Phytobiotics as an alternative to antibiotics in feeding farm birds

Abstract

A decrease in the level of immunological reactivity and natural resistance of the body is one of the reasons for the decrease in the viability and safety of poultry. When used in feeding antibiotics, a number of undesirable side effects occur. Therefore, of particular interest is the use of phytobiotics to form the resistance of the bird organism to the effects of adverse environmental factors. Phytocompounds affect the processes of metabolism and neutralization of foreign substances, which are carcinogens and mutagens. They have the ability to bind free radicals and reactive metabolites of foreign substances, inhibit xenobiotic activating enzymes and activate detoxication enzymes. Phytobiotics have antiviral, antimicrobial, as well as immunomodelling effects. The main advantage of feeding herbal supplements is that the animals are not exposed to any risks; the possibility of their use as flavoring, appetite-stimulating substances is fully confirmed by the EU documents regulating nutrition. The range of such domestic drugs is narrow and not developed. Increasing the antioxidant status of the animal's body by optimizing the level and quality of feeding, especially by adding exogenous antioxidants obtained from high quality raw materials, can be one of the most important and effective means of improving the health and, therefore, productivity of poultry. The study of the effect of feed additives made of the vegetative mass of amaranth on the resistance of poultry is a modern area of research in world science.