Herbal additives and organic acids as antibiotic alternatives in broiler chickens diet for organic production (original) (raw)
Related papers
Italian Journal of Animal Science
The present study investigated the effects of different feed additives on growth performance, carcass characteristics, gut microbial population, intestinal morphology, and blood metabolites of broiler chickens. A total of 540, day-old Ross 308 male chicks were randomly distributed into 6 dietary treatments with 6 replicate pens per treatment for 35 days. The birds fed on a basal diet without feed additive (CON) or the basal diet supplemented with 0.25 g/kg antibiotic as growth promoter (AGP), 1 g/kg essential oils (EO), 1.7 g/kg synbiotic (SYN), 3 g/kg medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), and 1 mL/L essential oils in drinking water (EOW). The additives improved the body weight gain (p ¼ .004) and feed conversion ratio (p ¼ .02) compared to the CON group during the whole trial. The serum concentration of cholesterol was lower in the birds fed the MCFA diet and serum concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) decreased in MCFA and SYN groups. The relative weight of spleen was the greatest in MCFA group (p ¼ .01). Feeding birds diets containing different additives decreased the population of coliform (p ¼ .002) and Clostridium perfringens (p ¼ .01) while Lactobacillus population was greater in broilers offered EOW, SYN, and MCFA supplements (p ¼ .02). The jejunal villus height enhanced in the broiler chickens which received AGP and MCFA additives (p ¼ .008). It is concluded that EOW, SYN, MCFA, and EO as alternatives for AGP improved the growth performance and intestinal morphometric indices and reduced the caecal pathogenic bacteria in broiler chickens. HIGHLIGHTS Adding MCFA to diet and EO to the drinking water improved BWG and FCR in broiler chickens. Dietary supplementation of MCFA decreased serum total cholesterol, increased caecal LAB population, and improved intestinal villus height. All supplements as AGP alternatives had beneficial effects on suppressing the pathogenic bacteria.
Prospects of organic acids as safe alternative to antibiotics in broiler chickens diet
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Genetically, modern broilers are fast-growing birds which attain the market age at the age of 5 weeks. To maintain optimum production, antibiotics have been commonly included in the diets as growth promoters. However, due to the increase in antimicrobial resistance, their uses have been banned worldwide. To keep the optimum level of production and health in broiler industry, the use of alternative growth promoters such as probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, and organic acids has been proposed. Chemically, organic acids are weak acids and only partially dissociate. They are considered safe and have been used for preservation of food for centuries. Nowadays, organic acids have been reported for antibacterial, immune potentiating, and growth promoters in broilers. In this review, the effects of dietary inclusion of organic acids on growth, nutrient digestibility, intestinal integrity, immune system, and antibacterial activity in broilers are discussed.
Effects of Phytogenic Feed Additives on Body Weight Gain and Gut Bacterial Load in Broiler Chickens
World’s Veterinary Journal , 2023
Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) have promising importance in chicken production as antibiotic alternatives to balance chicken gut microorganisms and improve productivity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the body weight gain (BWG) and gut bacterial load of broiler chicks fed on selected herbs. For this experiment, 360 unsexed one-day-old broiler chicks of Cobb 500 with an average weight of 40.74 g were randomly allocated into six treatment groups with three replicates of 20 chicks in each pen. The treatment 1 (T1) group was fed by a basal diet alone. Chickens of T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6 were fed the basal diet containing 1% of basil, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme leaves powder, respectively for 49 days. Body weight (BW), BWG, and average daily weight gain (ADWG) data were recorded every week and at the end of every phase. On days 21 and 42, three chickens from each replicate were slaughtered for microbiological analysis (pathogenic and normal flora) of cecum contents aseptically. The obtained result showed that chickens kept on T3 had significantly higher BW, BWG, and ADWG during the starter and grower phases. Significantly highest final BW was recorded during the finisher phase on T3 and T6. Chickens that consumed T3 and T6 had significantly higher overall BWG and ADWG. The lowest Escherichia coli counts were seen in chickens fed on rosemary (T5) on both days 21 and 42 of the experimental time. Similarly, the highest Lactobacilli counts were recorded on chicken fed on T5 (day 21) and T3 (day 42). On the other hand, almost all treatment herbs showed a higher Enterococcal count, with the highest recorded for T3 (day 21) and T6 (day 42). The present findings suggest that supplementing lemongrass and thyme leaf powder improves BW performance and gut microbial composition. Likewise, rosemary leaf powder enhances the beneficial microbial composition and reduces pathogenic bacteria. However, the underlying detailed biological mechanisms and dose standardization of these herbs for inclusion in the diet of broiler chickens need to be studied further.
2016
Study was carried out to evaluate the effect of culinary and medicinal herbs as feed additive on the performance of broiler chickens. One day old (N=280) unsexed broiler chicks were divided into seven treatments. For each treatment was allocated 40 chicks in four replicates of ten individuals. Single starter and finisher basal diet (BD) was formulated. Seven treatments were: (C) BD control, (C1) BD + Cuminum cyminum 1%, (C2) C. cyminum 0.5%, (F1) BD + Foeniculum vulgare 1%, (F2) BD + F. vulgare 0.5%, (Z1) BD + Achillea wilhelmsii 1%, and (Z2) BD + A. wilhelmsii 0.5%. The treatment groups supplemented with herbal additive revealed improved weight gain, average daily gain and feed conversion (P<0.05). Treatments supplemented with cumin showed better growth performance, followed by F. vulgare and A. wilhelmsii (P<0.05). Supplementation of herbal additives had effect on ileum bacterial enumeration (P<0.05). Herbal feed additives showed its activity as antibacterial as well as p...
Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences
H igh levels of production and efficient feed conversion are the need of the modern poultry industry, which to a certain extent could be achieved by the use of specific feed additives. Antibiotic feed additives as growth promoters have long been supplemented to poultry feed to stabilize the intestine microbialflora, improve the general performances and prevent some specific intestinal pathology (Hassan et al., 2010). However, due to the emergence of microbes resistant to antibiotics which are used to treat human and animal infections, the European Commission (EC) decided to phase out, and ultimately ban (1 January 2006), the marketing and use of antibiotics as growth promoters in feed (EC Regulation No.1831/2003. Consumer pressure is pushing the poultry industry to rear birds without antibiotics (Castanon, 2007). Such a situation has compelled the researchers to explore the utility of other non-therapeutic alternatives like organic acids, enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, herbs, essential oils and immune stimulants as feed additives in poultry production. The European Union allowed the use of organic acids and their salts in poultry production because these are generally considered safe (Adil et al., 2010). The use of organic acids has been reported to protect the young chicks by competitive exclusion (Mansoub et al., 2011), enhancement of nutrient research Article Abstract | An experiment was conducted to study the effect of graded levels of butyric acid (butyrate) on performance, gastrointestinal tract health and carcass characteristics in young broiler chickens. Control starter (0-3 wk.) and finisher (4-6wk.) diets were formulated to contain 2,900 kcal ME/kg and 23% CP, and 3,100 kcal ME/kg and 21% CP, respectively. Subsequently, four groups of diets were formulated as following (T1: Positive Control contain 0.05% antibiotic maudramycin), (T2 : Negative Control without maudramycin), (T3 : T2 + 0.3% butyric acid) and (T4 : T2 + 0.6% butyric acid). Each diet was fed at random to 4 replicates of 30 chicks each throughout the experimental period (0-6wk). The results showed that 0.3% and 0.6% butyrate in the diet was improvement the body weights more than other treatments, and superior for feed conversion ratio. Feed intake were not influenced by the dietary treatments. A reduction in pH of the upper GI tract (crop, proventiculus and gizzard) was observed by inclusion of butyrate in the diets of broilers compared to either control or antibiotic-fed group. Butyrate at 0.6% was more effective in reducing the pH than 0.3%. Within the lower GI tract, 0.6% butyrate was effective in lowering pH in the jejunum, but no effect was found in either the duodenum or ileum. Dressing percentage was higher in all the butyrate treatment groups compared to the positive control or negative group also Increasing of histomorphological response. The best rate of villi length was recorded in the fourth and third treatments compared to the lowest length of treatment in the second and first treatment. From these findings, it is concluded that 0.3 and 0.6% butyric acid supplementation lead to more high villi and mucosal thickness at small intestine, and increasing dressing percentage in broiler chickens.
South African Journal of Animal Science, 2007
A study was conducted to compare the effects of an antibiotic growth promoter (flavomycin) and two herbal natural feed additives (garlic and thyme) with and without a xylanase-based enzyme complex in wheat-based diets on growth performance, carcass parameters, total plasma cholesterol concentration, intestinal traits and the dry matter content of excreta of broiler chickens. A total of 112 day-old male broiler chicks was randomly assigned to eight groups containing 14 chicks each and raised from 1 to 42 days of age. The control group received the wheat-soyabean meal basal diet. In the treatment groups the basal diet was supplemented with one of the following: an antibiotic, thyme, garlic, an enzyme, the antibiotic plus the enzyme, thyme plus the enzyme or garlic plus the enzyme. During the 42-d growth period there were no significant differences in body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the broilers between dietary treatments. Feeding the diet supplemented with the antibiotic plus the enzyme significantly increased hot and cold carcass yields compared to the diets supplemented with thyme, garlic, enzyme and garlic plus enzyme. Total plasma cholesterol concentration, the dry matter content of excreta and the relative weights of the heart, pancreas, liver, gizzard and spleen were not significantly influenced by dietary treatments. The relative weight of the small intestines of the broilers receiving the diets supplemented with the antibiotic, antibiotic plus enzyme, thyme plus enzyme and garlic plus enzyme were significantly less than those of the broilers fed the basal diet and the diets supplemented with thyme, garlic and enzyme. The basal diet and garlic supplemented diet significantly increased the length of the small intestine compared to the other dietary treatments. Broilers receiving the diet supplemented with antibiotic had significantly lower total aerobic bacterial counts in the small intestines compared to those on the other dietary treatments. The combined supplementation of the antibiotic and enzyme resulted in a significantly lower E. coli concentration in the small intestines compared to the basal diet and the other dietary treatments.
An experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design to determine the effects of feeding organic acids as an alternative to antibiotics in the diet of broiler chicken at IAAS, livestock farm from February 20 to April 7, 2006. There were altogether 7 treatments replicated thrice and each experimental unit consisted of 10 birds. The treatments were Standard ration(SR)(T 1), SR + antibiotics (T 2), SR + 300 mg ascorbic acid/kg diet (T 3), SR + 0.02 % acify (T 4), SR + 0.03 % acify (T 5), SR + 300 mg ascorbic acid/kg diet + 0.02 % acify (T 6) and SR + 300 mg ascorbic acid/kg diet + 0.03 % acify (T 7). The commercial acidifier used was acify (0.2ml/lit, 0.3ml/lit of drinking water), chlortetracycline and ascorbic acid were used at the rate of 500 mg/kg and 300 mg /kg of feed.. The average weekly body weight for 3 rd week was found significant (P<0.05) and maximum body weight (729.53 g) in broilers fed onT 7. A significantly higher (P< 0.05) live weight gain was observed on the third and the fifth week in broilers fed on T 7. The significant differences in feed consumption were observed, and maximum feed consumption (639.97 g), (865.0 g) and (1146.75 g) were observed in birds fed on T 3 , T 6 and T 2 for the third, fourth, and sixth week respectively. Feed efficiency for the third week was significantly (p< 0.05) poor (2.03) in T 3 .
J. World Poult. Res., 2017
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of probiotics and organic acids, as alternative feed additives to antibiotics, on productive performance of broilers. Two different types of probiotics varying in the microbial content were tested and organic acids blend was compared against a single organic acid (lactic acid). One hundred and ninety eight broiler chicks were randomly allocated into six treatments, each with 33 chicks. Every treatment consisted of 3 replicates with 11 birds per replicate. The dietary treatments were a control diet without any feed additives or the same control diet supplemented either with a commercial antibiotic (Maxus®G200), probiotics (Bactocell® or Biopellet-S®) or acidifiers (Salmo-Nil Dry® or lactic acid). The antibiotic was added to the diet at the rate of 0.005%, whereas the probiotics were used at 0.01%. The product Salmo-Nil Dry® was provided to the diet at a level of 0.4%, whereas the lactic acid was used at 0.20 %. It was found that the antibiotic, probiotics and lactic acid increased the body weight. All dietary supplements improved the FCR compared to the control. The additives reduced the serum cholesterol level and the pH of small intestine but did not affect the carcass yield, breast or organ weights. The feed supplements showed a numerical decrease in intestinal aerobes, fecal coliforms and E. coli counts. In addition, all additives significantly reduced total aerobic and staphylococcus counts in the carcass meat, with a numerical decrease in E. coli count. In conclusions, probiotics and acidifiers can be used as potential alternatives to antibiotics in broiler diets. No difference between the used types of probiotics was detected. Lactic acid alone seems to produce better performance results than the organic acid mixture. The effect of lactic acid produced by bacteria might be similar to that of the chemical one.
British Poultry Science, 2018
1. This feeding trial investigated the effects of herbal feed additives on performance of broiler chickens, jejunal and caecal microbiota, jejunal morphology, and meat chemical composition and oxidative stability during refrigerated storage. 2. In a 42 days trial, 320 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated to four groups with four replicate pens each containing 20 chicks. The control group was fed maize-soybeanbased diets. The diets of the other three groups were supplemented with herbal feed additives: HRB1 with Stresomix TM (0.5 g/kg feed); HRB2 with Ayucee TM (1.0 g/kg feed); HRB3 with Salcochek Pro TM (1.0 g/kg feed). The GC/MS analysis of the feed additives showed that the major components of HRB1 were β-caryophyllene (14.4%) and menthol (9.8%); HRB2 were nhexadecanoic acid (14.22%) and β-caryophyllene (14.4%) and HRB3 were menthol (69.6%) and clavicol methyl ether (13.9%). 3. Intestinal samples were taken at 42 d to determine bacterial populations (total aerobe counts, Lactobacilli, and Escherichia coli) and perform gut morphology analysis. Meat samples were analysed for chemical composition and oxidative stability under storage. 4. The HRB1 group had improved (P<0.05) body weight gain and tended to have improved (0.05≤P<0.10) feed conversion ratio, compared to the control group. Jejunum lactic acid bacteria counts were increased (P<0.001) in groups HRB1 and HRB3, compared to the control group, whereas caecal lactic acid bacteria counts tended to increase (0.05≤ P< 0.10) in group HRB1, compared to the control group. Breast meat fat content tended to be lower (0.05≤ P< 0.10) in group HRB1. Meat oxidative stability was improved (P<0.001) and jejunum villus height, crypt depth and goblet cells numbers were increased (P<0.001) in all three herbal supplemented groups, compared to the control. 5. In conclusion, herbal feed additives may be able to improve both growth performance and antioxidant activity of broiler chickens, based on their phenolic compound content.
Revista Brasileira de Ciência Avícola
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of phytogenic additives (PA) and organic acids (OA), alone or in combination, on the performance, intestinal histomorphometry and lipid oxidation, and immune responses of broiler chickens. In this experiment, 820 one-day-old chicks were distributed according to a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial arrangement, with four replicates of 41 broilers each. The dietary treatments consisted of a control diet with no PA or OA (CD); CD with OA and no PA (CD+OA-PA); CD with PA and no OA (CD+PA-CD); CDwith both PA and OA (CD+PA+CD); and CD + avilamycin + monesin sodium. Broiler performance was not affected by the alternative feed additives, except from 1 to 21 days, when broilers fed the CD or CD+PA+OA diets showed higher body weight gain than those fed the CD with only OA. The broilers fed the diet containing avilamycin and monensin presented better performance. The supplementation of PA and OA increased bursalcortical area on21 and 42 days posthatch. On 21 days post-hatch, broilers fed the AGP diet presented higher ileal villus height than those fed the control diet. The pH values of the jejunum content were reduced on the OA-fed chickens. Higher villus height and crypt depth were found in the alternative additive-fed chickens on 7 days post-hatch. On 42 days post-hatch, the percentage of the bursal cortex increased in PA-fed broilers; however, there was no increase in antibody production. The PAfed chickens presented lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values in the small intestine. The dietary supplementation of phytogenic additives, individually or in combination associated with organic acids, does not affect broiler live performance or intestinal histomorphometry; however, it enhances immune responses and intestinal quality.