Current and future prospects for nanotechnology in animal production

Abstract

Nanoparticles have been used as diagnostic and therapeutic agents in the human medical field for quite some time, though their application in veterinary medicine and animal production is still relatively new. Recently, production demands on the livestock industry have been centered around the use of antibiotics as growth promoters due to growing concern over microbial antibiotic resistance. With many countries reporting increased incidences of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, laws and regulations are being updated to end in-feed antibiotic use in the animal production industry. This sets the need for suitable alternatives to be established for inclusion in feed. Many reports have shown evidence that nanoparticles may be good candidates for animal growth promotion and antimicrobials. The current status and advancements of nanotechnological applications in animal production will be the focus of this review and the emerging roles of nanoparticles for nutrient delivery, biocidal agents, and tools in veterinary medicine and reproduction will be discussed. Additionally, influences on meat, egg, and milk quality will be reviewed.

Application of some nanoparticles in the field of veterinary medicine

“…Lipid-bases delivery system such as nanoliposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles and lipid vesicles. Metal-based delivery system such as nanotubes, metal colloids, gold nanoshells and fullerenes [111].…”

Effects of dietary zinc oxide nanoparticles supplementation on growth performance, zinc status, intestinal morphology, microflora population, and immune response in weaned pigs

“…Nanotechnology has attracted increasing attention in the past decade and has been applied in many fields, such as medical diagnostics, food safety testing, and nutrient delivery. 13 The novel properties of nanoparticles include small size, large specific surface area, high surface activity, more surface active centers, and high catalytic efficiency. 14 Zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnOs) are widely used and possess excellent potential in agriculture and biomedicine.…”

Biological Activity of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Applications in Anticancer Therapy

“…Nanotechnology has developed a wide spectrum of engineered materials, composites, and particles, which in size are defined as nanoscale (below 100 nm) [1]. Comprised of different compounds, nanocomposites have opened possibilities for applications in fields of bioengineering for agriculture [2], green technology [3], antifungal plant protection [4], and different strategies for human and animal health care-from tissue remodeling and scaffold production in regenerative medicine [5] or antiviral [6], antimicrobial [6,7], and anticancer therapies [7,8], in conventional/unconventional medical and veterinary science (Figure 1) [10,11].…”