GROWTH PROMOTERS IN ANIMAL FEED.

Feeding animals makes up a large part of production cost,hence new ways are explored to enhance feed efficiency and production of animal by products. The animal husbandry method employed is vital to production of good quality animal by- products,this is hinged mainly on feeding,feed types and feed ingredients. Feed stuff plays a key role in production as different feed ingredients adds different values to the production process, thus it is imperative to start with identifying ingredients and feed formulations that will promote growth in animals. Growth in animals are achieved in several ways; such as strategic feeding methods,feed formulations and growth promoters in feed. Growth promoters in feed are used to improve growth rate,produce better/bigger byproducts and attainment of market weight in a short time. The growth promoters function by thinning the mucous membrane of the gut to facilitate better absorption and enhance better assimilation.Growth promoters in the past was antibiotics but because of the resultant toxicity in humans,better methods have evolved. One of such method is the use of a green algae to produce bio-antibiotics, this has no resultant toxicity in humans,it improves feed conversion without inducing antibiotic resistance and the algae is completely degraded during digestion. This new method was birthed by some Italian scientist ,the production cost of this is affordable as the raw material are in abundant supply and thrive in sunlight,with carbon dioxide and air. The world food producers have realized that WE ARE WHAT OUR ANIMALS EAT, hence the move to ensure better production strategies. This move to ensure better human health actually starts by feeding our animals better,thus going the organic route is incorporated in animal husbandry.