What are Probiotics in Animal Nutrition ?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that can be added to animal feed as supplements or additives to improve their health and welfare. They can also increase productivity and help meet the demand for high quality food products.
Probiotics can:
- Improve intestinal microbes by establishing good microflora colonization of lactic acid bacteria in the intestine, which can result in healthier animals.
- Probiotics can promote the gut immune response.
- Inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
Effect of Probiotics on Animal feed Digestibility
Numerous studies have focused on the fact that supplementing probiotics in animal feed alter the gut microbiota, reduce pathogen shedding and disease symptoms, increases gut immunity and improve disease resistance and health.
Probiotics can eliminate the harmful pathogens from the GIT following several molecular mechanisms and modulate the immune response of the host animal for well – being of animals. Some probiotic metabolites can modulate various metabolic pathways in cells. Probiotic metabolic components such as bacteriocins, amines and hydrogen peroxide interact with specific targets of various metabolic pathways to regulate cell proliferation, inflammation and differentiation.
The probiotic feed additives consist of selected strains of lactobacilli and streptococci that alter the microbial species present in the GI tract to the benefit of the treated animal. Unicellular yeasts are also used in animal production.
Thus, they are useful in some cases to minimize gastrointestinal upsets or to help overcome stress due to weaning, transport, or adverse weather conditions. The unicellular yeast fungus may also help in improving digestion and subsequently improving feed conversion efficiency.
Nowadays, farmers provide feed supplements to poultry, ruminants and fishes. Probiotics are mostly gram-positive bacteria but also gram negative, yeast and fungi. The most common probiotics used for animals include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus, Bacillus, Streptococcus, and yeast such as Candida and saccharomyces.
Mode of action of probiotics
Probiotics exert their effectiveness through diverse mechanisms. Probiotics inhibit and control enteric pathogens along with improving the functioning and productivity of animals. Basic probiotic mode of action includes : (i) inhibition of pathogen activity (ii) production of antimicrobial components ie. Bacteriocins etc. (iii) competitive exclusion of pathogenic microorganisms (iv) enhancement of barrier function (v) reduction of luminal pH and (vi) modulation of the immune system
Probiotic promote health conditions by preventing harmful bacteria from growing in the intestinal tract of poultry and animals. For eg, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum can inhibit Escherichia Coli adhesion in the intestinal tract of animals & poultry. Probiotics produce antibacterial substances and impede bacterial adherence and translocation. Bacteria commonly interact with host cells following the secretion of chemical signals that influence bacterial organisms’ approach. Probiotics can influence pathogenicity by modifying the communication process in pathogenic bacteria.
Functions of Probiotics for Animals & Poultry
- Probiotics produce antibacterial substances and impede bacterial adherence and translocation
- Probiotics such as Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus,and Bifidobacteriaproduce proteins or bacteriocins that minimize the development of closely linked bacterial organisms which reduce the no. of detrimental microorganisms from the gastrointestinal tract
- Probiotics can improve the immunity of the host by modulating the immune system
- Probiotics increase the rate of digestion in animals by increasing enzyme activity in the GIT
- Probiotics can improve the growth rate of broiler chicken
- Probiotics can prevent gastrointestinal diseases like salmonellosis, necrotic enteritis as well as coccidiosis
- Probiotics improve the laying performance of hens and egg and meat quality in chicken
- Probiotics can enhance milk production in dairy cattle
- Probiotics can increase food digestibility and ruminants’ body weight
Our Company Promois International is a leading manufacturer and supplier of feed supplements including probiotics in many countries of the world including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Ghana, Uganda, Turkey, Venezuela & others to name a few.