Probiotics – what we’ve learned over the years

KEY INFORMATION

• This article reviews the current state-of-knowledge on the use of probiotics and the proven mechanisms of action against the main pathogens concerning poultry production

• Several studies demonstrate that probiotics are potential replacements for antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) to reduce overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria in the gut by different mechanisms (lactic acid production, bacteriocins, immunomodulation, competitive exclusion, etc.); which contribute to control enteric diseases in poultry flocks. Nevertheless, therapeutic antibiotics are still needed in acute cases.