Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Animals Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 16145

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza Oliveira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Interests: identification and characterization of microbial biomolecules derived from probiotic bacteria; the development of innovative bioprocesses for their production and application in biotechnological and agro-industrial systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Taís Mayumi Kuniyoshi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Interests: proteins production and purification; antimicrobial peptides for ex vivo applications

Dr. Carlos Emilio Cabrera Matajira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, The Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Interests: animals' bacterial microorganisms isolation; infectious diseases; veterinary medicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

From an animal health perspective, ongoing global health challenges and the growing issue of antibiotic resistance highlight the urgent need to promote the study of innovative strategies that contribute to preserving the health of various animal species. In this context, prebiotics and probiotics stand out as promising tools, offering sustainable solutions and positioning themselves as alternatives to the excessive use of antibiotics. Thus, this Special Issue will focus on exploring novel topics related to the impact of functional nutraceuticals applied to companions, livestock, and wildlife animals. Its scope will encompass research on the modulation of gut microbiota, their impact on the immune system, optimization of key physiological functions, prevention of infectious diseases, and their effects on zootechnical parameters. In addition, cutting-edge advances in personalized product design will be also covered, with a focus on encapsulated additives delivery systems, along with supplementary biotechnology strategies using circular economy principles.

Prof. Dr. Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza Oliveira
Dr. Taís Mayumi Kuniyoshi
Dr. Carlos Emilio Cabrera Matajira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

animal health
antibiotic resistance
prebiotics
probiotics
sustainable solutions
gut microbiota
immune system
infectious diseases
biotechnological strategies
circular economy principles

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 1970 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Raffinose on Growth Performance, Intestinal Function-Related Genes, and Cecal Microbiota in Broilers Fed Low Soybean Meal Diets

by Xiang Lan, Shiping Bai, Gang Tian, Gang Lv, Keying Zhang, Jiang Yuan, Xuemei Ding, Jianping Wang, Yan Liu, Yue Xuan, Shanshan Li and Qiufeng Zeng

Animals 2026, 16(6), 928; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16060928 - 16 Mar 2026

Viewed by 496

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of a low soybean meal (SBM) diet and its supplementation with graded levels of raffinose on the growth performance, expression of genes related to nutrient transport and intestinal function, and cecal microbiota of white-feathered broilers. A total of 480 one-day-old Cobb broilers were randomly allotted to six isoenergetic and isonitrogenous dietary treatments, each with eight replicates of 10 birds. The diets consisted of a positive diet, a low SBM diet (10% reduction in SBM), and the low SBM diet supplemented with 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%, or 0.25% raffinose. Results indicated that, compared with the positive diet, the low SBM diet significantly increased (p < 0.05) the overall mortality and average daily feed intake (ADFI) during days 22–42, while significantly decreasing (p < 0.05) dietary ether extract (EE) availability. Raffinose supplementation to the low SBM diet linearly reduced (p < 0.05) dietary gross energy and dry matter utilization and downregulated duodenal SLC5A1 gene expression at 42 days, while linearly increasing (p < 0.05) the cecal isobutyric acid content. A decreasing tendency in mortality during days 22–42 was also observed with raffinose inclusion (p = 0.088). Notably, the low SBM diet elevated the relative abundance of Campylobacterota and Helicobacter, which was effectively reversed by raffinose supplementation. In conclusion, a 10% reduction in dietary SBM negatively affected the survival, nutrient utilization, and cecal microbial structure in broilers, whereas raffinose supplementation partially modulated these alterations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2037 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Direct-Fed Microorganism Syrup on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Hypopharyngeal Gland Development, Protein Digestibility and Gut Microbiota Composition

by Pichet Praphawilai, Khanchai Danmek, Tippapha Pisithkul, Saeed Mohamadzade Namin, Sampat Ghosh, Chuleui Jung and Bajaree Chuttong

Animals 2026, 16(5), 704; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16050704 - 24 Feb 2026

Viewed by 757

Abstract

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are considered highly significant economic insects. It is a source of valuable food and medicinal products such as honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, bee brood, and beeswax, which possess excellent nutritional and pharmacological properties. Nevertheless, honey bee health and productivity were often challenged by various environmental factors. Therefore, bee colony management is of the utmost importance. In this light, bee supplements and gut microbiota are crucial to ensure that bees receive sufficient nutritional value to maintain their health and productivity. In this study, we isolate and characterize lactic acid bacteria from the hindgut of the worker bee. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that three isolated bacteria were Apilactobacillus kunkeei (AK), Lactiplantibacillus sp. (LP), and Lactobacillus brevis (LB). Three species of lactic acid bacteria were investigated for potential probiotic properties by supplementing 50% (w/w) sucrose syrup in the form of a direct-fed microorganism (DFM). The supplement with DFM had no negative effect on average lifespan. Examination took place of the impact of probiotics on the development of the hypopharyngeal glands (HPGs) in the bee’s head at days 3, 6, and 9 post-treatments. The cage-bees fed by pollen and DFM syrup exhibited acini surface areas ranging from 0.020 to 0.023 mm². The L. brevis (LB) group exhibited enhanced HPG development, with an average acini size of 0.027 ± 0.007 mm² at day 6, while the non-treatment control had an average acini size of 0.023 ± 0.006 mm². The significant size differences were maintained throughout the 9-day period. In addition, the DFM syrup enhanced microbial protein content in the bee head, digestibility, and community complexity compared with the negative control groups. Therefore, the DFM syrup with a potential strain of probiotic may enhance overall honey bee health status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 4989 KB

Open AccessArticle

Immune-Modulatory Mechanism of Compound Yeast Culture in the Liver of Weaned Lambs

by Chenlu Li, Hui Bai, Pengxiang Bai, Chenxue Zhang, Yuan Wang, Dacheng Liu and Hui Chen

Animals 2026, 16(1), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16010104 - 30 Dec 2025

Viewed by 586

Abstract

Compound yeast culture (CYC) is known to enhance animal health, but its effects on hepatic immune function are unclear. This study systematically examined CYC’s regulatory effects on the liver of weaned lambs using transcriptomics and integrative bioinformatics. Ten lambs were randomly assigned to a control diet or a basal diet supplemented with 30 g/d per head of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus co-culture (CYC group) for 42 days. Histological analysis showed that CYC improved hepatocyte arrangement and sinusoidal integrity, suggesting enhanced hepatic tissue stability. Cytokine analysis revealed CYC significantly increased IL-6 and IL-1β while reducing IL-10, TGF-β1, TNF-α, and CXCL9, indicating a bidirectional modulation of the immune response. Additionally, CYC enhanced antioxidant defenses by increasing T-SOD, GSH-Px, and T-AOC activities and decreasing MDA content. Transcriptomic sequencing indicated that CYC reshaped hepatic gene expression. Upregulated genes were enriched in immune-regulatory and structural pathways, including PI3K-AKT signaling, ECM–receptor interactions, Toll-like receptor pathways, and cell adhesion molecules. Protein-level validation further confirmed activation of PI3K and AKTAKT phosphorylation with limited engagement of NF-κB signaling. Conversely, downregulated genes were mainly associated with oxidative stress and energy metabolism, such as ROS-related pathways and MAPK signaling. WGCNA identified key hub genes (PTPRC, CD86, and ITGAV), which correlate with pro-inflammatory factors and participate in immune recognition, T-cell activation, and cell adhesion. These data suggest that CYC promotes hepatic immune homeostasis by enhancing immune signaling, stabilizing tissue architecture, and modulating oxidative stress/metabolic processes. This study provides mechanistic insights into CYC’s regulation of liver immune function and supports its targeted application as a functional feed additive for ruminants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 283 KB

Open AccessArticle

Activity of Lysozyme Against Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Heidelberg and Salmonella Minnesota Isolated from Broilers

by Leticia Soares Franco, Marcos Paulo Vieira Cunha, Carina Megumi Nishio, Reinaldo Kanji Kato, Fernanda Borges Barbosa, Vasco Túlio Moura Gomes, Monique Ribeiro Tiba Casas, Andrea Micke Moreno and Terezinha Knöbl

Animals 2026, 16(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16010019 - 20 Dec 2025

Viewed by 937

Abstract

Bacterial resistance in foodborne pathogens is a global concern and has stimulated the search for alternative compounds to antimicrobials. In this context, the prevention of colonization by Salmonella spp. in poultry production is particularly important. This study investigated the bactericidal effect of lysozyme on Salmonella Heidelberg and Salmonella Minnesota. A total of 44 serotyped isolates were subjected to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing against 17 distinct antibiotics. Subsequently, the same isolates were subjected to minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) with lysozyme at concentrations ranging from 15 to 2000 ppm. One strain of S. Heidelberg was selected for an in vivo challenge. Seventy-two male chicks were randomly divided into three experimental groups, and two of them were challenged on the second day with 0.5 mL of an inoculum containing 1 × 10⁵ CFU/mL. One of these groups was treated with lysozyme at a concentration of 1000 ppm per bird for 21 days. MIC tests showed that the multidrug resistance rate was 97.72%, with susceptibility only to fosfomycin, florfenicol, and meropenem. After the in vitro exposure of these isolates to lysozyme, 86.36% were inhibited at concentrations ≤ 15 ppm. The in vivo tests showed a significant reduction in the total number of chickens colonized by S. Heidelberg at 2, 5, 7, 14, 18, and 21 days of farming. On the day of slaughter, the percentage of positive birds in the inoculated group was 63.63%, while that in the group treated with lysozyme was 26.08%. These data highlight the potential use of lysozyme as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health)

27 pages, 1786 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sequential Galacto- and Xylo-Oligosaccharide Feeding Transiently Modulates Gut Microbiota and Upregulates Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase in Weaning Piglets

by James S. Stanley, Stephen C. Mansbridge, Michael R. Bedford, Ian F. Connerton and Kenneth H. Mellits

Animals 2025, 15(21), 3210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15213210 - 4 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1168

Abstract

Improving growth and health at weaning remains a priority in pig production. This study investigates whether supplementation with galacto-oligosaccharides (GOSs) followed by xylo-oligosaccharides (XOSs) improves performance and gut health of healthy 28-day old weaning piglets. Pigs received either a control basal (CON) diet, the CON diet containing 1% GOS for 7 days followed by the CON diet containing 0.017% XOS for 47 days (GXOS), or the CON diet for 7 days followed by the CON diet containing 0.017% XOS for 47 days (XOS). Body weight, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio did not differ between diets from day 1 of weaning (d1) to d54. At d7, GXOS pigs showed increased jejunal and caecal α-diversity (Shannon, inverse Simpson), distinct ileal β-diversity (Yu and Clayton, Bray–Curtis, Jaccard), and greater short-chain fatty acid-producing Lactobacillus and Veillonella; no taxa remained differentially abundant by d22, and the XOS group showed no microbiota shifts throughout the study. Jejunal goblet cell density was lower in GXOS pigs at d7. Jejunal and caecal IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 gene expression was transiently greater at d7 in GXOS pigs, whereas by d22 cytokine/chemokine differences resolved, whilst intestinal alkaline phosphatase was upregulated in the ileum and caecum (XOS) and colon (GXOS and XOS). Sequential prebiotic switching and delayed XOS onset likely missed the immediate post-weaning window, during which the gut microbiota is most receptive to dietary modulation, consequently limiting potential performance gains; therefore, prebiotic timing, sequence, and duration are critical to achieving functional benefits at weaning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1416 KB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Bacillus spp. Potentiate the Virulence and Intracellular Invasion of A. paragallinarum in Chickens

by Jiajia Zhu, Ying Liu, Ting Gao, Yunsheng Chen, Keli Yang, Wei Liu, Kui Zhu and Danna Zhou

Animals 2025, 15(14), 2076; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15142076 - 14 Jul 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1074

Abstract

Coinfection poses severe threats to poultry health, particularly due to the complexity and resilience of multispecies interactions, increasing the difficulty of treatment. Haemophilus spp., a heterotrophic bacterium, heavily relies on extracellular growth factors acquired from other organisms or its surrounding environment. Although coinfections by Avibacterium paragallinarum and Bacillus have been reported, the underlying mechanism of the cooperative interaction remains poorly understood. In this study, we characterized the growth-promoting properties and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide production of some Bacillus species, including probiotic Bacillus, to evaluate the feasibility of A. paragallinarum coinfection in vitro. Meanwhile, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and population dynamics of cocultured Bacillus and A. paragallinarum to assess the effect of bacterial interactions on antibiotic efficacy. Additionally, we demonstrated that B. cereus aggravates rhinitis symptoms in chickens infected with A. paragallinarum. Our findings reveal that Bacillus spp.-derived metabolites sustain A. paragallinarum growth and enhance its survival, thereby highlighting the infection risks associated with Bacillus colonization in the respiratory tract. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

33 pages, 891 KB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Probiotics in Enhancing Animal Health: Mechanisms, Benefits, and Applications in Livestock and Companion Animals

by Sorin Marian Mârza, Camelia Munteanu, Ionel Papuc, Lăcătuş Radu and Robert Cristian Purdoiu

Animals 2025, 15(20), 2986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15202986 - 15 Oct 2025

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 10137

Abstract

This review examines the diverse ways in which probiotics, defined as live microorganisms that provide health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts, contribute to animal health and welfare across both livestock and companion species. By modulating gut microbiota, enhancing immune responses, and suppressing harmful pathogens, probiotics represent an effective strategy for disease prevention and performance improvement without reliance on antibiotics. In livestock production, these beneficial microbes have been shown to optimize feed utilization, support growth, and reduce methane emissions, thereby contributing to more sustainable farming practices. Their role extends beyond productivity, as probiotics also help mitigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by offering natural alternatives to conventional treatments. In aquaculture, they further promote environmental sustainability by improving water quality and reducing pathogen loads. For companion animals such as dogs and cats, probiotics are increasingly recognized for their ability to support gastrointestinal balance, alleviate stress through gut–brain axis interactions, and aid in the management of common conditions including diarrhea, food sensitivities, and allergies. The integration of probiotics into veterinary practice thus reflects a growing emphasis on holistic and preventive approaches to animal health. Despite these advances, several challenges remain, including variability in strain-specific efficacy, regulatory limitations, and cost-effectiveness in large-scale applications. Emerging research into precision probiotics, host–microbiome interactions, and innovative delivery methods offers promising avenues to overcome these barriers. As such, probiotics can be regarded not only as functional supplements but also as transformative tools that intersect animal health, productivity, and sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Functional Prebiotics and Probiotics: Impact on Animal Growth, Development and Health

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI