In ovo delivery of bioactive substances: an alternative to the use of antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production—a review

Abstract

For more than 6 decades, the global poultry industry has profited from the advancement in science and technology. Success in animal breeding and genetics has made available fast-growing poultry strains. Similarly, evolution in medicine and veterinary science has provided farmers with antibiotics, which have served the dual role of preventing diseases and improving growth performance of poultry. Interestingly, these gains from science are not without consequences. Issues such as lameness in fast-growing chickens and the failure of some antibiotics to treat important human infections as a result of the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been reported. With an ever-increasing demand for poultry products, there is an urgent need to solve these identified challenges. Results emanating from research on antibiotics alternatives in poultry have generally been reported inconsistent because of several factors including environmental, animal health, and delivery routes (in-feed and in-water). Once again, innovation in science and technology is being called upon. A recent emerging field of animal biotechnology is the use of in ovo technology to deliver bioactive compounds to broiler chickens. In ovo delivery of bioactive compounds shows potential to help reduce and ultimately end the challenges associated with the conventional delivery of antibiotics in poultry production.