Prospects for the use of lactoferrin in animal husbandry

Relevance . Lactoferrin is a natural cationic iron-binding glycoprotein from the transferrin group. An important component of innate immunity, lactoferrin is a multifunctional protein with a broad spectrum of biological activity. Lactoferrin is widely used in pharmaceuticals and has potential application in animal husbandry. Methods. The search for potentially relevant articles was carried out by keywords in electronic databases and open Internet access. Results. A literature review revealed the antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activity of lactoferrin. Lactoferrin is increasingly used in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine; however, the complexity of its production and purification hinders this process. The development and introduction of lactoferrin-based dietary supplements aimed at immunocorrection and strengthening the body of farm animals is promising. Lactoferrin can be used as a substance for the creation of a therapeutic agent in veterinary medicine. In addition, extensive opportunities could be created for the industry by creating herds of transgenic animals producing a biosimilar to human lactoferrin.