What are feed additives and why are they vital?

[Mumo Munuve, Standard]

Dear Daktari, Thank you for the informative articles you write in this newspaper. I am a poultry farmer, keeping layers on the outskirts of Eldoret town. Out of curiosity, while buying my feeds at an Agrovet in town, I noticed several products labelled as Probiotics. I was interested in learning more about these products, but unfortunately, the sellers did not explain them to me very well. I would greatly appreciate your support. [Truphena Chebet - Eldoret]
Thank you, Truphena, for reading Smart Harvest and, of course, for your question. What you saw are broadly known as feed additives. Feed additives are common in most animal production systems. Feed additives are ingredients or combinations added to conventional feeds to achieve specific purposes. They are used to improve feed intake, utilisation, or digestibility, to prevent or control certain diseases, and ultimately to enhance the productivity of animals. They include feed coloring agents, enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants. Feed additives are sometimes classified into two broad categories: nutrient and non-nutrient.

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