Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), belonging to the class of functional marine oligosaccharides, are low-molecular polymers linked by β-1,4-mannuronic acid (M) and α-1,4-guluronic acid (G), which could be classically obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of alginate. With low viscosity and good water solubility, as well as anti-oxidant, immune regulation, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, AOS have been widely used in medical science and functional food, green agriculture and other fields. As new bio-feed additives, AOS have broad potential applications in animal husbandry. In this review, the sources of alginate, chemical structure and preparation methods of AOS, and their biological activities and application in livestock and poultry are summarized. We expect this review could contribute to lay a foundation of application and further research for AOS in livestock and poultry.

藻酸盐寡糖（AOS），属于功能性海洋寡糖类别，是由β-1,4-甘露糖醛酸（M）和α-1,4-古洛糖醛酸（G）连接的低分子聚合物，可以经典地通过藻酸盐的酶促水解获得。AOS具有低粘度和良好的水溶性，以及抗氧化剂，免疫调节，抗菌和消炎活性，已被广泛用于医学和功能食品，绿色农业等领域。作为新型的生物饲料添加剂，AOS在畜牧业中具有广泛的潜在应用。本文综述了藻酸盐的来源，AOS的化学结构和制备方法，及其在畜禽中的生物学活性及其应用。