Role of Nutraceuticals in Livestock Feed

These days, the use of nutraceuticals is receiving greater attention for the improvement of animal health, animal welfare, and productivity in herd health management. The term “nutraceutical” was coined by combining the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”. It refers to any substance that is derived from food or is a part of food, and it offers medical or health benefits, including disease prevention and treatment. These products can include isolated nutrients, dietary supplements, specific diets, genetically engineered designer foods and herbal products. Nutraceuticals distinguish themselves from other dietary supplements in various ways, including their ability to improve animal well-being and health without leaving any residues in meat consumed by humans. As a result, nutraceuticals can be seen as a blend of drugs and food nutrients, falling somewhere in between. They are considered safe and are recognized as alternative natural feed additives. Nutraceuticals exhibit pharmacological and biological activities, which can help combat drug resistance to antibiotics and often produce synergistic effects. The mode of action of nutraceuticals involves the ingestion of the nutraceutical substance, which is then followed by the release of active substances into the animal’s body. These active substances attach to specific sites and carry out their intended functions. Eventually, they are excreted from the animal’s body.