Abstract

Oxidative stress is a major physiological challenge in poultry and livestock production, arising from an imbalance between reactive oxygen and nitrogen species generation and the animal’s antioxidant defense systems. Under intensive production conditions, stressors such as heat, high stocking density, transport, nutritional imbalances, and disease pressure exacerbate oxidative damage, leading to impaired immunity, reduced productivity, compromised meat quality, and increased disease susceptibility. Excessive reactive species negatively affect key physiological systems, including immune, muscular, reproductive, digestive, and nervous systems. Although animals possess enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses, these mechanisms are often insufficient under high oxidative load, necessitating dietary antioxidant supplementation. Oxidative stress also interacts closely with immune function, inflammatory responses, and thermal stress, particularly heat stress, which intensifies metabolic ROS production. Dietary antioxidants such as vitamins E and C, selenium, zinc, and plant-derived compounds have demonstrated protective effects by mitigating oxidative damage, enhancing immune responses, and improving performance and product quality. Advances in oxidative stress biomarkers and analytical techniques have improved assessment accuracy, while emerging strategies, including precision nutrition, nanotechnology-based delivery systems, and regenerative therapies, offer promising avenues for management. Addressing oxidative stress through integrated nutritional, environmental, and therapeutic approaches remains essential for sustainable poultry and livestock production.

Key words: Animals; Antioxidants; Chemistry; Oxidative stress