| 原文摘要 | Biochar, charcoal, and activated charcoal are terms used for compounds created from pyrolysis of a variety of organic feedstocks. Biochars and charcoals are being used in the agroecosystem for a range of environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration, mitigation of global climate change, and enhancement of soil quality and crop productivity. In this chapter, we review the current literature on the use of charcoal products in food animal production as dietary additives (feed supplements). We group relevant studies into three topic areas based on the impacts reported: (i) animal performance, (ii) binding toxic substances and controlling pathogens, and (iii) reducing methane production. The vast majority of the studies demonstrated at least some efficacy for charcoal to improve measured parameters, including increases in weight gain, feed intake, and digestibility; improvement in carcass characteristics, meat, and egg quality; enhanced immune system function; detoxification of toxins from feed and forage sources and organic chemicals; reduction in antibiotic residues and pathogens, as well as some effect on reducing enteric methane emissions. Apparently, potential benefits of charcoal use in animal production systems are broad and multidimensional. Despite the rapidly increasing number of studies devoted to these topics in recent years, research on charcoal use in animal production systems is still largely empirical. Few reports have delved deeply into examining relevant mechanisms, and there remains a knowledge gap in how charcoal treatments bring about the observed effects. |