Probiotic feed additive boosts growth, health in poultry in place of antibiotics

Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly serious threat for public health, and the use of anti-microbials in livestock feed has been a major contributing factor in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance to many drugs, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

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The poultry industry is evolving toward antibiotic-free production to meet market demands and decelerate the spread, and Penn State researchers are helping to identify and better understand alternative approaches.

The growing need for antibiotic-free products has challenged producers to decrease or completely stop using antimicrobials as feed supplements in the diet of broiler chickens to improve feed efficiency, growth rate and intestinal health. Led by Erika Ganda, assistant professor of food animal microbiomes, a Penn State research team conducted a study of natural feed additives that are promising alternatives to substitute for antimicrobial growth promoters.