Beyond probiotics: Exploring the potential of postbiotics and parabiotics in veterinary medicine

Postbiotics and parabiotics (PP) are emerging fields of study in animal nutrition, preventive veterinary medicine, and animal production. Postbiotics are bioactive compounds produced by beneficial microorganisms during the fermentation of a substrate, while parabiotics are inactivated beneficial microbial cells, either intact or broken. Unlike probiotics, which are live microorganisms, PP are produced from a fermentation process without live cells and show significant advantages in promoting animal health owing to their distinctive stability, safety, and functional diversity. PP have numerous beneficial effects on animal health, such as enhancing growth performance, improving the immune system and microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract, aiding ulcer healing, and preventing pathogenic microorganisms from colonizing in the skin. Moreover, PP have been identified as a potential alternative to traditional antibiotics in veterinary medicine due to their ability to improve animal health without the risk of antimicrobial resistance. This review comprehensively explores the current research and applications of PP in veterinary medicine. We aimed to thoroughly examine the mechanisms of action, benefits, and potential applications of PP in various species, emphasizing their use specifically in livestock and poultry. Additionally, we discuss the various routes of administration to animals, including feed, drinking water, and topical use. This review also presents in-depth information on the methodology behind the preparation of PP, outlining the criteria employed to select appropriate microorganisms, and highlighting the challenges commonly associated with PP utilization in veterinary medicine.