Application of Probiotics in Animal Farming

Reducing Public Health Risks in Animal Farming with Probiotics

Probiotics have been found to have beneficial effects in the context of animal farming, particularly in mitigating public health risks associated with animal farming. One of the foremost risks in cattle farming is the shedding of pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Clostridium, and Salmonelle via feces. These pathogens present a significant risk of foodborne public health issues related to meat and dairy products. The integration of probiotics into cattle and poultry feed can reduce the shedding of these pathogens into the environment, thus minimizing contamination and enhancing the safety of animal products from "farm to table". Probiotic combinations like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Propionibacterium flexneri have notably demonstrated effectiveness in reducing fecal Escherichia coli shedding in cattle farms. In poultry, probiotics such as Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis can reduce Escherichia coli shedding, aiding in clearing out pathogens from the intestine through competitive exclusion, bacteriocin production, and stabilization of intestinal epithelial tight junction proteins.

Role of Probiotics in Small Ruminants and Oxidative Balance

The rearing of small ruminants, such as calves, is crucial in the dairy industry as these animals represent future heifers or cows. Probiotics and yeast play distinct roles in such animals, with research on probiotic formulations mainly containing lactic acid bacteria. These probiotics typically act on the small intestine, hindering pathogen colonization through competitive exclusion and immune response. This, in turn, prevents conditions like diarrhea, enhances feed efficiency and growth, and reduces disease incidence in calves.

Furthermore, the balance between oxidants and antioxidants in the body plays an essential role in animal health. Oxidants, such as reactive oxygen species and nitrogen, often occur during normal metabolic activities, and an overaccumulation of these can harm animal health. Diet-added probiotics, like Bacillus subtilis, can inhibit the adverse effects of oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity significantly, thus preventing excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species. This antioxidant property of probiotics contributes to maintaining health and production parameters in animals.

Probiotics as Preferred Additives in Animal Feed

Probiotics have been accepted as green feed additives by consumers due to their unique advantages. Although there are numerous additives for enhancing productivity and efficiency, probiotics have become the preferred choice in animal food production systems. They stabilize the pH in the rumen and increase fiber digestion. In non-ruminants, importantly in poultry and pigs, bacterial probiotics have a more dominant effect on performance traits than yeast. Popular probiotics like Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Micrococcus, Enterococcus, Aspergillus, Saccharomyces, and Candida, when added to animal food, maintain and improve beneficial gut microbiota, fortify host immunity, and suppress gut pathogens.

In conclusion, the use of probiotics in livestock farming has sparked immense global interest due to their numerous health and production benefits. They offer a broad range of advantages such as balanced beneficial gut microbiota, the elimination of harmful gut pathogens, and overall improvement in the animal's health. Therefore, the benefits of probiotics have a positive impact on the overall production performance and farm profitability.

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For Research Use Only. Not intended for use in food manufacturing or medical procedures (diagnostics or therapeutics). Do Not Use in Humans.