Postbiotics and Parabiotics: A Viable Health Promoting Alternative for Poultry Industry-A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

The poultry industry is under tremendous pressure to improve avian health and performance while reducing antibiotic dispensation due to concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance and food safety. In this scenario, postbiotics and parabiotics have emerged as viable alternatives to traditional feed additives. Postbiotics are bioactive substances generated subsequent to probiotic fermentation, encompassing microbial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids, peptides, and cell wall fragments, which provide various health advantages. Contrarily, parabiotics denote non-viable microbial cells or their constituents, which provide comparable immunomodulatory and gastrointestinal advantages without requiring live organisms. Both interventions play crucial roles in modulating gut microbiota, enhancing immune function, promoting nutrient absorption, and improving overall growth performance in poultry. The mechanisms through which these compounds exert their beneficial effects include modulation of gut microbiota, enhancement of immune response, and improvement of nutrient absorption. Recent studies demonstrated that postbiotics and parabiotics can curb down prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders and enhance feed conversion ratios (FCR) and overall performance in chicken. Through improving intestinal integrity and reducing harmful microbes, postbiotics improve nutrient absorption and growth rates, meanwhile alleviating the effects of strains like heat and health problems. Furthermore, the safety, stability, and ease of application of postbiotics and parabiotics in commercial feed formulations further assist and cultivate their extensive application. Current review emphasizes on the advantageous features and potential of postbiotics and parabiotics in mitigating prevalent poultry health and production-related constraints such as disease prevention, enhancement of FCR, weight gain, and egg production. This study examines prospective research avenues and potential obstacles in incorporating these biotic chemicals into conventional poultry management.

Keywords: Egg production; Feed additive; Growth performance; Growth promoter; Immunity; Poultry health.