Abstract: Fermented Chinese herbal medicine combines the pharmacological effects of Chinese herbal medicine with the health benefits of probiotics. During the fermentation process, Chinese herbal medicine offers nutrients to microorganisms and promotes their growth, while the enzymes and metabolites produced by microorganisms stimulate the release of effective ingredients in Chinese herbal medicine, reduce the toxicity of derivative preparations, and also synthesize novel active ingredients to enhance the drug efficacy. The fermentation process also decompose the active macromolecules or polymers into small molecules, facilitating transmembrane transport and aiding in the absorption of active substances by the body. In addition, some microorganisms in fermented Chinese herbal medicine inhibit the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and work synergistically with Chinese herbal medicine to jointly combat pathogens. Under the background of reducing antibiotics use and replacing antibiotics, fermented Chinese herbal medicine, as a type of green feed additive, has great utilization value and prospects in animal husbandry. This paper summarizes the research progress on the characteristics of fermented Chinese herbal medicine and application in animal production, in hoping to provide references for the further development and utilization of fermented Chinese herbal feed additives.

Key words: Chinese herbal medicine, biological fermentation, animal farming, feed, application