Functions of plant essential oils and their applications in animal production
DING Bowen
ZHOU Wenhao
SI Boyu
PEI Guangyu
ZHANG Jiahui
ZHOU Shikun
ZUO Ruiyu
WANG Ping
Abstract：With the growing emphasis on environmental protection and the promotion of green farming practices,plant essential oils have gained increasing attention in animal production due to their natural origin and high efficacy.Plant essential oils are complex mixtures of various natural compounds,primarily including terpenoids,aromatic compounds,oxygenated derivatives,aliphatic compounds,and nitrogen-and sulfur-containing compounds.Compared to antibiotics,which are prone to inducing resistance and residue issues,plant essential oils not only exhibit multiple biological activities such as antibacterial,anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,and intestinal microbiota-regulating properties but also better align with the modern livestock industry's demand for green,safe,and sustainable development.They have become a research hotspot in animal husbandry.This article reviews the classification of plant essential oils,elaborates on their mechanisms in regulating physiological functions and improving production performance in animals,and immune modulation,and product quality enhancement based on the latest research progress,to provide a reference for the application of plant essential oils in animal production.
Keywords：plant essential oilsfunctionsanimal productiongreen farming
Publication Date：2026-01-28
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-20(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 162-166 )