Further benefits of botanicals

摘要

Botanical-based supplements can be used as part of an AGP-free feeding strategy to improve animal performance in pigs and poultry at all stages of production. Less well known is that they can also be used effectively in milk replacers for pre-ruminants (eg calves) to prevent scours. The properties of plants and their extracts have been exploited as preservatives, flavours, digestive enhancers and remedies for millennia (Deans & Richie, 1987; Piccaglia et al, 1993). The increase in demand for cheapfood and the advent of modern production methods in agriculture has given rise to the use of synthetic compounds in feed, for example by sub-therapeutic antibiotic supplementation. Recently, the safety of such practices has been questioned and their useis becoming restricted in many regions of the world. Therefore there is greatly renewed interest in developing natural alternative supplements to maintain both animal performance and welfare. Increased research into botanical ingredients for nutrition applications mean that we now understand how many of these ingredients work and how we can exploit their benefits to improve performance and well-being of animals in both intensive and extensive meat production. Research and commercial animal trials have identified efficacious forms and mixtures of plant extracts, giving rise to a range of botanically based products specifically designed for animal feed applications.