ISSUE FOCUS 38 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2022 Do things work the same? Animals, like humans, experience functional bowel problems such as constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, pain, and stomach upset, which lead to significant emotional shifts. Don’t they seem like the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome common in people? What if animal anxiety and depression can be triggered by the irritation of the gastrointestinal system that sends signals to the central nervous system (CNS)? We can recognize the behavior changes but finding the reason can be tricky. As long as the two brains communicate, we may help one by helping the other. HOW TO SOOTHE THE “SECOND BRAIN”? There are plenty of factors that can impact gut health. The interaction between the microbiota and the host can be benign or detrimental, depending on the type and magnitude of factors. What causes the irritation of the enteric nervous system besides parasites? There can be a number of reasons: from too dense stocking to industrial feed burden. Heavy feed that causes constipation or slows peristalsis deteriorates animal well-being. Excessive antibiotic therapy and antibiotic-induced dysbacteriosis are further reasons for the lack of homeostasis. Moreover, stress increases adverse microbiota changes in poultry. Heat waves or too-low temperatures also play a role. Lethargic animals are reluctant to take feed, which translates to low weight gain. Both animal welfare and the economic outcome of livestock farming are at risk. Poultry raised in homestead production with access to ruderal plants can freely select essential herbs depending on their needs. Animals raised in intensive farm settings cannot do that. A
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