Direct-fed microbial: Animal nutrition and reproduction responses

Abstract

Manipulating the gastrointestinal microbial ecosystem to enhance animal performance and reproductive responses has been one of the main goals of animal science researchers and veterinarians. Recent restrictions to the use of antimicrobials as growth promoters led researchers to seek alternative practices that can show promise both from the standpoint of efficacy as well as from the practical and economic aspects. One of the alternatives that surfaced as very promising in the last few decades is the use of direct-fed microbials (DFM) as a means to modulate the effects of the gastrointestinal microbiome on the host immune status, health and productivity. Direct-fed microbials or probiotics is a term most commonly reserved for live, naturally occurring microorganisms that can be supplemented orally to animals to cause a beneficial effect in the host animal. The main objective of this special focus is to expand the knowledge on the mode of action of different microorganisms used as additives as well as to explore novel species of microorganisms and their potential contributions to enhance animal performance and health in ruminants and non-ruminants.