For animal production, a great quantity of antibiotics was usually used for the prevention and control of the disease, and also for the growth promotion of animals. Such fact may lead to the problem of antibiotic resistance for some pathogenic bacteria and also the problem of residual drugs in animal products. Moreover, this may also cause a risk for public health and environment pollution. With the increasing concern for public health, the use of antibiotics as feed supplement has been gradually prohibited by many governments in the world. To enhance the health and growth performance for domestic animals, besides the improvement of the facility and conditions for animal husbandry, many health modulators and antivirus products aimed to prevent the host from infection by bacteria and virus and to promote the animal growth, have been developed. In this study, with an aim to improve the gut health and immunomodulating activities of domestic animals, including pigs and chickens, we shall develop and use of some probiotics, as well as herbal plant products, which are with antibacterial or immunomodulating potentials, for feed supplement use. Meanwhile, the antivirus and antibacterial activity of a recombinant interferon product from a biotech company in Taiwan will be evaluated for pig and chicken use. If possible, it well be used in combination with the probiotic and herbal products for animal supplement use. By this way, a multifunctional feed supplement product may be developed and used as a substitute of antibiotics. Using this multifunctional product, an animal growing environment without or with reduced use of drugs may be established and healthy as well as safe animal products can be produced.
