Potential of essential oils for poultry and pigs.

The increasing pressure of abolishing and/or decreasing the use of antibiotics as antimicrobial growth promoters for livestock calls for alternative solutions to sustain the efficiency of current livestock production. Among the alternatives, essential oils have a great potential and are generally considered natural, less toxic, and free from residues. Essential oils have been proven in numerous studies to exert antimicrobial effects on various pathogens. The current review touched on the basics of essential oils, and the effects of essential oils on growth, intestinal microflora, anti-oxidation, immune functionality, meat qualities as well as the possible modes of action in poultry and pigs, and the future research areas were proposed.