Dietary Factors that Affect Gut Health and Pathogen Colonization

Abstract

The poultry industry has undergone remarkable change and growth over the last 30 years, and it will continue to expand in the coming years to meet higher demand for low-cost, healthy and convenient products. In addition to the expanding market, commercial poultry is being genetically selected for ever increasing growth performance and efficiency. This selection for increased growth rate has resulted in changes in gastrointestinal development during growth of the animal (Tottori et al., 1997). Apparently, young poultry are more susceptible to enteric pathogens today than they were 30 years ago. These pathogens have been of concern to the poultry industry because of lost productivity, increased mortality, and contamination of poultry products for human consumption (Patterson and Burkholder, 2003). Prophylactic and therapeutic uses of antibiotics have been the main tools used by the poultry industry to prevent or to treat disease due to enteric pathogens. However, the voluntary or legislated limits on the use of antibacterial feed additives for poultry is motivating poultry scientists to better understand the role of commensal gut microflora and how it can be modified or stabilized by various “natural ” alternatives to antibiotics. Some of these natural alternatives include prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, acidifiers, herbs, essential oils, and immunomodulators.