Antibiotic growth-promoters in animal feeding are known to generate bacterial resistance on commercial farms and have proven deleterious effects on human health. This review addresses the effects of probiotics and their symbiotic relationship with the animal host as a viable alternative for producing healthy meat, eggs, and milk at present and in the future. Probiotics can tolerate the conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, such as the gastric acid, pH and bile salts, to exert beneficial effects on the host. They (probiotics) may also have a beneficial effect on productivity, health and wellbeing in different parameters of animal performance. Probiotics stimulate the native microbiota (microbes that are present in their place of origin) and production of short-chain fatty acids, with proven effects such as antimicrobial, hypocholesterolemic and immunomodulatory effects, resulting in better intestinal health, nutrient absorption capacity and productive responses in ruminant and non-ruminant animals. These beneficial effects of probiotics are specific to each microbial strain; therefore, the isolation and identification of beneficial microorganisms, as well as in vitro and in vivo testing in different categories of farm animals, will guarantee their efficacy, replicability and sustainability in the current production systems.

The valorization of plant biomass is one of the main strategies for sustainable development. However, its use as energy, biofuels, fertilizers, value-added products, or even food is severely affected by the complexity of the plant cell wall. Therefore, the evaluation of fungi with high production of lignocellulolytic enzymes capable of efficiently degrading these substrates constitutes a viable, clean, and eco-friendly solution, allowing, for example, an increase in the digestibility and nutritional quality of alternative animal feed sources. For these reasons, the present study evaluated the ability of the mutant strain Trichodema viride M5-2 to improve the nutritional composition of the forage legumes Lablab purpureus and Mucuna pruriens through solid-state fermentation. Endo- and exoglucanase cellulolytic activity was assessed, as well as the effect of fermentation on the fiber’s physical properties and chemical composition. Molecular changes in the structure of plant fiber were analyzed using infrared spectroscopy. Increased production of the cellulolytic complex of the enzymes endoglucanase (3.29 IU/mL) and exoglucanase (0.64 IU/mL) was achieved in M. pruriens. The chemical composition showed an increase in true protein and a decrease in neutral fiber, hemicellulose, and cellulose, with a consequent improvement in nutritional quality. Fiber degradation was evident in the infrared spectrum with a significant decrease in the signals associated with cellulose and, to a lesser extent, with lignin. It can be concluded that the mutant strain T. viride M5-2 produced chemical, physical, and molecular changes in the fibrous and protein fractions of L. purpureus and M. pruriens through SSF, which improved their nutritional value as an alternative feed for animal nutrition. By promoting the use of this fungus, the nutritional quality of this source is increased through an effective and eco-friendly process, which contributes to mitigating the environmental impact of food production, in accordance with sustainability objectives and the need for more responsible agricultural practices.

Para evaluar tres dosis de un preparado microbiano obtenido en el Ecuador (4x106 UFC de bacterias lácticas, 1,5x105 UFC de levaduras por cada mililitro), en el comportamiento productivo y de salud en cerdos durante la etapa post-destete, se aplicó un diseño completamente aleatorizado, con cuatro tratamientos y cuatro repeticiones por tratamiento: T1 concentrado, T2, T3, T4 (concentrado más 5 mL/kg de peso vivo (PV), 10 mL/kg PV 15 mL/kg PV del preparado microbiano, respectivamente). Se utilizaron 160 cerdos castrados del cruce Landrace x Large White con Blanco Belga x Pietrain, de 28 d de edad y con 6,99 kg de PV. El mayor peso vivo final y la mejor ganancia de peso total y diaria (P < 0,0001) se obtuvo en el grupo de cerdos donde se agregó 15 mL/kg PV del preparado microbiano, con valores de 25,78 kg, 18,78 kg y 447,25 g, respectivamente. En el mismo grupo experimental se encontraron las conversiones de materia seca, proteína bruta y energía metabolizable más eficientes 1,54 kg /kg PV y aumento de peso vivo de 383,92 g/kg PV y 23,16 MJ/kg PV, respectivamente. También en este grupo se registró la menor presencia de animales con diarrea (P < 0,0001) 6,85%. Se concluye que la adición de 15 mL/kg PV mejora el comportamiento productivo y sanitario de cerditos destetados.

Objetivo. Obtener, caracterizar y evaluar dos biopreparados desarrollados a partir de melaza de caña de azúcar - vinaza de naranja fermentados con levaduras y/o bacterias ácido lácticas. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizó un diseño completamente aleatorizado con cinco repeticiones por tratamiento. Los tratamientos evaluados fueron: T1, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus y T2, las bacterias anteriores más Saccharomyces cerevisiae y Kluyveromyces fragilis (L-4 UCLV). En un sustrato compuesto por melaza- vinaza se inocularon los microorganismos anteriormente mencionados y estos fueron incubados a 37ºC por 24 h. Se les determinaron a los biopreparados los parámetros fisicoquímicos, microbiológico y se realizaron las pruebas in vitro para evaluar la capacidad probiótica. Resultados. Ambos biopreparados presentaron un color marrón oscuro, dulzón y con pH inferior a 4. El comportamiento bromatológicos y microbiológicos fueron mayores (p>0.05) en el T2. En ambos biopreparados la viabilidad fue superior a 92%. En pruebas in vitro, ambos biopreparados fueron resistentes a pH ácido, sales biliares, amplio espectro de actividad antimicrobiana y efecto inhibitorio a la E. coli, Salmonella spp. y S. aureus. Conclusión. Los biopreparados obtenidos a partir de melaza de caña de azúcar-vinaza de naranja fermentados con levaduras y/o bacterias ácido lácticas demostraron propiedades físicoquímicas, microbiológicas apropiadas para productos probióticos. En las pruebas in vitro, se demostró su efecto potencial como probiótico.