Alternatives of Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Poultry Production

Modern poultry production has achieved phenomenal gains. To achieve better efficiency, poultry is raised under intensive production system in densely populated flocks leading to stress. Under such circumstances, antimicrobial feed additives are often used to suppress harmful microorganism in the poultry to improve growth and fee efficiency. Unfortunately, antibiotic growth promoters have favored antibiotic residual effects in food chain and the development of drug resistant bacteria. Concerns about development of antimicrobial resistance and about transference of antibiotic resistance genes from animal to human microbiota, led to search of alternatives of antibiotics growth promoters. Alternative of antibiotic growth promoters are probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids, bacteriiphage, hen egg antibodies and phytogenic additives. They all in majority of cases demonstrate positive effect on health and performance of poultry. This book deals with the use of antibiotic, probiotic, prebiotic, organic acid and some other feed additives in sustainable poultry production.