International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology

Vol-9, Issue-4; Jul-Aug, 2024

Peer-Reviewed International Journal
Journal Home Page Available: https://ijeab.com/
Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijeab

Antibiotics in Poultry: Examining Alternatives for Safer

Food Production
Ankit Sharma1*, Anil Kumar1, Sumit Gangwar1, Shashikant2, Gautami Sarma1, Rishav
Kumar3

1Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Govind Ballabh Pant University of
Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India
2Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture

and Technology, Pantnagar, India

3 Department of Livestock Products Technology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya

Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya, Mathura, India

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Received: 15 Jul 2024; Received in revised form: 09 Aug 2024; Accepted: 13 Aug 2024; Available online: 19 Aug 2024
©2024 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract— Chicken is the most commonly farmed species with over 90 billion tons of chicken meat
produced per year. Many food-producing animals are given antibiotics daily to grow faster and prevent
diseases in many parts of the world. When antibiotics are used for the purposes of growth promotion a
small amount is often administered as compared to therapeutic use. Therefore, this may cause bacteria to
develop antibiotic resistance (World Health Organization, 2017). There are several challeneges related to
antibiotic free bird production. Several alternatives to antibiotics, including probiotics, prebiotics,
competitive exclusion, enzymes, and organic acids, have shown promise in replacing antibiotics. The use of
prebiotics aids in preventing the colonization of the digestive system by harmful pathogens, achieved by
creating an unfavorable environment through pH alterations in the intestinal content. Probiotics, which
are live strains of strictly selected microorganisms have beneficial effects on health. The incorporation of
enzymes in poultry diets offers several advantages, including reduced digesta viscosity, improved digestion
and nutrient absorption, increased feed intake, and enhanced weight gain. Maximizing performance and
sustaining poultry productivity will rely on employing well-balanced combinations of diverse alternatives
alongside effective management practices. This approach remains essential for accomplishing our ultimate
goal of reducing antibiotic usage.
Keywords— Chicken farming, antibiotic resistance, alternatives to antibiotics, probiotics and prebiotics,
poultry productivity.

I. INTRODUCTION antibiotics are used for the purposes of growth promotion a

Poultry is among the major widespread food small amount is often administered as compared to
industries worldwide. Chicken is the most commonly therapeutic use. Therefore, this may cause bacteria to
farmed species with over 90 billion tons of chicken meat develop antibiotic resistance [3]. The emergence and
produced per year [1]. Antibiotics are mostly used for spread of antibiotic resistance compromise the nutritional
treatment, prophylaxis and growth promotion in poultry. and economic potential of poultry and other food-
Many food-producing animals are given antibiotics daily producing animals. This is a global concern that affects
to grow faster and prevent diseases in many parts of the both animal and human ecosystems. The European Union
world [2]. This trend is likely to continue to meet the (EU) banned antibiotic use in animal production in 2006
growing demand for the protein of animal origin. When [4]. Scientific proof suggests that the extensive use of

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 Sharma et al. Antibiotics in Poultry: Examining Alternatives for Safer Food Production

antibiotics has led to increase of antibiotic resistance [5-7] distinct physiological, immunological, and/or
and presence of antibiotics residues in feed and bacteriostatic actions in the intestine, none (to date)
environment [8-9], compromises human and animal health convey the range and extent of the antibiotics' effects [19].
[10]. Hence, there is an increasing need to find effective Other researchers have proposed that the unique and
alternatives to control infectious diseases and control the highly reproducible effects of in-feed antibiotics may be
spread of resistant bacteria, but more importantly keep due to the prevention of immunologic stress [20] or their
antibiotics a useful tool for the future. anti-inflammatory effect [21], rather than their
antimicrobial effect, and that this should be taken into
account when looking for new compounds to be used as
II. USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN BROILER CHICKEN
replacements.
PRODUCTION
Over the past 50 years, the use of antibiotics
along with strict biosecurity and hygiene measures has IV. IMPORTANT ALTERNATIVES TO
helped the poultry industry to grow by preventing the ANTIBIOTICS
negative impacts of many avian diseases [11]. Even as 4.1 Probiotic and Prebiotic
biosecurity may be sufficient, vaccination can also be used Antibiotics have been known to positively impact
as an additional measure. A vaccine provides assistance to poultry performance, but their excessive use as growth
the immune system by preparing it against certain promoters poses risks to human health. However,
pathogens such as viruses or bacteria to which it may be discontinuing antibiotics can negatively affect poultry
exposed in the future. Vaccination protocols and the type performance. Some researchers argue that using antibiotics
of vaccine used vary from country to country and from to enhance animal growth and feed efficiency reduces the
farm to farm. Many factors can influence the choice of cost of meat and eggs. Therefore, banning antibiotics could
vaccination method such as species, place, number of increase the price of animal products. Balancing safety and
manpower, type of production, and production cycle. The optimal performance is crucial in addressing this
choice of vaccination method also depends on general challenging issue. To find viable alternatives, researchers
health status of poultry, maternal immunity, and vaccine are exploring options such as natural herbs and medicinal
costs. Livestock vaccination against specific diseases is plants as substitutes for antibiotics in poultry production
compulsory (e.g., Newcastle disease) in many countries [22]. Several alternatives to antibiotics, including
(Belgium, Netherlands, Germany), while in other such as probiotics, prebiotics, competitive exclusion, enzymes, and
France only long-lived poultry (laying and breeding) are organic acids, have shown promise in replacing antibiotics
vaccinated [12]. [23]. Prebiotics, for instance, are potential alternatives for
promoting growth in poultry. They are indigestible
carbohydrates that selectively stimulate the growth of
III. ANTIBIOTIC-FREE POULTRY PRODUCTION: beneficial bacteria in the colon. The concept of prebiotics
There is little convincing scientific evidence that was introduced by Gibson and Robertroid (1995) [24], and
antibiotic use in food-producing animals contributes to their effects were noticed in animal feeds as early as the
antibiotic resistance challenges in human medicine [13- 1980s. Prebiotics can effectively replace antibiotics in the
15]. However, consumer perception in first-world poultry sector due to their ability to support a healthy
countries implies that this is accurate. Consumer intestinal microbial population [25]. Moreover, prebiotics
preferences, such as purchasing ABF products, are mostly offer other advantages such as aiding in the prevention of
dependent on perception rather than scientific findings colon cancer, reducing disease-causing bacteria like
[16]. For example, most people are unaware that all Salmonella and E. coli, and positively altering
chicken meat is ABF or contains levels below limits gastrointestinal microbiota [26].
considered safe for humans. For decades, regulatory The use of prebiotics aids in preventing the
organizations such as the USDA-FSIS have routinely colonization of the digestive system by harmful pathogens,
monitored drug residues by sampling and testing tissues to achieved by creating an unfavorable environment through
verify that no drug residues (including antibiotics) are pH alterations in the intestinal content. Within the
discovered to be above the tolerance or maximum residue digestive system, certain beneficial bacteria like
limit (MRL) specified for each drug. The poultry business, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus possess the Manase
in particular, has an excellent track record of adhering to enzyme. They selectively bind mannan oligosaccharides,
drug withdrawal periods and residual tolerances [17,18]. which are absent in harmful bacteria lacking this enzyme
There are several challenges related to ABF bird [27]. Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) have been observed
production. While several different compounds have to increase daily weight gain in broiler chickens by 4–8%

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Sharma et al. Antibiotics in Poultry: Examining Alternatives for Safer Food Production

[27, 28]. Studies by Kumprech et al. (1998) [29] have antioxidant, and antiparasitic properties. They have been
shown that prebiotics offer similar effects to antibiotics successfully used in the poultry industry for an extended
without leaving residues or leading to the development of period [39,40]. One of the main reasons for their success
resistance. When chickens are fed MOS, their intestinal in poultry is attributed to their diverse properties. Plant
villi length increases significantly, though not their width extracts contain minor metabolites such as terpenoids,
[30]. Probiotics, which are defined as "live strains of phenolics, glycosides, and alkaloids, present in various
strictly selected microorganisms that, when administered forms like alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, ethers, and
in adequate amounts, provide health benefits to the host" lactones [41]. These metabolites play a crucial role in
[31], are used in poultry feed to promote animal health, enhancing the growth performance and health of poultry
stimulate growth, and enhance the host's immunity [32]. [40]. However, it is essential to be cautious about the
Assessing the safety and benefit-to-risk ratio of probiotic excessive use of these secondary metabolites, as they can
strains is a challenging task. These microorganisms are potentially negatively affect digestive efficiency [42].
chosen for their beneficial effects on health and must adapt Nevertheless, compared to antibiotics, plant extracts are
to the specific conditions of the gastrointestinal tract in the considered safe and effective in combating certain bacteria
targeted animal species [33]. When probiotics are [40]. Studies by Rahimi et al. (2011) [43] indicated that
introduced into feeds, they need to adapt to the new poultry diets supplemented with plant extracts led to an
environment, including factors like temperature and increase in feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and body
humidity. In the European Union, the most commonly weight gain, along with improved secretion of endogenous
selected probiotics belong to Gram-positive bacteria, digestive enzymes. Conversely, Al-Kassie et al. (2011)
including species like Bacillus, Enterococcus, [44] reported no adverse effects on productivity and health
Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Streptococcus. Probiotics in broiler chickens when fed plant extracts as a supplement
are not limited to bacteria alone; yeast and fungi strains Additionally, herbs like black pepper act as alternative
such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces growth promoters without negatively affecting broiler
have also been utilized. Caution is necessary as certain performance [45,46]. Other studies highlighted the ability
bacteria, like enterococcus, may contribute to the spread of of cineol and eucalyptol in eucalyptus and garlic extracts
antibiotic resistance, and strains like bacillus cereus have to prevent infectious diseases, facilitate proper air
the potential to produce toxins [34]. circulation, and enhance bird growth by relaxing the air
4.2 Enzyme sacs [47,48].

Feed additives in the form of enzymes, produced

through the fermentation of fungi and bacteria, are utilized V. CONCLUSION
to optimize feed conversion in poultry. Commonly Foodborne infections pose a significant public
employed enzymes like endo-b-1-4-xylanases and b-1-3, health problem in both developed and developing
1-4-glucanases are added to wheat and barley diets for countries. According to WHO, approximately 70% of
broiler chickens, enhancing digestibility [35]. The diarrheal cases are caused due to bacterial contamination
incorporation of enzymes in poultry diets offers several in food. Hence, there is need for alternatives to antibiotic
advantages, including reduced digesta viscosity, improved use in food animals to manage bacterial infections in both
digestion and nutrient absorption, increased feed intake, human and veterinary fields. Antibiotics are commonly
and enhanced weight gain [36]. Studies on enzyme used in humans and animals for healthier and productive
supplementation in laying hens conducted by Khan et al. animal production. However, the increased use of
(2011) [37] demonstrated significant improvements in feed antibiotics has led to development of antibiotic-resistant
conversion ratio, egg production, egg weight, and egg bacteria. The rapid emergence of antimicrobial-resistant
mass. A separate experiment by Mabelebele et al. (2017) bacterial strains is closely linked to the high use of these
[38] which involved xylanase in chicken diets, reported drugs. Therefore, finding viable alternatives to antibiotics
increased crude protein digestibility, feed intake, and becomes crucial in addressing this concerning issue.
weight gain due to the enzyme's addition. Hence, the Various alternatives such as probiotics, prebiotics,
effects of incorporating enzymes into poultry diets seem to enzymes, plant extracts etc. have the potential to reduce
yield mixed results. dependence on current antimicrobials. Maximizing
4.3 Plant Extracts performance and sustaining poultry productivity will rely
Phytobiotics, also known as plant extracts, have on employing well-balanced combinations of diverse
emerged as a viable alternative to antibiotics in poultry alternatives alongside effective management practices.
production due to their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory,

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Sharma et al. Antibiotics in Poultry: Examining Alternatives for Safer Food Production

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