An insight into the potential of berberine in animal nutrition: Current knowledge and future perspectives.

Animal feed additives are used all over the world for various livestock including poultry for more reasons than one like to provide essential nutrients, increase palatability of the feed, improve their growth performance, as well as optimize the utilization of the feed. Animals with high growth performance need to maintain a high health status, and the use of proper additives is a predominant argument in such cases. With increasing industry standards and consumer awareness as well as demand for healthy food products of animal origin, there is an increased pressure on the industry for more natural and non-residual alternatives than the conventional feed additives used till recently as animal feed products. Consumer and animal welfare are primary concerns dictating the valuable alternatives of animal feed additives. Some of the alternatives seen for use as animal feed additives are probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, and herbs. Such choice of feed additives is backed by scientific and empirical research on these alternatives as herbs and their extracts (botanicals) have been found to have a wide range of activity which cannot only stimulate feed intake but also stimulate endogenous secretions or have antimicrobial, coccidiostat, or anthelmintic activity.

As one of the most important components of foods, animal meat provides a lot of protein, fat, and energy for humans. However, nutrition and health of animals directly affect the healthiness of human, especially antibiotic residues in animals induced by abuse of antibiotics. Therefore, it is important to develop safe and efficient feed additives to improve nutrition and health of animals. With advantages of high efficiency, no toxicity, little or no side effect, and no residue, medicinal and food homologous plants polysaccharides have shown potential practicality to improve nutrition and health of animals possibly instead of antibiotics. Based on the present review, it was found that medicinal and food homologous plants polysaccharides had better health promotion effects on poultry than those of livestock and aquaculture with the main delivery method of dietary supplementation, which might be because of the inherent species differences and convenient experimental procedures. Meanwhile, immunoregulatory activity was the dominating action mechanism that medicinal and food homologous plants polysaccharides affected nutrition and health of animals, followed by antioxidant activity, metabolism regulation, and antiviral activity. This work will provide help to enhance animal nutrition and health via using medicinal and food homologous plants polysaccharides as feed additives.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potency of several local phytogenic (Vernonia amygdalina Del., Calotropis gigantean, Syzygium oleana, Syzygium cumini, L) as antioxidant and antimicrobial sources in feed additives for non-ruminant animals. Antibiotic as feed additive has been banned since 2006 due to harmful effect of antibiotic not only for animals but for consumers. Phytogenic as suitable natural alternatives has been intensively studied and had positively effect on animal health and productivity. Five extract phytogenic that massively grow in Aceh were extracted by using maceration method with the comparison of material and ethanol solvent 1:4. Antioxidant testing by using DPPH method and antimicrobial pathogen testing (Salmonella and E. coli) by using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method with gradient doses of extract (250 mg/mL, 500 mg/mL, 750 mg/mL), chloramphenicol as positive control and aquadest as negative control. The results of study indicated that Syzygium cumini, was the best phytogenic feed additives compared with the others feed additives. Syzygium cumini, L had antioxidant activity (IC50 19.91) and inhibition zone diameter of 4.80 and 12.78 for E.coli and Salmonella respectively with the dose of 750 mg/mL. In conclusion, all phytogenic feed additives can be utilized as feed additives for non-ruminant animals with S. cumini, L as the best phytogenic feed additives.

Simple SummaryHigh-fiber agriculture by-products, which can enhance animal performance and health, have the potential to be used as feed additives. Before using high-fiber agriculture by-products, it is necessary to pay attention to the problem of anti-nutritional factors and contamination due to mycotoxins. Solubility and fermentability are the keys that mainly affect fiber availability. In recent years it has been pointed out that fiber as an animal feed or feed additive does not seem to be as unfeasible as previously thought. Instead, dietary fiber and other functional compounds, such as polyphenol and flavonoids, could enhance health, antioxidant capacities, and stabilize the microbiota in animals. In addition, high-fiber agriculture by-products are a suitable and inexpensive source of fiber and their proper use may reduce costs of animal feeding. Scientists must integrate characteristics and appropriate usage analysis to jointly evaluate the effects of different fiber compositions on those animals. Based on this foundation, animal producers should be encouraged to use high-fiber agricultural by-products as animal feed and feed additives.With the increase in world food demand, the output of agricultural by-products has also increased. Agricultural by-products not only contain more than 50% dietary fiber but are also rich in functional metabolites such as polyphenol (including flavonoids), that can promote animal health. The utilization of dietary fibers is closely related to their types and characteristics. Contrary to the traditional cognition that dietary fiber reduces animal growth, it can promote animal growth and maintain intestinal health, and even improve meat quality when added in moderate amounts. In addition, pre-fermenting fiber with probiotics or enzymes in a controlled environment can increase dietary fiber availability. Although the use of fiber has a positive effect on animal health, it is still necessary to pay attention to mycotoxin contamination. In summary, this report collates the fiber characteristics of agricultural by-products and their effects on animal health and evaluates the utilization value of agricultural by-products.

Introduction. In the conditions of modern international reality, when the Russian Federation needs to develop branches of the agro-industrial complex to strengthen food independence from other countries, it is necessary to focus the state’s efforts on ensuring proper organization of agricultural production, including its compliance with the necessary requirements, one of which is the requirements for ensuring the safety of animal feed and feed additives. Materials and Methods. The research was facilitated by the use of general scientific methodology (system-structural, logical, cybernetic methods) and the formal legal method. The formulated proposals are based on the study of scientific literature, which considered topical issues of legal policy, the legal organization of the agro-industrial complex and control and supervisory activities, as well as analytical materials reflecting modern problems of ensuring the safety of feed and feed additives for farm animals. Analysis. The main areas of analysis are the problems of ensuring the safety of feed and feed additives for farm animals by identifying factors that hinder the optimization of legal regulation in the field of veterinary medicine. Results. The improvement of legal regulation in the field of ensuring the safety of feed and feed additives for animals is complicated by the inconsistency of the state’s position with the approaches adopted in the field of agricultural sciences to determine the content of the concepts key to ensuring the safety of the products in question. In this regard, it is advisable to correct the legislation on veterinary medicine in the relevant part, eliminating the need for registration of premixes and feed concentrates.

BackgroundIndiscriminate use of antibiotics in livestock and poultry farming has caused emergence of new pathogenic strains. The situation has warrented the development of safe and alternative growth promoters and immunity enhancers in livestock. Herbal additives in animal and bird feed is a centuries-old practice. Thus, the present study investigated the efficacy of a standardized formulation of lipophilic turmeric extract containing curcumin and turmerones, (TF-36), as a natural growth promoter poultry feed additive.MethodsThe study was designed on 180 one-day old chicks, assigned into three groups. Control group (T0) kept on basal diet and supplemented groups T0.5 and T1 fed with 0.5% and 1% TF-36 fortified basal diet for 42 days. Each dietary group consisted of six replicates of ten birds. Body weight, food intake, food conversion ratio, skin colour, blood biochemical analysis and antioxidant status of serum were investigated.ResultsBody weight improved significantly in T1 with a 10% decrease in FCR as compared to the control. TF-36 supplementation in T1 enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activity significantly (p < 0.05) with a decrease (p < 0.05) in lipid peroxidation. It also caused a slight yellow skin pigmentation without any change in meat color, indicating the bioavailability of curcumin from TF-36. However, no significant change in the concentration of serum creatinine, total protein and liver enzyme activities were observed, indicating the safety.ConclusionIn summary, we concluded that TF-36 can be a natural feed additive to improve growth performance in poultry, probably due to the better antioxidant activity and antimicrobial effects contributed by the better bioavailability of curcuminoids and turmerones. Besides, curcuminoids and turmerones were also known to be gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory agents.

In modern agriculture, considerable attention is paid to the search for effective and environmentally safe methods of increasing animal productivity. One of the promising directions is the use of mushroom substrate as feed additives. Residual mushroom substrate is often considered as waste, but its processing and use can help reduce feed costs and increase farm profitability. In addition, the use of mushroom substrate helps to reduce the burden on the environment, promoting a closedproduction cycle. In the article it is considered the alternative ways of using mushroom substrate as a feed additive in order to improve the productivity of animals in agriculture. Mushroom substrate, the residual product after growing mushrooms, contains a rich complex of nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, minerals and other bioactive components. The use of this substrate as a feed additive can provide economic benefits for farms, reducing the cost of traditional feed and increasing animal productivity. Studies indicate a positive effect of the mushroom substrate on the health of animals, in particular on the improvement of immunity and the general physiological state. In addition to economic benefits, the use of mushroom substrate helps to reduce the amount of waste and improve the environmental sustainability of agriculture, meeting the principles of circular economy and sustainable development. Objective. To analyze alternative ways of using mushroom substrate as animal feed additives. In the article it is reviewed modern research and practical experience of using mushroom substrate, its chemical composition and potential benefits for animal husbandry. Special attention is paid to the effect of mushroom substrate on the health of animals, their productivity and general economic indicators of farms. Revealing the potential of mushroom substrate as a feed additive can be an important step in the development of sustainable agriculture, in particular, in the conditions of growing demand for food and resources for its production. Conclusions. The article emphasizes the needfor further research to optimize the methods of using the mushroom substrate in feed rations of various animal species and to develop new technologies for its processing. The practical implementation of these studies can significantly increase the efficiency and competitiveness of agricultural enterprises. Keywords: mushroom substrate, chemical composition, feed additive, animal productivity, agriculture, bioactive components, feeding.

Enzymes are widely used in the food industry. Their use as a supplement to the raw material for animal feed is a current research topic. Although there are several studies on the application of enzyme additives in the animal feed industry, it is necessary to search for new enzymes, as well as to utilize bioinformatics tools for the design of specific enzymes that work in certain environmental conditions and substrates. This will allow the improvement of the productive parameters in animals, reducing costs and making the processes more efficient. Technological needs have considered these catalysts as essential in many industrial sectors and research is constantly being carried out to optimize their use in those processes. This review describes the enzymes used in animal nutrition, their mode of action, their production and new sources of production as well as studies on different animal models to evaluate their effect on the productive performance intended for the production of animal feed.

Glucose, a primary energy source derived from animals' feed ration, is crucial for their growth, production performance, and health. However, challenges such as metabolic stress, oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota disruption during animal production practices can potentially impair animal glucose metabolism pathways. Phytochemicals, probiotics, prebiotics, and trace minerals are known to change the molecular pathway of insulin-dependent glucose metabolism and improve glucose uptake in rodent and cell models. These compounds, commonly used as animal feed additives, have been well studied for their ability to promote various aspects of growth and health. However, their specific effects on glucose uptake modulation have not been thoroughly explored. This article focuses on glucose metabolism is on discovering alternative non-pharmacological treatments for diabetes in humans, which could have significant implications for developing feed additives that enhance animal performance by promoting insulin-dependent glucose metabolism. This article also aims to provide information about natural materials that impact glucose uptake and to explore their potential use as non-antibiotic feed additives to promote animal health and production. Further exploration of this topic and the materials involved could provide a basis for new product development and innovation in animal nutrition.

The use of phytogenic additives in livestock nutrition as an alternative to classical feed additives has shown promising results in improving animal performance and product quality while avoiding the negative effects of antibiotics on animal health, product quality, and human health. This book reviews the recent advances in photogenic nutrition and its application in animal nutrition as a means of antibiotic replacement and eco-friendly feed additives. This chapter summarizes the outcomes of the 11 chapters reviewed, and their possible applications in animal nutrition. Numerous possible alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters can be used in mono-gastric animal nutrition, including thyme, rosemary, milk thistle seeds, turmeric, phytogenic, essential oils, bee pollen, and propolis. These alternatives and eco-friendly feed additives serve as sources of bioactive ingredients such as flavonoids, phenols, and polyphenols [1–4]. To date, the results have been inconclusive because of the different factors involved in animal responses, such as strain and age of the animal, health conditions, housing conditions, environmental status, part of the plant, type of plant product (leaves, seeds, and roots), drying methods, extraction methods, water vs. organic solvents, dose of administration, and methods of delivery (feed and water). Thus, further studies are needed to identify the dose, bioactive substances, and application root to develop commercial products on an individual basis and/or mixed agents that need to be tested. These promising additives may partially or completely replace antibiotic growth promoters and overcome the possible problems caused by the withdrawal of antibiotics from the feed additives market [2, 5, 6]. The use of phytogenic feed supplements in farm animal nutrition as a substitute for classical feed additives has shown promising results in enhancing animal performance and product quality, while avoiding the negative effects of antibiotics on human and animal health, product quality, and food security and safety.

Microplastics in animal nutrition: Occurrence, spread, and hazard in animals

Background. Modern applied biotechnology is focused on the development and implementation of fundamentally new multifunctional feed additives in a complex form. Currently, new approaches to the maintenance of farm animals and aquaculture objects under the influence of environmental factors are being sought, based on the use of biologically active additives. Intensive antibiotic therapy has become one of the reasons for the disruption of normal bacteriocenosis and a decrease in the immunobiological reactivity of animals and fish, the emergence of resistant strains of pathogens, which reduces the therapeutic effect of antibacterial drugs. The use of antibiotics leads to the accumulation of microorganisms with complex antibiotic resistance in the environment, their entry into natural water bodies is almost impossible. One of the promising ways to solve these problems is the use of feed additives with immunomodulatory action. The article examines existing feed additives with biological activity, provides generalized literature data on the use of biological additives in animal husbandry and aquaculture. Purpose. The objective of the present study is to investigate impact of immunomodulatory feed additives on farm animals and fish. Materials and methods. Feeds play a crucial role in the diet of farm animals and fish, as they must contain all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals to ensure healthy growth and development of animals and aquaculture objects. Such preparations as probiotics (including symbiotics and metabiotics), prebiotics, and synbiotics, which are actively used in feed production, meet these requirements. In 1995, Gibson and Robertfroy introduced the concepts that should be classified as prebiotics and found that these components should be: 1) a selective component that promotes the metabolic activity or growth of one or more beneficial bacteria; 2) capable of altering the microbiota towards a healthy state; 3) capable of exerting a systemic or luminal beneficial effect on the host organism; 4) not absorbed and not hydrolyzed in the upper part of the stomach. Results. Current research shows the positive impact of prebiotic use on performance, including improved weight gain, improved feed conversion and reduced disease. Prebiotics promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the intestines of animals. This reduces the concentration of pathogens such as salmonella and coliform bacteria, which reduces the risk of disease and improves the overall health of animals and fish. Research confirms the possibility of reducing the use of antibiotics in feed through the use of prebiotics, which is important in the context of the problem of antibiotic resistance. Prebiotics can be used to improve the environmental sustainability of livestock and aquaculture, as they help to reduce the release of harmful substances into the environment. Conclusion. Numerous scientific studies confirm the beneficial effects of immunomodulatory additives on the health of animals, poultry and aquaculture objects, especially in terms of protection against pathogens, stimulation of the immune response and increased productivity. Prebiotics can be used as an alternative or enhance the effect of probiotics. The use of a combination of these components, demonstrating a synergistic effect, can be even more effective in stimulating the intestinal microbiota and protecting animal health. One promising area of research is the use of wheat grain heap as an immunomodulatory additive, which has high prebiotic properties. In the future, it is necessary to pay attention to studies of the thermal treatment of grain in the production of feed and feed additives. It should be emphasized that the use of feed additives such as probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics is safe, does not have a negative impact on the natural environment and reduces the demand for antibiotic-based growth promoters. However, the mechanisms of action of probiotic organisms, prebiotics, and their combinations in synbiotics require further research. In the technology of compound feed production, plant raw materials, including wheat, are subjected to the extrusion process in order to increase the nutritional value, during which, during heat treatment, pathogenic microorganisms are killed. Presumably, wheat grain of early ripeness phases may lose its beneficial properties during heat treatment (extrusion). In this regard, it is advisable to conduct research on the effect of grain processing on its prebiotic properties. Sponsorship information. The work is carried out as part of the project “Development of personalized feeds of a new generation with plant and probiotic additives to increase the survival rate and improve the health of fish” (FZNE-2023-0003). EDN: DHCYQT

Copper is a bivalent mineral and nutritionally necessary for mammals. It has been used as an animal feed additive or growth factor for animals. However, large amount of copper contained in animal manure by oversupplying of copper have a negative impact on the soil environment. Chelates of copper and amino acids have the advantages of being better absorbed into the intestines than copper ions and less sensitive to photodegradation than amino acids. Bacillus spp., a sporeforming probiotic, have stability against heat and low pH and are used as animal growth factor or feed additives. In this study, copper-L-lysine chelate was accumulated in Bacillus megaterium ATCC 10778 to use as mineral-containing probiotics or feed additives. The highest chelation rate of copper sulfate and L-lysine was 62.53% after 1:1 reaction of copper sulfate to Llysine for 25 minutes at 70℃. FB media was selected for bioaccumulation of copper-L-lysine chelate in flask culture. In the fermentor culture, 38,043 ppm of copper ion was accumulated in 6.50×108 CFU/mL of B. megaterium.

Antibiotics are the primary measures employed in the prevention and treatment of diseases in aquaculture. However, the frequent utilization of antibiotics can significantly impact the growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms, resulting in water pollution. The European Union (EU) has prohibited antibiotic additives in animal feed. Potassium diformate (KDF) represents the first non-antibiotic feed additive approved by the EU as a viable alternative to antibiotics. Its application in animal nutrition has been validated, demonstrating beneficial health effects. This article reviews the physicochemical properties, biological functions, synthesis conditions, and applications of KDF in aquaculture and looks toward to its future potential. It also provides insights into improving the utilization of KDF in aquaculture practices.

Antibiotics have been banned to be used as feed additives in animal feed recent years due to adverse effect of antibiotics. Alternative feed additives to replace the role of antibiotics such as pre-probiotics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate administration of various feed additives in animal feed on performance and hematological parameters of local chickens. Totally 200 mixed sex local chickens were randomly distributed based on the different treatment groups consisting to 4 treatments and 5 replications. Application of 4 treatments in this study was administration of different feed additives either in the water or mixed feed = control-vita chick 0.7 g p / liter; A1=20 ml per liter probio-FM; A2=0.08 % MOS per kg in feed and A3 = phytogenic as herbal KI 5 ml per liter. Parameters evaluated in this study were animal performance [BW, FI and FCE] each month up to 3 months and hematological parameters. The results in this experiment indicated that there were no significant different [P≥0.05] between treatments for performance except for body weight in the first month. Application of feed additives significantly influenced [P≤0.05] hematological parameters [erythrosine, thrombosis and hemoglobin] of local chickens but not for leukocyte and hematocrit.