**4.6 Probiotics (prebiotics/synbiotics)**

Probiotics are the live microorganisms that may beneficially affect the host upon ingestion by improving the balance of the intestinal microflora. Lactobacillus spp. is the most prevalent probiotic bacteria, known as lactic acid producing bacteria (LAB). Control of diarrhea in calves, increased milk production and better composition, control of ruminal acidosis, control of growth of pathogens in rumen, reduced pathogen load are the advantages of the technology. The appropriate level of 20 g probiotic per day per animal is found effective. Prebiotic are the ingredients (like Fructo-Oligosaccharides (FOS), Mannan Oligosaccharises (MOS) etc) used to enhance the population of already present good bacteria and synbiotic pertains to combination of pre and probiotic.
