Probiotics and potential applications for alternative poultry production systems

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Food Safety
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Growing concerns for animal welfare are shifting poultry production towards cage-free and free-range systems.
• Alternative systems, while promoting welfare, present challenges like increased exposure to pathogens.
• The ban on antibiotics in poultry diets necessitates alternative strategies for health and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of probiotics on poultry performance in alternative production systems.
• To evaluate probiotics' role in enhancing food safety and poultry health.
• To assess improvements in egg and meat quality and production yields.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature on probiotic supplementation in alternative poultry farming.
• Analysis of studies investigating pathogen mitigation and animal health outcomes.
• Evaluation of data on egg and meat quality parameters.

Main Results:

• Probiotics can mitigate disease-causing organisms and foodborne pathogens in alternative poultry environments.
• Supplementation positively impacts poultry health, leading to improved performance.
• Enhanced egg and meat quality and production are observed with probiotic use.

Conclusions:

• Probiotics are effective feed additives for improving health and food safety in alternative poultry production.
• They offer a viable solution to challenges posed by cage-free and free-range systems.
• Further research can optimize probiotic strategies for sustainable poultry farming.