What are the three main purposes of feed additives?

The correct answer encompasses the comprehensive role that feed additives play in livestock nutrition. Feed additives are specifically designed to enhance various aspects of animal health and productivity.

First, enhancing production efficiency is a key purpose of feed additives; they can improve feed conversion rates, which means animals can convert feed into body mass more effectively. This directly influences overall growth rates, milk production in dairy animals, and egg production in poultry.

Secondly, feed additives contribute to improving health by providing nutrients or therapeutic agents that can help prevent or mitigate health issues in livestock. This can include vitamins, minerals, and probiotics that support gut health and immune function.

Lastly, reducing morbidity is crucial as feed additives can play a preventative role against diseases, thus lowering the incidence of illness within a herd or flock. By improving health, additives help in maintaining a healthier population of animals, which in turn enhances production performance.

Considering these points, it is clear that feed additives serve a multifaceted role in the management of livestock, underscoring why the comprehensive answer that includes all three main purposes is the most accurate.