Effect of Genex, a feed additive containing organic acids and herb extracts, on the performance of broiler chickens

The purpose of this review is to summarize the effectiveness, modes of action and commercial application of herbal plants and their derivatives as growth promoters for animal. Feed supplements are a group of feed ingredients that can cause a desired animal response in a non-nutrient role such as pH shift, growth, or metabolic modifier (Hutjens, 1991). Common feed additives used in animal diets include immunostimulators, antimicrobials, antioxidants, pH control agents and enzymes. Herbal plants, are a new class of growth promoters and in recent years this feed additives have gained extensive attention in the feed industry. They are a wide variety of herbs, spices, and products derived thereof, and are mainly essential oils. Although numerous reports have demonstrated antioxidative and antimicrobial and immune stimulation efficacy in vitro, respective experimental in vivo evidence is still quite limited. A limited number of experimental comparisons of herbal plants feed additives with antibiotics or organic acid have suggested similar effects on the animal gut microflora. Gut microflora has significant effects on host nutrition, health, and growth performance by interacting with nutrient utilization and the development of gut system of the host. In addition, some phytogenic compounds seem to promote intestinal mucus production. However, the future of using herbs in animal feeding will in great measure depend on the knowledge of chemical structure, their value and characteristics of practical herbs or their extract physiological needs and well-being of animal, and, above all on consumer's preferences and expectations.

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Herbal plants and their derivatives as growth and health promoters in animal nutrition

Hashemi

2011

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Effect of organic acids–essential oils blend and oat fiber combination on broiler chicken growth performance, blood parameters, and intestinal health

2021

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This study evaluated the effect of organic acids-essential oils blend with or without oat hulls (OH) on growth performance, organ weights, blood parameters, gut morphology, microbiota, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in broiler chickens. Day-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments consisting of 1) a corn-soybean meal-wheat based diet (BAS), 2) BAS + 0.05% bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD), 3) BAS + protected organic acids-essential oils at 300 g/1,000 kg of feed (OE), and 4) BAS + protected organic acids-essential oils at 300 g/1,000 kg of feed + 3% OH (OEOH), in 8 replicate groups. Feeding was in starter (d 0 to 14), grower (d 14 to 24), and finisher (d 24 to 36) phases. Body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality were determined weekly. On d 36, 8 chickens per treatment were sampled for blood biochemistry, organ weights, cecal SCFA production, and microbiota. Treatments had no effect on FI and FCR at all phases. Both OE and OEOH treatments reduced ( P < 0.001) the body weight gain of birds at the starter phase. Birds fed the OEOH treatment had higher ( P < 0.001) gizzard weight, while those offered the BMD diet showed a tendency ( P = 0.08) to have higher cecal weight. Birds in the OEOH treatment recorded increased ileal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, as well as reduced duodenal crypt depth, while birds in the OE treatment had increased jejunal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio. Both OEOH and OE treatments increased the number of goblet cells produced in the duodenum and jejunum. Treatments had no effect on SCFA concentrations. Birds in the OE treatment recorded the lowest concentration of blood urea ( P = 0.05) and cholesterol ( P < 0.05). Both OE and OEOH treatments increased ( P < 0.05) the relative abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria in the genus Firmicutes_unclassified, Ruminococcus , Turicibacter , and Erysipelotrichaceae_unclassified, while reducing ( P < 0.001) the relative abundance of potentially harmful Coprobacillus . Conclusively, both protected organic acids-essential oils blend and its combination with oat fibers show potential as tools to achieve antibiotics reduction in broiler production.

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Effects of organic acids on the gut ecosystem and on the performance of broiler chickens

Andreopoulou

Tsiouris

Georgopoulou

2017

J Hellenic Vet Med Soc

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Organic acids are studied as candidate alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. Their action is related to the pH reduction of the intestinal digesta, affecting the gut ecosystem in numerous ways. Intestinal microbiota can be altered as a result of the remarkable antibacterial activity of organic acids and the growth enhancement of non-pathogenic beneficial microorganisms, due to exclusive competition. Antibacterial activity has been widely reported for many poultry pathogens, such as Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp., both in vitro and in vivo. However, it seems to depend on many factors concerning the weak acid used and the gut ecosystem. Apart from the microbiota, diet supplementation of organic acids has trophic effects on the intestinal mucosa, modifying the morphologic characteristics of intestinal villi and crypts and maintaining epithelial integrity. Furthermore, as found recently, organic acids have anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating properties. Diet acidification increases gastric proteolysis and the utilization of proteins and amino acids, affects pancreatic secretions and mineral absorption. There are also reports for an effect on appetite and palatability of the feed. All these properties attributed to organic acids have either a direct or indirect effect on the performance and health, even though the results presented for poultry lack consistency. Nonetheless, the benefits of organic acids can have practical application in the control of clinical and subclinical conditions, but more research is needed to study these perspectives.

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Effect of Genex, a feed additive containing organic acids and herb extracts, on the performance of broiler chickens

Cited by 6 publications

References 12 publications

Herbal plants and their derivatives as growth and health promoters in animal nutrition

Herbal plants and their derivatives as growth and health promoters in animal nutrition

Effect of organic acids–essential oils blend and oat fiber combination on broiler chicken growth performance, blood parameters, and intestinal health

Effects of organic acids on the gut ecosystem and on the performance of broiler chickens

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