Phytobiotics: alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in monogastric animal feeds

Phytobiotics represent a wide range of bioactive compounds that can be extracted from various plant sources. In recent years, some interesting and novel applications of phytobiotics in the production and well– being of monogastric animals have emerged, and these aspects are reviewed in the present paper. Recent studies at the University of New England indicate that water–soluble carbohydrate extracts from some Australian and New Zealand native plants can be used as potential phytobiotic compounds to modify the gut microflora in broiler chickens. Compared with other in–feed antibiotic alternatives, the evaluation of phytobiotics is still in its infancy and their potential use needs to be investigated with broader emphasis.