Abstract:

As a feed additive, fermented Chinese herbal medicine has the advantages of enhancing immunity, preventing disease, and having no antibiotic resistance. Especially in the cases of feed prohibition of antibiotics, fermented Chinese herbal medicine has broad prospects as a feed additive. After fermentation, the Chinese herbal liquid and residue provide a dual health benefit by preserving the traditional efficacy of Chinese medicine and containing beneficial probiotics that animals can easily absorb and use. The use of fermented Chinese herbal medicine can not only expand the utilization of Chinese herbal resources, but also help improve the breeding environment, promote the healthy growth of animals, reduce occurrence of disease incidence, and save the breeding costs. In the post-antibiotic era, using plant extract nutrition to intervene in livestock and poultry breeding, prevent disease and realize animal’s health is one of the most effective ways to replace and prohibit antibiotics. In this regard, the functional feed additives made from traditional Chinese herbal medicine are in line with the national green development concept by improving the body immunity from inside out and improving the production performance of farming animals. This article reviews the current application status of fermented Chinese herbal medicine as a feed additive in livestock and poultry farming, providing a reference for further research on the application of fermented Chinese herbal medicine in animal husbandry.

Key words: fermented Chinese herbal medicine, livestock and poultry farming, feeding additive, animal health, disease prevention, probiotics