Abstract

Bacterial infections in poultry industry are a crucial problem for both poultry health and productivity. Over the years, antibiotics have been widely used to protect poultry from the bacterial infections and improve growth performance and production. However, antibiotic residues and antibiotics resistance of pathogenic bacteria are becoming more and more serious, which is an important concern for consumers [1]. As a result, several antibiotics have been withdrawn from the list available to poultry farming industry. To maintain poultry health and efficient production, feed manufacturers and research communities have proposed a few alternatives to antibiotics. There has been increased interest in “natural” feed additives that can stimulate the immune system of poultry.