Plants as the basis for the development of environmentally friendly highly functional bioadditives for animals (review)

Presently, the use of plant components with antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects is of particular interest for the preparation of biologically active additives in animal husbandry. Of great biological value as components of herbal supplements are Japanese kelp (Laminaria japonica) and spotted milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L). Gaertn), a wide range of biological action of which is due to the rich chemical composition. The uniqueness of spotted milk thistle lies in the content of silymarin − flavolignan with pronounced hepatoprotective properties, used throughout the world for the manufacture of medicines with a pronounced hepatoprotective effect. Another feature of milk thistle is its rich macro- and microelement composition, which, among other things, includes such a rare essential element as selenium (22.90 mg per 1 g of seeds), the deficiency of which in food and feed leads to the development of endemic microelementoses in humans and animals. The biological feature of Japanese laminaria is the presence in its composition of alginic acid, its salts, mannitol, laminarin and fucoidan, which have immunomodulating, antimicrobial, antacid, antiallergic and hemostatic activity, as well as a large number of minerals (26.6-32.9 % by weight of dry matter) and vitamins. Laminaria japonica thallus are rich in organic iodine, the content of which in the extracts amounts to 5.4 mg/g, which is important in the conditions of iodine deficiency, which is present at the most territory of Russia and the world. At the same time, the problem of the use of these plants as dietary supplements for animals is still under study. There is very little data on the effect of each plant on the productivity of farm animals and the quality of their products, and no information about their joint use has been obtained yet.