Ho Trung Thong

By Ho Trung Thong, Le Nu Anh Thu and Ho Viet Duc

Early of the last century, it was detected that antibiotics added to the animal feeds at low doses and for a long time can improve technical performances such as average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio. Since then, the antibiotics have been used worldwide as feed additives for many decades. At the end of the twentieth century, the consequences of the uses of antibiotics in animal feeds as growth promoters were informed. Since then, many research studies have been done to find other solutions to replace partly or fully to antibiotic as growth promoters (AGPs). Many achievements in finding alternatives to AGPs in which probiotics and direct-fed microorganism, prebiotics, organic acids and their salts, feed enzymes, bacteriophages, herbs, spices, and other plant extractives (phytogenics), mineral and essential oils are included.

Part of the book: Antibiotics and Probiotics in Animal Food

By Nguyen Vu Thuy Hong Loan, Ho Trung Thong, Le Nu Anh Thu and Ho Viet Duc

Using antibiotics of low doses as feed additives could support to improve poultry and swine performances. However, these applications have caused resistance of bacteria and antibiotic residues in foods of animal origins. Therefore, efforts were focused on solutions to replace antibiotics as growth promoters (AGPs). There are many alternatives for AGPs, in which organic acids are one of the important alternatives. The aim of this chapter is to review publications on these acids and their other forms namely as acidifiers using as feed additives including their names and forms, mode of actions, spectrum against bacteria, combinations among them, and latest updates on their effects on swine and poultry production. The scientific findings show that acidifiers can inhibit pathogenic bacteria growth, improve nutrient digestibility, enhance immunity and overall gut health, consequently increase performances of poultry and swine. Several acids and their salts in both liquid and solid forms have been studied and applied as poultry and swine feed additives; however, the efficacy levels and the mode of actions are dependent on the single acidifiers, their salts, and combinations among them. The uses of acidifiers in their salts and derivative forms and mixtures of different acidifiers seem to be more favorable.

Part of the book: Feed Additives