[Efficacy of probiotic feed additives: guidelines for the evaluation of the efficiency of microorganisms in dogs, cats, and horses].

This research is focused on establishing guidelines for evaluating the effectiveness of probiotic microorganisms used as feed additives in dogs, cats, and horses, in accordance with European commission directives.

Context and Need for the Study

• The study was initiated due to a gap in the existing guidelines concerning the evaluation of efficacy of probiotic microorganisms used as feed additives.
• These microorganisms are used regularly in the diets of farm animals and pets, such as dogs, cats, and horses.
• For these probiotic additives to be permitted on the market, they need to be tested according to the feed additive directive 70/524/EC.
• The guideline 87/153/EC mandates that the efficacy data of the product should be included in the admission dossier.

Necessity of New Guidelines

• The research highlights that, even after evaluation of several dossiers, there were no definitive criteria to assess the effectiveness of these additives for dogs, cats, and horses.
• Aspects related to promoting animal production are not seen as pertinent in these guidelines, making them unfit for creating a standard of efficacy for pets and horses.

Introduction of a New Directive

• To address this inadequacy, the European Commission introduced a directive specifically meant for the evaluation of the efficacy of probiotics for dogs, cats, and horses.
• This new directive would thereby provide a firm base for the evaluation of these microbial feed additives.
• The paper aims to describe this newly launched directive and shed light on its specifics.