ISSUE FOCUS 38 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2024 meet growth performance and feed efficiency expectations. Phytogenic compounds are on the frontline for their demonstrated benefits in this field. Moreover, phytogenic compounds supplemented at low inclusion rates have shown to be beneficial not by inhibiting pathogens, but by supporting the animal’s resilience to overcome them more effectively. The proposed mode of action of phytogenic compounds is attributed to the mitigation of gut inflammatory response, the increase of the digestive secretions and nutrient absorption (and utilization) in the gastrointestinal tract, the improvement of animals’ antioxidative status, reducing damage to intestinal cells and maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosal layer (Awaad et al., 2014; Bravo et al., 2014; Karadas et al., 2014; Pirgozliev et al., 2019). An extensive number of studies in broilers demonstrated that the combination of carvacrol (present in oregano), cinnamaldehyde (present in cinnamon) and capsicum oleoresin (present in red chili pepper) has the potential to achieve similar levels of growth performance as AGPs and showed positive results in broiler carcass and meat quality (Bravo et al., 2009; Heng et al. 2017). Additional studies also showed this combination improved the nutritional value of low-metabolizable energy (ME) diets when fed to broilers. This beneficial effect seems to be mediated by decreasing the energy required for the maintenance of gastrointestinal tract, diverting more energy towards growth rather than maintenance (Bravo et al., 2011). In poultry production, phytogenic compounds became a natural strategic tool to completely or partially replace the application of AGPs and have proved their effectiveness without involving risks to animals, consumers or the environment (Gharib et al., 2014). POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF ANTIMICROBIAL REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT According to a 2019 report, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that the annual cost of AMR is USD55 billion in the US, USD20 billion for health care and USD35 billion for loss of productivity. In contrast, costs related to drug-resistant bacterial infections in Europe correspond to EUR 1.5 billion/year. At the international level, it’s estimated that AMR will reduce the global gross domestic product by up to 4% and the global livestock production by up to 7.5% by 2050. These numbers provide a very clear understanding of the benefits of minimizing the use of antimicrobials. A multi-prong approach is required for proper antibiotic management and global reduction of AMR. References 1. Awaad M. H. H., Elmenawey M., and Ahmed K. A. 2014. Effect of a specific combination of carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, and capsicum oleoresin on the growth performance, carcass quality and gut integrity of broiler chickens. Veterinary World 7(4): 284-290. 2. Awaad, M. H., Elmenawey, M., Shalaby, B., Mohamed, F. F., Nada, A. M., Salem, H., ... & Lopez, S. (2019). Opposing of necrotic enteritis by phytonutrients and/or acidifiers in broiler chickens. IOSR JAVS, 12, 12-21. https://www.researchgate.net/pub-
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