Phytobiotics in Poultry
SAHIL SHARMA*1, SURUCHI SHARMA2 and SHIVANI KATOCH1
1Department of Animal Nutrition DGCN COVAS, CSKHPKV, Palampur, 2Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry DGCN COVAS, CSKHPKV, Palampur
*Corresponding author’s email: ilarma786@gmail.com
Products made from livestock are considered to be the healthiest. The Livestock Sector expanded continuously from 2014–15 to 2020–21 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.93%. (Annual report 2021-2022, DAHD, GOI). India’s livestock industry is dominated by poultry production as it is the best and cheapest source of high-quality protein. Because of the strong demand for chicken meat and eggs, farmers are searching for creative ways to increase production. In poultry diets, antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) and chemotherapeutics have been used in preventative doses to improve animal welfare and offer financial advantages through improved animal performance and reduced medical costs. AGP, however, has a lasting impact and contributes to antibiotic resistance, and has serious negative effects on human health. In order to replace AGP, phytobiotics are being studied. Phytobiotics are naturally occurring bioactive compounds obtained from plants that can be added to the diet to enhance the health and performance of animals. Turmeric, oregano, rosemary, garlic, ginger, green tea, black cumin, coriander, and cinnamon are just a few of the herbs and spices that have been tested in poultry for their prospective use as AGP replacements.
How phytobiotics help
- Stimulates feed intake and improves palatability
- Promotes endogenous secretion of digestive enzymes and hence aid in digestion
- Inhibit growth and colonization of intestinal pathogens which causes thinning of intestine and hence better absorption of nutrients
- Have antioxidant properties and can scavenge free radicals
- Increases immunity and thereby decreases chances of occurrence of diseases
- Have hepatoprotective properties and boost liver functions
- Have hypocholesterolemic properties
(Figure 1 illustrates mechanism of action of phytobiotics)
Figure 1: Mechanism of action of phytobiotics
Effects of phytobiotics on poultry
- Improves Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)
- Improves weight gain
- Increases digestibility of nutrients
- Increases egg production
- Improves egg quality
- Improves carcass traits (Dressing percentage, muscle yield, lean meat)
- Improves organoleptic value of meat
- Decreases incidences of diseases
Therefore, provides good economic returns to the farmers.
(Figure 2 illustrates effects of phytobiotics on poultry)
Figure 2: Effects of phytobiotics on poultry
Safety aspect of phytobiotics
Phytobiotics are natural products which are safe and environment friendly. The FDA (Food And Drug Administration) in the USA has deemed the majority of them to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). They don’t cause any side effects or interact negatively with other feed additives. In addition to being harmless for humans, phytobiotics do not lead to microbial resistance. Although harmless, phytobiotics have the potential to harm an animal if consumed in excess.
Future of phytobiotics in poultry
Most of the population of India is in young age group, which are high consumers. Poultry products are cheap and has no religious taboo attached to it. Therefore, demand of poultry is expected to grow further in the future. Consumers are also becoming more health conscious and are opting for organic products. Furthermore, phytobiotics enables us to create functional foods with longer shelf lives. As a result, the application of phytobiotics in poultry has a promising future.
