Animals (Sep 2022)

Influence of Heat Stress on Poultry Growth Performance, Intestinal Inflammation, and Immune Function and Potential Mitigation by Probiotics

  • Rafiq Ahmad,
  • Yu-Hsiang Yu,
  • Felix Shih-Hsiang Hsiao,
  • Chin-Hui Su,
  • Hsiu-Chou Liu,
  • Isabel Tobin,
  • Guolong Zhang,
  • Yeong-Hsiang Cheng

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172297
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 17
p. 2297

Abstract

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Heat stress has emerged as a serious threat to the global poultry industry due to climate change. Heat stress can negatively impact the growth, gut health, immune function, and production and reproductive performances of poultry. Different strategies have been explored to mitigate heat stress in poultry; however, only a few have shown potential. Probiotics are gaining the attention of poultry nutritionists, as they are capable of improving the physiology, gut health, and immune system of poultry under heat stress. Therefore, application of probiotics along with proper management are considered to potentially help negate some of the negative impacts of heat stress on poultry. This review presents scientific insight into the impact of heat stress on poultry health and growth performance as well as the application of probiotics as a promising approach to alleviate the negative effects of heat stress in poultry.

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