The Potential Utilization of High-Fiber Agricultural By-Products as Monogastric Animal Feed and Feed Additives: A Review

Abstract

Simple Summary High-fiber agriculture by-products, which can enhance animal performance and health, have the potential to be used as feed additives. Before using high-fiber agriculture by-products, it is necessary to pay attention to the problem of anti-nutritional factors and contamination due to mycotoxins. Solubility and fermentability are the keys that mainly affect fiber availability. In recent years it has been pointed out that fiber as an animal feed or feed additive does not seem to be as unfeasible as previously thought. Instead, dietary fiber and other functional compounds, such as polyphenol and flavonoids, could enhance health, antioxidant capacities, and stabilize the microbiota in animals. In addition, high-fiber agriculture by-products are a suitable and inexpensive source of fiber and their proper use may reduce costs of animal feeding. Scientists must integrate characteristics and appropriate usage analysis to jointly evaluate the effects of different fiber compositions on those animals. Based on this foundation, animal producers should be encouraged to use high-fiber agricultural by-products as animal feed and feed additives. With the increase in world food demand, the output of agricultural by-products has also increased. Agricultural by-products not only contain more than 50% dietary fiber but are also rich in functional metabolites such as polyphenol (including flavonoids), that can promote animal health. The utilization of dietary fibers is closely related to their types and characteristics. Contrary to the traditional cognition that dietary fiber reduces animal growth, it can promote animal growth and maintain intestinal health, and even improve meat quality when added in moderate amounts. In addition, pre-fermenting fiber with probiotics or enzymes in a controlled environment can increase dietary fiber availability. Although the use of fiber has a positive effect on animal health, it is still necessary to pay attention to mycotoxin contamination. In summary, this report collates the fiber characteristics of agricultural by-products and their effects on animal health and evaluates the utilization value of agricultural by-products.