Probiotic microorganisms- identification, metabolic and physiological impact on poultry

The increase in the productivity of the poultry industry has been accompanied by various impacts, including the emergence of a large variety of pathogens and bacterial resistance to antibiotics. These impacts are in part due to the haphazard use of chemotherapeutic agents as a result of management practices during the rearing period. Probiotic bacteria are defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. This paper provides a review of the use of probiotics for the prevention of enteric disease in poultry, probiotic selection, isolation, colonisation and attachment within gastrointestinal tract, and the potential role of probiotics in nutrient metabolism. Understanding how probiotic bacteria exert their beneficial effect is crucial for the establishment of definitive selection criteria.