Main description:

The Living Gut was first published in 1994 and made a significant contribution to the understanding of the gastrointestinal tract in animal nutrition. This new edition has been thoroughly revised. The knowledge of the gastrointestinal microflora has substantially improved since 1994 and new methods for studying the microflora have been developed. There is now considerable emphasis on the use of alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in animal production. This includes discussions of enzymes, oligosaccharides, probiotics and organic acids. This revised volume gives a modern understanding of the microflora in the gastrointestinal tract and indicates how this can be managed in modern animal production without the reliance upon antibiotic growth promoters. Contents: Introduction The gastro-intestinal tract Gut bacteria and immunity Infections of the digestive tract Analysing gut microbial populations Bio-active feed ingredients Live yeast Enzymes Probiotics/live bacterial supplementation Prebiotics/gut active carbohydrates Acids Phytogenetics