Feed Additives as Antiviral Agents

Abstract

Viral infection is a major devastating challenge in the livestock industry. Hardy to completely eradicate the virus, the emergence of new variants accompanied by high morbidity and mortality further substantiates the problems in poultry, ruminant, and swine farms. Notifiable diseases caused by virus infection such as avian influenza (AI), infectious bursal disease (IBD), Newcastle disease (ND), foot and mouth disease (FMD), Aujeszky’s disease, classical swine fever (CSF), and other viral diseases are controlled by vaccination, proper husbandry, and strict biosecurity. The nutritional factors also play a pivotal role in ensuring optimum growth and immunity of the livestock as well as safeguarding sustainable food security as a protein source to human. Continuous global demand requires crucial maintenance of the good quality and value of livestock-based protein. It could be achieved by keeping the livestock in constant good health and by receiving proper and adequate nutrition. In order to fulfill the needs, feed additives are designed to be supplemented to animal feeds to improve the feed taste, stabilize gut microbes and to compensate nutritional deficiencies. In addition, feed additives function as antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer and exert immunostimulatory effects in combating pathogen. In this chapter, antiviral effects of feed additives are discussed by categories, namely, nutritional additives, zootechnical additives, natural additives, technological additives, and sensory additives. Most of the antiviral effects of the additives are studied for the usage in livestock, while some examples of additives are based on human virus studies, which could be potentially utilized for further usage in future in livestock.