Abstract
In the last two decades, the interest in natural plant feed additives (PFA) as alternatives to synthetic vitamins in livestock nutrition has increased. After a systematic review, a total of 19 peer-reviewed papers published between 2000 and 2020 were retained to evaluate the antioxidant effects of PFA compared to synthetic antioxidant vitamins (mainly vitamin E; VitE) in livestock nutrition. These studies demonstrated that PFAs could be as efficient as VitE in counteracting oxidative stress in pigs, rabbits, and ruminants. However, PFAs only positively affected animals’ growth performance and feed efficiency in some monogastric studies. The PFA can affect antioxidant enzyme activity in a dose- and method of administration-dependent manner. The antioxidant capacity of both PFA and VitE were depressed in cows fed with diets rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Variability among studies could be related to species differences. Despite the interest of the feed industry sector in PFA, there are still very few studies evaluating their antioxidant effect in species other than poultry.
Highlights
Feed additive supplements, such as vitamins, play a strategic role in livestock management
The present review focused on the antioxidant capacity of plant extract, essential oils (EO), and plant by-products as potential alternatives to synthetic antioxidant vitamins in livestock mammals, including their effect on health, performance, and physiological parameters
These results indicate that Marigold extract from petal and plant extracts containing carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, and capsicum oleoresin was as effective as vitamins E (VitE) in preventing
Summary
Feed additive supplements, such as vitamins, play a strategic role in livestock management. A growing interest in natural plant feed additives (PFA) is driving research towards plant extracts, essential oils (EO), and by-products of plant origin as alternatives to synthetic vitamins in livestock nutrition for their potential positive effects on animal health and productivity [1,2,3,4]. Flavonoids have the capacity to trap free radicals, including reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and chelating metals, whereas phenolic acids act as antioxidants mainly by scavenging free radicals The latter activity depends on the location and Antioxidants 2021, 10, 1461. The present review focused on the antioxidant capacity of plant extract, EO, and plant by-products as potential alternatives to synthetic antioxidant vitamins in livestock mammals, including their effect on health, performance, and physiological parameters
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