NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF PROBIOTICS

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NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF PROBIOTICS
THE HUGE INCREASE OF GROWTH POTENTIAL OF CHICKENS HAS CONCURRENTLY GENERATED AN INCREASE IN NUTRITIONAL NEEDS
Progress in knowledge of the composition and effect of raw materials used in animal feed implies a tremendous progress on the road towards a sustainable and efficient animal production.
Furthermore, the use of new ingredients opens windows for substituting raw materials which previously “tyrannized” formulations.
On the other side of the coin, digestibility of these new alternatives is sometimes not equivalent, therefore the use of a whole new range of additives which may release all nutritional potential of these new diets is necessary.
Also, genetic screening has produced animals having a tremendous growth potential, and a worthwhile data is the fact that the final weight gain (on 56d) of broilers has increased by 132% from 1978 to 2005.
Nowadays, nutritionists not only have to focus on the nutritional composition of raw materials they use, but also, they must concern about maximizing their availability and use by the animal. Thus, the variable raw material – digestive system interaction takes on a new prominence.
Accordingly, a new range of natural growth promoters occupies the niche created by the new challenge.
Traditionally, this field had been occupied by growth-promoting antibiotics. At present, this group of additives is in the spotlight as main suspects of generating drug-resistant pathogens. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) in its last report- Antimicrobial Resistance Global
Report on Surveillance 2014- estimates 25.000 human deaths per year in Europe caused by these antibiotic-resistant pathogens, besides the cost imposed on society by these conditions which is 1500 million euros per year (ECDC 2007).
For this reason, and the suspicion of the abusive use of growth-promoting antibiotics, they are being gradually withdrawn from the market in all continents.
The huge impact of antibiotic resistance compels us to seek alternative strategies in the field of nutrition
Within the new “class” of natural growth promoters we can find different categories: short- and medium-chain organic acids, prebiotics, essential oils and probiotics.
 
Due to the combination of different beneficial effects which they may exhibit, probiotics are increasingly gaining attention of animal nutrition professionals from the whole planet.
Probiotics inhibit pathogen growth not g...