Dr Guillermo Tellez Isaias worked at the National Autonomous University of Mexico for 16 years and was previously Head of the Avian Medicine Department at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently, Dr Tellez is a Research Professor at the Center of Excellence in Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, USA where his research is focused on the advantages of the poultry gastrointestinal model to evaluate the beneficial effects of functional foods to enhance intestinal health and disease resistance. Dr Steven C. Ricke is Professor and Director of the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Program (MSABD) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. He was formerly the Donald ‘Buddy’ Wray Chair in Food Safety and Director of the Center for Food Safety in the Department of Food Science at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. The recipient of numerous awards for his research on poultry meat safety, Professor Ricke is editor of two previous books for Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing: Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat Volume 1: Safety, quality and sustainability (2017) and Improving gut health in poultry (2019).

• Chapter 1 - The role of probiotics in optimizing gut function in poultry: Guillermo Tellez and Juan D. Latorre, University of Arkansas, USA; Margarita A. Arreguin-Nava, Eco-Bio LLC, USA; and Billy M. Hargis, University of Arkansas, USA; 1 Introduction 2 Experiences of probiotics in poultry 3 Probiotics and inflammation 4 Risks of overuse of antibiotics 5 The use of direct-fed microbials 6 Conclusion 7 Where to look for further information 8 ReferencesChapter taken from: Ricke, S. C. (ed.), Improving gut health in poultry, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN 978 1 78676 304 4)Chapter 2 - Role of prebiotics in poultry gastrointestinal tract health, function, and microbiome composition: Steven C. Ricke, University of Arkansas, USA; 1 Introduction 2 Prebiotics: definition 3 The avian upper GIT: potential impact of prebiotics 4 The avian intestinal microbiome, function, and prebiotics 5 Cecal composition and functional characteristics 6 Cecal microbiome: general characteristics 7 Cecal microbiome and prebiotics: current perspectives and future prospects 8 Summary and conclusions 9 Where to look for further information 10 ReferencesChapter taken from: Ricke, S. C. (ed.), Improving gut health in poultry, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN 978 1 78676 304 4)Chapter 3 - Probiotics, prebiotics and other feed additives to improve gut function and immunity in poultry: Robert Moore, RMIT University, Australia; 1 Introduction 2 Prebiotics 3 The efficacy of probiotics 4 Effects of probiotics and prebiotics 5 Selection, delivery and action of probiotic bacteria 6 Questions and opportunities regarding the use of probiotics 7 New frontiers and future research directions in probiotic development 8 Where to look for further information 9 ReferencesChapter taken from: Applegate, T. (ed.), Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat – Volume 2: Breeding and nutrition, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2017, (ISBN 978 1 78676 068 5)

Dr Guillermo Tellez Isaias worked at the National Autonomous University of Mexico for 16 years and was previously Head of the Avian Medicine Department at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently, Dr Tellez is a Research Professor at the Center of Excellence in Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, USA where his research is focused on the advantages of the poultry gastrointestinal model to evaluate the beneficial effects of functional foods to enhance intestinal health and disease resistance. Dr Steven C. Ricke is Professor and Director of the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Program (MSABD) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. He was formerly the Donald ‘Buddy’ Wray Chair in Food Safety and Director of the Center for Food Safety in the Department of Food Science at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. The recipient of numerous awards for his research on poultry meat safety, Professor Ricke is editor of two previous books for Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing: Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat Volume 1: Safety, quality and sustainability (2017) and Improving gut health in poultry (2019).

• Chapter 1 - The role of probiotics in optimizing gut function in poultry: Guillermo Tellez and Juan D. Latorre, University of Arkansas, USA; Margarita A. Arreguin-Nava, Eco-Bio LLC, USA; and Billy M. Hargis, University of Arkansas, USA; 1 Introduction 2 Experiences of probiotics in poultry 3 Probiotics and inflammation 4 Risks of overuse of antibiotics 5 The use of direct-fed microbials 6 Conclusion 7 Where to look for further information 8 ReferencesChapter taken from: Ricke, S. C. (ed.), Improving gut health in poultry, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN 978 1 78676 304 4)Chapter 2 - Role of prebiotics in poultry gastrointestinal tract health, function, and microbiome composition: Steven C. Ricke, University of Arkansas, USA; 1 Introduction 2 Prebiotics: definition 3 The avian upper GIT: potential impact of prebiotics 4 The avian intestinal microbiome, function, and prebiotics 5 Cecal composition and functional characteristics 6 Cecal microbiome: general characteristics 7 Cecal microbiome and prebiotics: current perspectives and future prospects 8 Summary and conclusions 9 Where to look for further information 10 ReferencesChapter taken from: Ricke, S. C. (ed.), Improving gut health in poultry, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN 978 1 78676 304 4)Chapter 3 - Probiotics, prebiotics and other feed additives to improve gut function and immunity in poultry: Robert Moore, RMIT University, Australia; 1 Introduction 2 Prebiotics 3 The efficacy of probiotics 4 Effects of probiotics and prebiotics 5 Selection, delivery and action of probiotic bacteria 6 Questions and opportunities regarding the use of probiotics 7 New frontiers and future research directions in probiotic development 8 Where to look for further information 9 ReferencesChapter taken from: Applegate, T. (ed.), Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat – Volume 2: Breeding and nutrition, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2017, (ISBN 978 1 78676 068 5)