Uso de produtos alternativos aos antimicrobianos na avicultura

Resumo

The integrity of the intestinal birds have a direct impact on the efficiency of its production. Requiring the adoption of measures to increase the longevity of enterocytes.Because the bird spends about 20% of gross energy consumed for maintenance of the intestinal epithelium, which means a high energy cost. So when injuries occur in this tissue, while reducing the amount of substrate digested and absorbed, there is a higher energy demand for cell renewal. The energy that could have been used for the production is directed to the cell turnover, resulting in a lower weight gain and a high feed conversion (FRANCO, 2010). Thus, the profitability of the poultry is directly affected when the intestinal integrity is impaired. To reduce this impact is important to adopt preventive measures throughout the production cycle, among which stand out the use of food additives, designed to keep the gut healthy. However, the European Union banned the use of various antimicrobial agents that were used as additives in animal feed, which could promote intestinal health and performance (AARESTRUP et al., 2010). Thus, the search for alternatives to antimicrobial agents has become the subject of study companies and researchers. This modulation of intestinal microbiota by these alternative products is because they act as food for beneficial intestinal bacteria, stimulating its growth, whose metabolites act by reducing the pH by increasing the amount of organic acids present in the cecum, immobilizing and also reducing the capacity of attachment of pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal mucosa. It is also speculated that these products may act by stimulating the immune system by reducing indirect intestinal translocation of pathogens, certain infections after reaching the bloodstream (KIM et al. 2011). Another effect of dietary supplementation with these products is the development of the gut, increasing the height of villi in different intestinal segments of the birds, causing increased weight gain (SANTIN, 2001). Considering all these aspects, we attempted to conduct a review of the main alternatives to antimicrobials used in poultry production.

Descrição

Palavras-chave

Animais, Antimicrobianos, Desempenho, Saúde, Animals, Antimicrobials, Performance, Health

Citação

SANTANA, Eliete Souza; MENDES, Fernanda Rodrigues; BARNABÉ, Ana Caroline de Souza; OLIVEIRA, Fábio Henrique de; ANDRADE, Maria Auxiliadora. Uso de produtos alternativos aos antimicrobianos na avicultura. Enciclopédia Biosfera, v. 7, n. 13, p. 985-1009, nov. 2011.