The use of growth promoters and their alternatives in livestock production

Abstract

This Research Topic aimed at compiling papers suitable to improve our knowledge and understanding of “The Use of Growth Promoters and their Alternatives in Livestock Production”. The effects of the use of growth promoters began in the 1940s when chickens were fed feed containing tetracycline fermentation by-products. In this case, chickens showed higher growth rates than chickens that were not fed feed containing antibiotics (1). Since then, the use of synthetic growth promoters (SGP; e.g., antibiotics, beta-agonists) or natural growth promoters (NGP: e.g., plant extracts, essential oils, enzymes derived from fungi, exogenous enzymes, direct feed microbials, prebiotics, phytobiotics, guanidinoacetic acid, spirulina, algae-derived polysaccharides, and synbiotic) (Figure 1) has expanded in their use in various animal species. Although natural and synthetic growth promoters have been widely used in animal production, in recent decades to improve their production parameters, there is strong evidence linking the presence of residues of synthetic growth promoters (i.e., antibiotics, anabolic compounds, hormones, and beta-agonists) in feed components and animal diets to negative effects in both human and animal health (3, 4).