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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 11/17/2016 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: New antibiotic regulatory policies affecting agricultural animal production now challenge animal scientists to think outside of the box to develop alternative strategies for sustainable animal agriculture. For those animal infectious diseases for which effective vaccines are lacking, there is a critical need to develop novel feed additives that will serve as antibiotic alternatives. The gut represents a continuously evolving ecosystem where a dynamic interaction between host immune, neuroendocrine and entero-endocrine cells and the gut microbiota influences normal physiological development and homeostasis. This presentation will discuss novel ways to use dietary phytochemicals to enhance animal growth and modulate host physiological responses. Phytochemicals are non-nutritive, plant-derived chemicals, many with disease-preventing properties. A growing body of scientific evidence has demonstrated that many of the health-promoting activities of phytochemicals are mediated through their ability to improve host defense against microbial infections and tumors. During the last 10 years, our research has provided science-based evidence for the beneficial effects of certain phytochemicals in the poultry growth and immune system. Many of these phytochemicals are now commercially used to increase the growth and reduce disease-associated losses in poultry and livestock. However, it is of primary importance to understand the mechanisms supporting the effect of a product in order to improve positioning and efficacy. New studies suggest that certain phytochemicals reduce the negative consequences of enteric diseases, in part, through the alteration of the gut microbiome. This presentation will discuss new strategies to enhance animal growth and modulate innate immunity against enteric pathogens using dietary phytochemicals. |
