Prebiotic Feed Additives: Rationale and Use in Pigs

摘要

Disease has always been a critical issue in pig production, affecting not only animal health and well-being, but also the physical and economic health of the producer. Growth promotant antibiotics have been fed to livestock since the 1940's and have generally enhanced pig performance (Cromwell, 2000). Growth promotant antibiotics act by a variety of mechanisms to alter the intestinal microbiota, with subsequent direct and indirect effects on the pig (Anderson, et al., 2000, Gaskins et al., 2000). Enteric disease issues are coming to the forefront as governmental and public concerns about preharvest food safety and microbial antibiotic resistance increase. The European Union is phasing out use of growth promotant antibiotics and there is increasing pressure to do so in North America.