Vet World Vol.18 January-2025 Article - 16
Review Article
Veterinary World, 18(1): 141-154
https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.141-154
Phytogenic feed additives as alternatives to antibiotics in poultry production: A review
2. Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Animal Science, Afghanistan National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University, Kandahar 3801, Afghanistan.
3. Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Afghanistan National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University, Kandahar 3801, Afghanistan.
4. Department of Animal Nutrition and Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Afghan International Islamic University, Kabul 1004, Afghanistan.
The overuse of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, particularly poultry, has led to growing concerns about multidrug microbial resistance, posing significant risks to both animal and human health. Subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics have traditionally been used to enhance growth and improve economic efficiency in poultry farming. However, these practices have facilitated the emergence of resistant microbial strains, threatening global health security and prompting a search for sustainable alternatives. This review highlights the significance of phytogenic as feed additives (PFAs) as promising substitutes for antibiotic as feed additives (AFAs) in poultry production. PFAs, derived from plant-based compounds, exhibit multiple beneficial properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulatory effects. Moreover, they offer the potential to produce high-quality organic poultry products while reducing the likelihood of microbial resistance. Despite these advantages, inconsistent results among studies underscore the importance of standardized approaches to maximize their efficacy. This review aims to evaluate the current status of antibiotic use in poultry farming globally, explore the properties and mechanisms of PFAs, and assess their potential as viable alternatives to antibiotics. By consolidating available knowledge, this review provides insights into the benefits and challenges associated with PFAs, offering guidance for future research and practical applications in sustainable poultry production.
Keywords: alternatives, antibiotics, phytogenic, poultry production.
How to cite this article: Aminullah N, Mostamand A, Zahir A, Mahaq O, and Azizi MN (2025) Phytogenic feed additives as alternatives to antibiotics in poultry production: A review, Veterinary World, 18(1): 141-154
Received: 2024-09-08 Accepted: 2024-12-18 Published online: 2025-01-22
Corresponding author: E-mail:
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.141-154
Copyright: Aminullah, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
