Effect of Yeast Origin Mannan Oligosaccharide and β-Glucan Prebiotic Supplementation on Disease Susceptibility and Growth Performance of Preweaned Goat Kids

Background: A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of prebiotic containing yeast origin mannan oligosaccharide and β-glucan (Agrimos®) on immunity, disease susceptibility and growth performance of newborn goat kids. Methods: The prebiotic was directly fed to kids from day 03 to day 30 of life @ 100 mg/kg body weight/day. Result: Results revealed significant reduction in lipopolysaccharide induced release of cytokines - TNF-α as well as IL-10 in the supplemented group when compared to the unsupplemented group. The group treated with prebiotic, exhibited enhanced resistance to infections during the initial two months of life. The protective effect of the prebiotic against cumulative disease incidence persisted as long as it was regularly administered, but gradually waned off after the cessation of feeding. Prebiotic supplementation provided substantial protection against infectious diseases, reducing morbidity and proving effective against septic insults in goat kids. Given that neonatal goat kids are born agammaglobulinemic with immature innate and adaptive immune systems, prebiotic supplementation could serve as a beneficial approach to enhance their health, boost their immunity and promote their overall metabolic activity until their immune system becomes fully functional.