Application of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine By-products as Dietary Feed Supplements and Antibiotic Replacements in Animal Production.

Misuse of synthetic antibiotics in livestock leads to the transfer of antibiotic resistant pathogens into humans and deposits toxic residues in meat and milk. There is therefore an urgent need for safe and viable alternative approaches to improve the nutrition and wellbeing of farm animals. An alternative source that has been widely exploited is traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCHM). These herbal medicines are an important part of the healthcare system in many Asian countries. Such herbs contain several but less toxic bioactive compounds which are generally regarded biodegradable. Recently, advances in knowledge on the importance of TCHM have led to a rapid increase in its production and hence, increasing the amount of by-products generated. Such by-products have become a serious environmental challenge because producers regard them as industrial waste and discard them directly. Incorporating TCHM by-products as feed additives to improve animal health and nutrition has been proposed because they contain high amounts of bioactive compounds which confer several health benefits to animals. TCHM by-products as feed additives apart from being a good alternative for synthetic antibiotics could also minimize the current environmental challenges associated with its disposal. This review summarizes scientific findings on the bioactive compounds in TCHM and TCHM by-products, discusses functional dietary patterns and outlines challenges that may hinder full utilization of TCHM by-products in animal production.