III (PHY) was provided with phytobiotic Emblica officinalis powder at 8 g/d/calf; and Group IV (COMB) received a combination consisting of synbiotic (Lg. salivarius BF17 and Cichorium intybus), and phytobiotic Emblica officinalis powder at similar doses. Body weight (BW) was recorded weekly. Faecal score was recorded daily, whereas faecal pH and faecal microbiota were estimated fortnightly. Faecal metabolites and antioxidant status was estimated at monthly intervals. The results revealed that the COMB group performed best in terms of growth, followed by the SYN and PHY groups, whereas the CON group had the lowest performance. In contrast to those in the CON group, all the supplemented groups showed a decrease (P < 0.05) in the faecal pH, faecal score, and ammonia concentration along with concurrent increases in the faecal lactate and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels and further, the beneficial effects were more pronounced in the COMB group. Faecal Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium population were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in the COMB, SYN, and PHY groups than the CON group, with a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in E. coli counts in the COMB and PHY groups. Super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity and immunological status (humoral immune response and cell mediated immune response) were greater (P < 0.05) in the COMB group than the CON group. Overall, this study revealed that Emblica officinalis has synergistic effects with synbiotic and improves the growth and neonatal health of Murrah buffalo calves.