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Abstract
Plants have been used throughout history for their medicinal properties. This use
has often focused on human health but plants have also been, and still are, applied
in ethnoveterinary practice and animal health management. In recent times, the use
of synthetic chemicals has become prevalent. Public awareness of the potential environmental
and health risks associated with heavy chemical use has also increased. This has put
pressure on regulatory bodies to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture. The most
striking example is the 2006 banning of antibiotics in animal feed by the European
Union. Moves such as this have increased the drive to find alternatives to synthetic
chemicals and research has again turned to the use of plant bioactives as a means
of improving animal health. Current scientific evidence suggests there is significant
potential to use plants to enhance animal health in general and that of ruminants
(cattle, deer, sheep, etc.) in particular. Active areas of research for plant bioactives
(particularly saponin and tannin containing plants) include reproductive efficiency,
milk and meat quality improvement, foam production/bloat control and methane production.
Nematode control is also a significant area of research and the evidence suggests
a much broader range of phytochemicals may be effective. This review presents a summary
of the literature and examines international research efforts towards the development
of plant bioactives for animal health.