Nanosupplements and Animal Health

Nanosupplements have raised great attention in recent years, particularly in animal production industry and veterinary science where they are constantly being developed and expanded because of their peculiar characteristics largely due to their dimensions that go from approximately 1 up to 100 nm. Interestingly, in this nanodimensional size range, substances acquire new characteristics, different from those of the bulk material from which they originate, leading, in some cases, to an increased suitability of these materials for specific uses. In this scenario, the regular inclusion of nanosupplements in animal feed or water to benefit the quality and the quantity of the product obtained, as well as the production cycle, is likely possible in the near future. These compounds have many potential applications: as growth promotants, enhancers of the ruminal flora, anti-inflammatories, immune system stimulants, etc. Research in this field has made considerable progress, but there are still many gaps to be filled, given that, for example, the mechanisms of action of nanoparticles remain unknown as well as the health and environmental implications of a widespread use of this particular type of dietary supplement, especially but not only in terms of reproductive/developmental toxicity and environmental pollution.