Dr. Keshab Chandra Dhara
Directorate of Research, Extension farms, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, India
Publications
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Research Article
Bio-Based Feed Additives and Metabolic Modulators for Enhanced Productivity: Sustainable Low-Cost Feed Strategies Using Local Biomass Resources for Small Ruminant Production in the Aspirational Districts of West Bengal
Author(s): Dr. Keshab Chandra Dhara*, Dr. Kaushik Pal, Suprava Roy, Shrestha Roy, Paramita Dasgupta, Disha Banerjee, Biman Sarkar and Aditi Datta
The integration of bio-based feed additives and metabolic modulators offers an innovative pathway to enhance small ruminant productivity while reducing feed costs and environmental impacts. This study explores the utilization of locally available biomass resources as bio-functional feed ingredients for sustainable Black Bengal goat production across five aspirational districts of West Bengal—Murshidabad, Birbhum, Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur, and Nadia. A 120-day controlled feeding trial involving 489 goats evaluated feed formulations incorporating sugarcane tops, cassava leaves, sweet potato vines, Leucaena, and Sesbania leaf meals as natural sources of secondary metabolites, antioxidants, and fermentable fibers with metabolic modulating potential. Three dietary treatments were tested: T1 (conventional concentrate feed), T2 (50% concentrate replaced with biomass-based mix), and T3 (.. Read More»