Amaranth as a sustainable feed resource for livestock

Amaranth is a nutritious pseudocereal known for its high contents of protein, amino acids and bioactive compounds. Alternative feed ingredients in animal nutrition, such as amaranth, have garnered attention owing to the growing demand for sustainable and affordable feed resources. Therefore, this review explores the potential of amaranth as an animal feed and its effects on livestock production and animal-source foods. Amaranth can partially or fully replace conventional feed ingredients in animal diets. However, antinutritional factors such as nitrates and saponins necessitate the use of appropriate processing methods. The utilization of amaranth also varies with the plant species, form, animal species and inclusion levels. This initiative supports the sustainable development goals, which focus on eliminating hunger and poverty. Therefore, further research on the application of amaranth in animal feed is recommended to maximize its utilization in marginalized communities without compromising livestock productivity, consumer health, or food security.