scholarly journals Honeybee and Plant Products as Natural Antimicrobials in Enhancement of Poultry Health and Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8467
Author(s):  
Erinda Lika ◽  
Marija Kostić ◽  
Sunčica Vještica ◽  
Ivan Milojević ◽  
Nikola Puvača

The quality and safety attributes of poultry products have attracted increasing widespread attention and interest from scholarly groups and the general population. As natural and safe alternatives to synthetic and artificial chemical drugs (e.g., antibiotics), botanical products are recently being used in poultry farms more than 60% of the time for producing organic products. Medicinal plants, and honeybee products, are natural substances, and they were added to poultry diets in a small amount (between 1% and 3%) as a source of nutrition and to provide health benefits for poultry. In addition, they have several biological functions in the poultry body and may help to enhance their welfare. These supplements can increase the bodyweight of broilers and the egg production of laying hens by approximately 7% and 10% and enhance meat and egg quality by more than 25%. Moreover, they can improve rooster semen quality by an average of 20%. Previous research on the main biological activities performed by biotics has shown that most research only concentrated on the notion of using botanical products as growth promoters, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial agents. In the current review, the critical effects and functions of bee products and botanicals are explored as natural and safe alternative feed additives in poultry production, such as antioxidants, sexual-stimulants, immuno-stimulants, and for producing healthy products.


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shad Mahfuz ◽  
Xiang Shu Piao

Application of natural herbs with a view to enhancing production performance and health status has created an important demand in poultry production. With the increasing concerns on this issue, greater attention paid to alternatives to antibiotics for organic meat and egg production has led to a great demand. This study was conducted with view to assessing the possible role of M. oleifera as a natural feed supplement in poultry ration. Various scientific findings and published research articles were considered concerning issues including the study background, objectives, major findings, and conclusions of the review. M oleifera is known as a miracle tree because of its wealthy resource of various nutrients with high biological values. M. oleifera has been used as a growth promoter, immune enhancer, antioxidant, and has a hypo-cholesterol effect on chickens. It has both nutritional and therapeutic values. However, there is still much confusion in past published articles involving the major roles of M. oleifera in production performance and health status of chickens. Taking this into account, the present study highlights an outline of the experimental uses of M. oleifera on growth performance, egg production performance, egg quality, and health status in broilers and laying hens justified with the past findings to the present. The knowledge gaps from the past studies are considered, and the feasibility of M. oleifera in poultry ration is suggested. The findings have motivated further study on M. oleifera to find out the most active ingredients and their optimal doses in both broiler and laying hen rations. Finally, the present study highlights that supplementation of M. oleifera may play a role in the immunity, sound health, and production performance in poultry.



2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hujaz Tariq ◽  
Amit Sharma ◽  
Srobana Sarkar ◽  
Lamella Ojha ◽  
Ravi Prakash Pal ◽  
...  

There is a need for newer feed additives due to legal prohibition on inclusion of growth promoting antibiotics in livestock diets in several countries due to antimicrobial resistance. In this context, rare earth elements (REE) have gained attention among animal nutritionists as potential growth promoters. Currently, several studies have reported better weight gain, milk production, egg laying capacity and feed conversion efficiency among different breeds of farm animals following supplementation with REE, with however largely inconsistent results. Furthermore, REE supplementation has also shown to improve ruminal fibrolytic and proteolytic activities as well as flavor of meat with negligible residues in edible tissue, however the mechanism behind this action is still unclear. According to existing research, due to their poor absorption and similarity with calcium REE might exert their action locally on gut microbial populations within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Moreover, REE have also shown anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative as well as immune stimulating effects. The present review aims to broaden the knowledge about use of REE as feed additives for livestock and sum up efficacy of REE supplementation on performance and health of animals by comparing the findings. Till date, researches with REE have shown properties that make them a promising, new and safe alternative feed additive but further exploration is recommended to optimize effects and clarify discrepancy of various results before practical proposals can be drafted.



2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miao Ye ◽  
Chunjie Wei ◽  
Anam Khalid ◽  
Qian Hu ◽  
Ru Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The excessive use of antibiotics in the livestock feed industry caused inevitable side effects of microbial resistance. Besides this residual antibiotics in animal-derived foodstuff imposed serious health problems for humans. So this study aimed to investigate the potential use of Bacillus velezensis to substitute antibiotics for poultry production. A total of 468, 49-week-old Hy-Line Brown chickens, were randomly divided into four groups the control group (regular diet), experiment group I (0.1% B. veleznesis), experiment group II (0.2% B. veleznesis), and antibiotic group (50 mg/kg flavomycin), with three replicates per group and trial period consisted on 42 days. Results The results showed that, compared with the control group, the average egg production rate and daily feed intake of experimental groups I and II increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the average egg weight was increased in experimental group II as compared to (I) (P < 0.01). The feed conversion ratio was decreased (P > 0.05) in group (II) Egg quality parameters such as yolk weight of the experimental group II was increased, but that of the antibiotic group and experiment group I was decreased, neither significant (P > 0.05). Moreover, the eggshell strength, yolk color, albumen height, and Haugh unit were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, probiotic groups can increase the progesterone and motilin (P > 0.05) but decrease the secretin and cholecystokinin in the blood plasma (P > 0.05). Conclusions This study suggested that B. velezensis can substitute in-feed-antibiotics and improved most of the study parameters significantly. Which suggested that B. velezensis has potential future application value to replace the feed antibiotics.



Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambra R. Di Rosa ◽  
Biagina Chiofalo ◽  
Vittorio Lo Presti ◽  
Vincenzo Chiofalo ◽  
Luigi Liotta

In poultry production, the intensive use of high-performing hybrid animals led to loss of genetic variability and a consequent lower response to climatic change and disease. Poultry biodiversity is seriously threatened, and its safeguard is a strong objective in developed countries. According to the FAO, which emphasized the importance of native breeds for its country of origin, the aim of this study was to present the first contribution on eggs quality for endangered the Siciliana chicken breed and deepen knowledge on the local Livorno breed. At 20 weeks of age, 108 laying hens (54 Siciliana breed and 54 Livorno breed) were divided into six homogeneous groups of 18 hens each and reared according to requirements imposed by the EC Regulation 889/08 for organic production. The production cycle was controlled over one year, and egg production was recorded daily by group. Eggs were collected, weighted, and measured. Physico-chemical parameter and fatty acids profile were analyzed and nutritional indexes calculated. The statistical model included the effects of breed (Siciliana, Livorno). Egg production was 190 egg/head for Siciliana and 180 for Livorno group. The results showed similar values for Siciliana and Livorno egg quality, highlighting several valuable quality traits from these breeds which might be taken into account for conservation programs.



2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 218-218
Author(s):  
S D Sharifi ◽  
E Tavazoee ◽  
A A Khdem ◽  
A Barin

The use of supplementary fat in commercial poultry diets has been wide-spread since the 1960s. In addition to their value as a dense source of energy, supplemental fats are an excellent source of essential fatty acids and enhance the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. The efficiency of nutrient digestion in poultry largely depends on the microorganisms which live naturally in its digestive tract (Apajalahti et al. 2003). It has been reported that intestinal microflora influences the absorption of fats (Pesti, 2002).Today, antibiotics and probiotics are used for manipulating the gut microflora in poultry production and act as growth-promoting agents. Thus, using these growth promoters (GP) will probably affect nutrients absorption, especially of dietary fats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementary antibiotics and probiotics in diets containing different levels of fat on broiler performance.



Author(s):  
Olumuyiwa Joseph Olarotimi

The aim of this review paper is to explore the available information from research findings on the use of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) as a reliable phytogenic antibiotic for poultry production in the tropics especially in Nigeria and other countries. A wide range of phytogenic additives has found a growing interest in fortification of poultry diets. Supplementation of natural alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in order to maintain both birds’ performance and health in the tropics will be a welcome development. Turmeric has reportedly been widely supplemented in poultry diets as natural alternative antibiotics in several studies with outstanding performances. The nutritional, medicinal, haematological and phyto-toxicological effects of turmeric were reviewed in this paper. Hence, turmeric supplementation at recommended inclusion rate in poultry feeds without posing any deleterious effects to the birds’ performances as well as the consumers of the products, and ultimately, leading to better profitability on the part of the farmers, will be a nutritional breakthrough for the farmers in the tropics.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.O. Kujero ◽  
C.P Njoku ◽  
Oyegunle Emmanuel Oke ◽  
O.A. Adeyemi ◽  
O.M. Sogunle ◽  
...  

Abstract The increasing demand for healthy and low fat poultry products by consumers has necessitated the use of natural growth promoters to enhance hens’ laying performance. This study investigated the reproductive response and egg quality traits of pullet chickens fed dietary turmeric (Curcuma longa) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) powder. Five hundred and four pullets were assigned basal diet (G 0 T 0 ) or basal diet supplemented with 1.5 (G1.5) and 3% (G3) ginger or 1.5(T1.5) and 3% (T3) turmeric to investigate the reproductive responses and egg quality traits of pullet chickens during a 60 week trial period. Data were collected on egg and laid out in a Completely Randomized Design in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. Hen-day and hen-housed egg production, egg mass, feed conversion ratio and age at first lay were significantly (p<0.05) affected by phytobiotic type. The best (p<0.05) hen-day, hen-housed, egg mass, FCR, earliest age at first lay and least weight at first lay were obtained in birds placed on 1.5% ginger ration. Percentage mortality was not significant except at the different inclusion levels and was least among birds fed 1.5% phytobiotic inclusion levels. The highest (p<0.05) value for egg length, egg width, egg shape index, albumen weight and yolk colour were obtained in birds fed 3% turmeric diets. Internal egg qualities were most enhanced by turmeric inclusion while dietary ginger improved the external qualities. The study concluded that dietary ginger and turmeric enhanced reproductive performance and egg quality of egg-type chickens fed over their commercial production lifespan without impairing their overall well-being.



2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 418-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa R. Winkler ◽  
Kevin M. Murphy ◽  
James C. Hermes

AbstractHulless oats are of interest as an alternative to corn and wheat in organic poultry diets because they offer potential to enhance agrobiodiversity and produce locally grown feeds both within and outside of corn-growing regions. Hulless oats are easily certified GM-free and have demonstrated nutritional value for poultry. A feeding study was carried out to examine: (i) the effects of substituting corn, wheat or a fraction of each with hulless oats in organic layer diets, and (ii) the importance of oat variety in feed performance. Productivity and economic implications in the context of current organic markets were explored. Experimental diets included an oat-free control, Oat + corn, Oat + wheat and Oat + corn + wheat, each of which was formulated with three hulless oat varieties, AC Gwen, Paul and Streaker. All but the control diet included oats at 200 g kg−1. Three hundred Hy-Line Brown hens were individually caged and allocated to diets in groups of 10 in a completely randomized design with three replicates per diet. Experimental diets were fed between 24 and 32 weeks of age during which time hen health, egg production and egg quality indicators were monitored. Results indicated that hulless oats had no negative effects on hen health and productivity. On the basis of current organic feed ingredient prices and an estimated cost of USD 533 mt−1 for production of oats in the study region, oat containing diets were more expensive than the oat-free control. In an evaluation of revenue based on current market prices for organic eggs, the additional cost was completely offset by larger egg sizes of hens on oat containing diets. There were no major differences associated with oat variety.



Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed E. Abd El-Hack ◽  
Mahmoud Alagawany ◽  
Abdel-Moneim E. Abdel-Moneim ◽  
Noureldeen G. Mohammed ◽  
Asmaa F. Khafaga ◽  
...  

The removal of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) as feed additives in poultry nutrition from the market in many countries has compelled researchers to find unconventional and safe alternatives to AGPs. Probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, organic acids, herbs, immune-stimulants and essential oils (EO) have been investigated as feed additives in poultry production. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), one of the oldest medicinal plants and widely used around the world, can be used in poultry rations in the form of powder or essential oil. Essential oils produced from aromatic plants have become more interesting owing to their potential effects as hypocholesterolaemic agents, antioxidants, antimicrobials, antifungals and stimulants of digestive enzymes. The potential insecticidal and antimicrobial activities of EO against pathogens that cause spoilage in agriculture crops and human diseases might be attributed mainly to the high content of volatile components (mainly cinnamaldehyde, eugenol and carvacrol) in cinnamon oil. The present review focuses on the effects of cinnamon oil as a feed additive on poultry performance, carcass traits, meat quality, hypocholesterolaemic impact, antioxidant activity, immunity and microbiological aspects.



Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1014
Author(s):  
Shad Mahfuz ◽  
Xiangshu Piao

Application of different medicinal mushrooms intended to enhance production performance and health status has created an importance demand in poultry production. One goal of using medicinal mushrooms is to get rid of antibiotics in poultry feed without affecting the optimum performance. Increasing concerns about this issue have led to more attention on antibiotic substitutes and a significant demand for them for organic egg production. Thus, supplementation with medicinal mushrooms is a new concept for research in layer production, however, there is still a great deal of confusion about inclusion levels and the mode of action of medicinal mushrooms on production performance and health status in laying hens. Taking this into account, this review outlines the experimental uses of medicinal fungi on the growth performance, laying performance, egg quality, and health status of layer birds based on previous findings to date. Finally, we highlight that supplementation with medicinal fungi can play a role on the immunity, health, and production performance in laying hens.



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