The search for alternatives to in-feed antibiotics in animal nutrition has highlighted the role dietary modulation can play in improving gut health. Current antibiotic replacement strategies have involved the use of microbes beneficial to health (probiotics) or fermentable carbohydrates (prebiotics) or both (synbiotics). The present review recognises the contribution of fermented feeds and fermentable carbohydrates in improving the gut environment in non-ruminants. It proposes the screening of probiotic bacteria for the production of fermented feeds and supplementation of these feeds with fermentable carbohydrates prior to feeding animals. It is suggested that the term 'fermbiotics' should be used to describe this intervention strategy.

Low pH and high lactic acid concentration of fermented feed has been reported to be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of fermented feeds (Brooks et al., 2001). For example, to prevent the growth of Salmonella spp. in liquid feeds, a threshold lactic acid concentration of 75mM is required (Beal et al., 2002). Therefore, factors that are likely to affect the production of lactic acid during fermentation will have important implications for the ability of such feeds to withstand colonisation by pathogens. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of water quality on the fermentation pattern of sorghum and barley.

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