International Journal of Agricultural Research and Review

Roles of Carbohydrates Extracted from Flammulina Velutipes Mushroom as Neutroceticals in the Development of Monogastric Animals: A Review

Abstract

Accepted 2^nd September, 2015

This paper set out to review relevant literature on the role of carbohydrates extracted from the flammulina velutipes mushroom (FVM) as neutroceticals in monogastric animals, with a focus on pigs and poultry. The research investigated the nutritional and medicinal values of FVM mushroom, which is generally considered as one of the most edible specie of mushrooms. The study observed that quite recently, FVM which is much cheaper and readily available, has been used in the diet of animals as medicine because of its neutrocetical properties such as carbohydrates (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides), which have the capability to prevent and treat various diseases such as diarrhea and cancer in weaned piglets and growing birds respectively. It was also observed that the use of FVM as animal food supplement was caused by the spiraling cost of feed additives which puts them beyond the reach of most small holder farmers. The study therefore recommended that small scale farmers should embrace the use of carbohydrates extracted from the FVM as supplements in the feeds of their monogastric animals as a means of meeting their animals’ nutritional needs and preventing diseases like diarrhea and cancer in weaned piglets and growing birds respectively.

Keywords: Carbohydrates, monogastric, mushroom, neutroceticals, prebiotics