Non-antibiotic Growth Promoter Research Articles

The growth-promoting effect of water extract of Chuanminshen violaceum stem and leaf on broilers

Currently, developing non-antibiotic growth promoters is a broad consensus in broiler industry, which is one of the effective ways to reduce drug-resistant strains. Chuanminshen violaceum is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that is commonly used for its roots, while the stems and leaves are often discarded, resulting in a huge amount of waste. This study optimized the preparation process of water extract of Chuanminshen violaceum stems and leaves (CVSLE) by response surface analysis based on the yields of polysaccharide and protein. The CVSLE and herbal powder (CVSL) were then processed into granules before being used as feed additives. The Macleaya cordata powder was used as positive control. The results showed that the addition of CVSLE (0.5% of the feed) showed the highest growth-promoting activity than other CVSLE groups (0.2% and 1%), 1% CVSL group and positive control (0.05%). CVSLE at the dosage of 0.5% could significantly increase the ADG and reduce the FCR from d 21 to 42, d 0 to 42. The HI antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza virus were significantly enhanced at 21, 28 and 42d. CVSLE did not affect the slaughtering performances, but could significantly elevate the spleen, thymus and bursa of Fabricius indices and the transcriptional levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-γ in spleen. The intestinal barrier function of broilers was significantly enhanced by increased levels of immune barrier (sIgA), physical barrier (ZO-1, OCL and Muc-2) and flora barrier (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium). These results suggest that CVSLE was a promising herbal additive candidate for broilers.

Evaluation of in-feed supplementation of formic acid and thymol as non-antibiotic growth promoters and assessing their effect on antimicrobial resistant E.coli isolated in Turkey.

With the rampant usage of antibiotics as growth promoters (AGPs) in poultry sector, there has been alarming concerns of antimicrobial resistant microbes such as Escherichia coli. Diversification of poultry farming due to consumer demand for safer products with higher protein content, turkey production is gaining popularity. Feed additives such as formic acid (FA) and thymol (TH) are effectively replacing AGPs due to their antimicrobial action. This directed the researchers to find alternatives to antibiotics such as thymol and formic acid because of their strong antimicrobial, anti-oxidative, digestive-stimulating properties. To assess the efficacy of FA and TH as growth promoters and their effect on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) load, the current study (0-12 weeks) was conducted in CARI VIRAT turkey poults (n = 256; unsexed) those were randomly distributed into eight treatment groups: control(T1), AGP (T2), graded levels of FA (T3 to T5) @ 2.5, 5 and 7.5ml/kg and TH (T6 to T8) @ 120, 240 and 350mg/kg. Cloacal swab samples were collected at 0, 4th, 8th and 12th week interval and processed further for isolation, identification and assessment of resistance profile of E. coli. The final body weight, cumulative gain and FCR were significantly (p < 0.05) better for birds under supplementation. The Total plate count (TPC) and coliforms showcased a significant (p < 0.001) reduction in the FA and TH supplement groups as compared to control and AGP group. The resistance profile indicated E. coli isolates from AGP group with significantly (p < 0.001) highest resistivity against antibiotics (viz. chloramphenicol, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, chlortetracycline) while isolates from FA (T5) and TH (T8) groups were the least resistant. blaAmpC gene was significantly (p < 0.001) harbored in T2 isolates whereas least detected in T5 and T8. It was inferred that formic acid (7.5ml/kg) and thymol (360mg/kg) can effectively replace AGPs and lower AMR burden in poultry.

Effects of nonantibiotic growth promoter combinations on growth performance, nutrient utilization, digestive enzymes, intestinal morphology, and cecal microflora of broilers.

Given the ban on antibiotic growth promoters, the effects of nonantibiotic alternative growth promoter combinations (NAGPCs) on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal morphology, and cecal microflora of broilers were evaluated. All birds were fed pellets of two basal diets-starter (0-21 d) and grower (22-42 d)-with either enramycin (ENR) or NAGPC supplemented. 1) control + ENR; 2) control diet (CON, basal diet); 3) control + mannose oligosaccharide (MOS) + mannanase (MAN) + sodium butyrate (SB) (MMS); 4) control + MOS + MAN + Bacillus subtilis (BS) (MMB); 5) control + MOS + fruit oligosaccharide (FOS) + SB (MFS); 6) control + FOS + BS (MFB); 7) control + MOS + FOS + MAN (MFM); 8) control + MOS + BS + phytase (PT) (MBP). ENR, MOS, FOS, SB, MAN, PT, and BS were added at 100, 2,000, 9,000, 1,500, 300, 37, and 500 mg/kg, respectively. The experiment used a completely random block design with six replicates per group: 2400 Ross 308 broilers in the starter phase and 768 in the grower phase. All NAGPCs significantly improved body weight gain (P < 0.01), utilization of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein (P < 0.05), villus height and villus height/crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.01), and decreased the feed conversion ratio (P < 0.01) at d 21 and 42. MMS, MMB, MFB, and MFM duodenum trypsin, lipase, and amylase activities increased significantly (P < 0.05) at d 21 and 42. On d 21 and 42, MMS, MMB, and MBP increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroides whereas MMB, MFB, and MBP decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria, compared to ENR and CON. Overall, the NAGPCs were found to have some beneficial effects and may be used as effective antibiotic replacements in broilers.

Effects of feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation postbiotic on the fecal microbial community of Holstein dairy calves

BackgroundThe livestock industry is striving to identify antibiotic alternatives to reduce the need to use antibiotics. Postbiotics, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP), have been studied and proposed as potential non-antibiotic growth promoters due to their effects on animal growth and the rumen microbiome; however, little is known of their effects on the hind-gut microbiome during the early life of calves. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of in-feed SCFP on the fecal microbiome of Holstein bull calves through 4 months of age. Calves (n = 60) were separated into two treatments: CON (no SCFP added) or SCFP (SmartCare®, Diamond V, Cedar Rapids, IA, in milk replacer and NutriTek®, Diamond V, Cedar Rapids, IA, incorporated into feed), and were blocked by body weight and serum total protein. Fecal samples were collected on d 0, 28, 56, 84, and 112 of the study to characterize the fecal microbiome community. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized block design with repeated measures when applicable. A random-forest regression method was implemented to more fully understand community succession in the calf fecal microbiome of the two treatment groups.ResultsRichness and evenness of the fecal microbiota increased over time (P < 0.001), and SCFP calves tended to increase the evenness of the community (P = 0.06). Based on random-forest regression, calf age as predicted by microbiome composition was significantly correlated with the calf physiological age (R2 = 0.927, P < 1 × 10−15). Twenty-two “age-discriminatory” ASVs (amplicon sequence variants) were identified in the fecal microbiome that were shared between the two treatment groups. Of these, 6 ASVs (Dorea-ASV308, Lachnospiraceae-ASV288, Oscillospira-ASV311, Roseburia-ASV228, Ruminococcaceae-ASV89 and Ruminoccocaceae-ASV13) in the SCFP group reached their highest abundance in the third month, but they reached their highest abundance in the fourth month in the CON group. All other shared ASVs reached their highest abundance at the same timepoint in both treatment groups.ConclusionsSupplementation of SCFP altered the abundance dynamics of age discriminatory ASVs, suggesting a faster maturation of some members of the fecal microbiota in SCFP calves compared to CON calves. These results demonstrate the value of analyzing microbial community succession as a continuous variable to identify the effects of a dietary treatment.

A Meta-analysis of Fiber Ratio Effects on Growth Performance, Gastrointestinal Traits, and Nutrient Digestibility of Broiler Chickens

Fiber is one of the essential nutrients for broiler chickens. This meta-analysis was carried out to investigate the impacts of fiber fraction ratio on broiler chickens growth performance, digestive characteristics, and nutritional digestibility. The database was compiled from 15 publications reports on the addition of fiber sources in broilers feed. To analyze the effect of acid detergent fiber (ADF) / neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ratio, the mixed model technique was utilized, with ADF/NDF ratio in the feed as a fixed effect and the experiment as a random effect. The ADF/NDF ratio in the feed had no effect on average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed per gain ratio in this research. Moreover, a decrease in ADF/NDF ratio in broiler chicken feed increased the relative weight of the gizzard. The relative weight and length of the small intestine and cecum were not affected by the ADF/NDF ratio in the feed. The ADF/NDF ratio in feed enhanced ileal digestibility and total tract apparent retention of most nutrients. The ADF/NDF ratio in the feed had no effect on the jejunal morphology. The minimum ADF/NDF ratio of 0.37 in the feed led to the maximum growth performance, digestive tract development, and optimal nutrient digestibility. In conclusion, controlling the ratio of fiber fraction in broiler chickens feed can improve broiler performance in the non-antibiotic growth promoters era.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of a Non-antibiotic Growth Promoter on Growth Performance and Intestinal Histomorphology in Broilers

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of a Non-antibiotic Growth Promoter on Growth Performance and Intestinal Histomorphology in Broilers

Fabrication of KDF-loaded chitosan-oligosaccharide-encapsulated konjac glucomannan/sodium alginate/zeolite P microspheres with sustained-release antimicrobial activity

Potassium diformate(KDF) is a non-antibiotic growth promoter. To improve the utilization of KDF in the intestinal tract, P-type zeolite molecular sieve (zeolite P) was used as the drug-binding effector of KDF and was encapsulated in sodium alginate (ALG)/konjac glucomannan (KGM)/chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) composite hydrogel microspheres to prepare environment friendly, intelligent and pH-sensitive composite hydrogel microspheres for controlling the release of KDF. The composite hydrogel microspheres were characterized using XRD, FT-IR, TGA, and SEM. In addition, the swelling behavior of the composite hydrogel microspheres in three buffered media was determined. Thus, the phase composition, structural characteristics, thermal stability, apparent morphology and swelling properties were determined. Results indicated that the composite hydrogel microspheres possessed pH sensitivity, compatibility and porous 3D network structure. Furthermore, ALG formed polyelectrolyte complexes with COS, providing the composite hydrogel microspheres a complete three-dimensional network structure. The embedded network structure of zeolite P, which limited the size of the inner capsule, assisted in improving the thermal stability, and allowed expansion and controlled release of KDF. Under a simulated gastrointestinal environment, the in vitro release conformed to a good pH-sensitive drug release pattern and prevented premature release of KDF in the gastric juice. In the in vitro antibacterial test, the maximum inhibition rate of the antibacterial agent against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were 96.63%, 93.81% and 93.31%, respectively, indicating its considerable potential as an intestinal antibacterial.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis, butyrate, mannan-oligosaccharide, and naked oat (ß-glucans) on growth performance, serum parameters, and gut health of broiler chickens

Four nonantibiotic alternative growth promoters for broiler chickens were evaluated. Ross 308 chicks were fed a control diet (mainly corn and soybean meal) or a diet supplemented with a probiotic (Bacillus subtilis Gallipro DSM 17299), encapsulated butyric acid (Novyrate C), mannan-oligosaccharide (Actigen MOS) or formulated with 20% naked oat (starter diet) and 30% naked oat (grower and finisher). The study was carried out as a complete random blocked design with 10 pens for each diet, 45 birds per pen. Compared to the control, the naked oat diet improved the average daily gain by 16% during the starter phase (up to d 10). The probiotic did so during the grower phase as did butyric acid in the finisher phase (up to d 34). For the experiment overall, the probiotic decreased average daily gain slightly. The best improvement in feed conversion ratio was obtained in the butyrate group (5%). No significant treatment effect on crop pH or on mortality was observed. The naked oat diet gave a slightly lower cecum pH on d 34. The MOS supplement decreased jejunal mass on d 34 and increased villus length (34%) and villus height/crypt depth ratio (32%) measured on d 10. Naked oat, butyric acid and MOS diets all reduced serum endotoxin levels. The probiotic increased serum C-reactive protein. All noncontrol diets reduced serum malondialdehyde. The naked oat diet reduced d 34 litter pH by about 0.3. Some effects of the proposed non-antibiotic growth promoters have been observed and could contribute to livestock performance. Their exact modes of action remained to be defined.

Carcass characteristics of Bali duck (Anas sp.) Fed with Daucus carota Leaf flour

Since the use of antibiotics is prohibited to improve the quality of animal products, as well as increase product yields, researchers have begun to focus on the use of phytogenic compounds as non-antibiotic growth promoters. So this research is important to do to examine the effect of giving carrot leaf meal (CLF) in the ration to increase the quantity and quality of carcass in Bali ducks. This study used 240 male Bali ducks aged two weeks with homogeneous body weight in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 6 replications. The four treatments were a group of ducks fed without CLF as a control (A); ration with 3% CLF (B); ration with 6% CLF (C); and rations with 9% CLF (D). The results showed that giving 3-6% CLF in the diet significantly (P

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Prebiotics, Synbiotics, and Essential Oils on Growth Performance of Broiler Chicken

This study was performed to compare the effect of dietary supplementation of probiotics, prebiotics, essential oils and synbiotics on feed conversion ratio, live body weight and total feed intake of broiler chicken. A total of 800, day-old Arbor acres broiler chicks of either sex were randomly assigned into four dietary treatments. Each treatment had four replicates of 50 birds and were reared for over five weeks. Basal diet was supplemented with probiotics (control, T1), essential oils (T2), synbiotics (T3), and prebiotics (T4) as dietary treatments. The birds were provided with ad libitum feed and drinking water during the entire experimental period. At the end of 35 days experimental period there was no significant difference in live body weight, total feed intake and feed conversion ratio of broilers fed prebiotic, synbiotic and essential oil groups compared with probiotic supplemented control group. These findings reveal that, there is a potential to use prebiotics, EOs, and synbiotics as non-antibiotic growth promoters to improve broiler chicken’s growth performances.

Effects of Turmeric Powder on Clostridium Perfringens Load in Broiler Chickens

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a major economic problem in broiler industry globally and is caused by Clostridium perfringens. The aim of the study was to know the effects of turmeric on C. perfringens in broiler chickens. A total of 3000-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were divided into 6 groups and reared in environment control sheds with similar management. Each group contains 500 chicks and again divided into two subgroups as control and treatment with 250 chicks. In treatment groups added 2gm/kg turmeric powder with basal feeds and reared up to 30 days and follow standard vaccine schedule. Intestinal samples were collected every week from each group to detect C. perfringens load. Bodyweight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and mortality rates were also calculated. The findings were loads of C. perfringens in treatment groups decreased significantly compared to control groups. At 4th week average count of C. perfringens was 4.44±0.12 log CFU/g and 2.68±0.17 log CFU/g in control and treatment groups, respectively. Average chick’s mortality decreased significantly in treatment groups. The flock mortality was decreased significantly in treatment groups (1.40%) compared to control groups (2.17%). The FCR become significantly decreased in treatment groups (1.490) compared to control groups (1.571). Therefore, use of turmeric powder in broiler ration can reduce NE by decreasing C. perfringens loads and it could be a good source of non-antibiotic growth promoter in poultry towards reduce antibiotic resistance and consumer will get a pathogen free rich protein source.&#x0D; SAARC J. Agri., 18(1): 209-218 (2020)

Evaluation of bile salt hydrolase inhibitor efficacy for modulating host bile profile and physiology using a chicken model system

Gut microbial enzymes, bile salt hydrolases (BSHs) are the gateway enzymes for bile acid (BA) modification in the gut. This activity is a promising target for developing innovative non-antibiotic growth promoters to enhance animal production and health. Compelling evidence has shown that inhibition of BSH activity should enhance weight gain by altering the BA pool, host signalling and lipid metabolism. We recently identified a panel of promising BSH inhibitors. Here, we address the potential of them as alternative, effective, non-antibiotic feed additives, for commercial application, to promote animal growth using a chicken model. In this study, the in vivo efficacy of three BSH inhibitors (caffeic acid phenethylester, riboflavin, carnosic acid) were evaluated. 7-day old chicks (10 birds/group) were either untreated or they received one of the specific BSH inhibitors (25 mg/kg body weight) via oral gavage for 17 days. The chicks in treatment groups consistently displayed higher body weight gain than the untreated chicks. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that BSH inhibitor treatment led to significant changes in both circulating and intestinal BA signatures in support of blunted intestinal BSH activity. Consistent with this finding, liver and intestinal tissue RNA-Seq analysis showed that carnosic acid treatment significantly altered expression of genes involved in lipid and bile acid metabolism. Taken together, this study validates microbial BSH activity inhibition as an alternative target and strategy to antibiotic treatment for animal growth promotion.

In vitro Antibacterial Efficacy of Non-Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Poultry Industry.

Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) have been used for many years as supplements in various livestock diets, including those for poultry. However, the use of AGPs in feed was also associated with an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in livestock. In this study, the in vitro antibacterial efficacies of eight commercially available non-AGPs suitable for use in poultry were investigated. Assessments included a combination of antibacterial activity assays and estimations of the minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations along with scanning electron microscopy analysis. The results showed that the probiotic, CloStat® exerted a bacteriostatic effect against all tested bacteria, namely Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium perfringens, whereas Gallipro Tect® and Bacillus Blend® demonstrated bacteriostatic activity towards most of the pathogens tested. Other commercial non-AGPs, Sangrovit®, Fysal®, and Mix oil blend® showed a stronger or equal antibacterial activity compared to the positive control (AGP Maxus® G100) againsts all bacteria tested, except C. perfringens. Nor-Spice AB® and Varium™ did not show any significant effect against the tested bacteria. Several of the tested AGP substitutes exhibited good antibacterial efficiency against pathogenic bacteria and thus may be good candidates for second-stage in vivo investigations into reducing pathogen colonization in broilers.

The complex structure of bile salt hydrolase from Lactobacillus salivarius reveals the structural basis of substrate specificity

The gut bacterial bile salt hydrolase (BSH) plays a critical role in host lipid metabolism and energy harvest. Therefore, BSH is a promising microbiome target to develop new therapies to regulate obesity in humans and novel non-antibiotic growth promoters for food animals. We previously reported the 1.90 Å apo crystal structure of BSH from Lactobacillus salivarius (lsBSH). In this study, we soaked the lsBSH crystal with glycocholic acid (GCA), a substrate, and obtained a 2.10 Å structure containing complex of lsBSH bound to GCA and cholic acid (CA), a product. The substrate/product sits in the water-exposed cavity molded by Loops 2 and 3. While the glycine moiety of GCA is exposed into a highly polar pocket, the sterane core of GCA is stabilized by aromatic and hydrophobic interactions. Comparison of product binding with BSH from Clostridium perfringenes reveals a distinct orientation of the sterane core in the binding site. The stability of the substrate-lsBSH complex and the putative catalytic mechanism were explored with molecular dynamics simulations. Site-directed mutagenesis of lsBSH demonstrated that Cys2 and Asn171 are critical for enzymatic activity, while Tyr24, Phe65 and Gln257 contribute to the substrate specificity. Together, this study provides structural insights into BSH-substrate interaction, the mechanism of catalysis and substrate specificity, which facilitate rational design of BSH inhibitors.

Use of Natural Insoluble Fiber in Oat Hulls (Avena Sativa) as Non-Antibiotic Growth Promoter in Broilers

Use of Natural Insoluble Fiber in Oat Hulls (Avena Sativa) as Non-Antibiotic Growth Promoter in Broilers

Benefits and Inputs From Lactic Acid Bacteria and Their Bacteriocins as Alternatives to Antibiotic Growth Promoters During Food-Animal Production.

Resistance to antibiotics is escalating and threatening humans and animals worldwide. Different countries have legislated or promoted the ban of antibiotics as growth promoters in livestock and aquaculture to reduce this phenomenon. Therefore, to improve animal growth and reproduction performance and to control multiple bacterial infections, there is a potential to use probiotics as non-antibiotic growth promoters. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) offer various advantages as potential probiotics and can be considered as alternatives to antibiotics during food-animal production. LAB are safe microorganisms with abilities to produce different inhibitory compounds such as bacteriocins, organic acids as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, diacetyl, and carbon dioxide. LAB can inhibit harmful microorganisms with their arsenal, or through competitive exclusion mechanism based on competition for binding sites and nutrients. LAB endowed with specific enzymatic functions (amylase, protease…) can improve nutrients acquisition as well as animal immune system stimulation. This review aimed at underlining the benefits and inputs from LAB as potential alternatives to antibiotics in poultry, pigs, ruminants, and aquaculture production.

Effect of Probiotic, Prebiotic, Synbiotic and Medicinal Plants on Productive Performance of Broilers Fed on Different Levels of Protein

The aim of this study was to investigate the response of broilers fed on test diets containing non-antibiotic growth promoters; Probiotic (BioPlus 2B), Prebiotic (TechnoMos), Synbiotic, and medicinal herbs (Mixture of Origanum majorana, Foeniculum vulgare, and Carum carvi in ratio 1:1:1), each within two dietary protein levels (normal and low), on these broiler performance. The study was carried out at the Poultry Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture; Alexandria University, Egypt. The experimental period lasted for 42 days. A total number of 500 days from Cobb broiler chicks, with similar average live body weight, were randomly distributed into 10 treatments. Each treatment comprised of 5 replicates of 10 chicks each. Ten experimental diets were formulated to be approximately isocaloric and cover all nutrients required for broiler throughout two stages of growth periods, starter diets (1 - 21) and finisher diets (22 - 42) days of age. Ten experimental diets were consisting of two levels of crude protein (recommended or low (85% of recommended)) and five feed-additive programmes (control, probiotic, prebiotic, synbiotic and medicinal plants). In general, feeding broiler lower crude protein levels (-10% of NRC) resulted in poorer growth performance, which was partially compensated with the non-antibiotic additives. Among the additives, synbiotic had positively significant effects on FCR, BW.

Effect of curry (Murraya koenigii) leaf powder supplementation on performance of broilers chickens

A study was conducted to observe the effect of supplementation of curry leaves on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A 35 days feeding trial was conducted under standard feeding and managemental conditions with broiler pre starter (0–14 days), starter (15–21 days) and finisher (22–35 days) ration on 240, day old Vencobb broiler chicks randomly divided into 4 treatment groups (T1-T4) with six replicates of 10 chicks each. Dietary treatments were basal diet as control group (T1) and three groups with basal diet mixed with curry leaf powder @ 0.5 % in feed (T2), @ 1% in feed (T3) and @ 1.5 % in feed (T4), respectively. Two broilers from each replicate were sacrificed at the end of trial to estimate the different carcass parameters. Feed consumption was unaffected from different dietary treatments. Average body weight and body weight gain (g/bird) were highest for T3 group and lowest for control group at 5th week. Overall FCR was significantly lower in all curry leaf powder supplemented groups than control group. Overall Performance index and Protein efficiency ratio were highest in T3 group. Carcass characteristics were unaffected from different dietary treatments. It can be concluded that supplementation of curry leaf powder can be promoted as a non-antibiotic growth promoter in broiler industry for production of safe meat without using antibiotics in effective way.

Effect of Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) supplementation on morphometry of intestine of broiler chicken

The present study attempts to analyze the effect of supplementation of Ajwain on the morphometry of intestine of broiler chicken. Two hundred and twenty five one-day old unsexed broiler chicks were used on a completely randomized design in 5 groups with 3 replicates, each consisting of 15 broilers. The treatments included the control group (basal diet) and four groups with basal diet + Ajwain powder @ 0.1% in feed, basal diet + Ajwain powder @ 0.2% in feed and basal diet + Ajwain seeds soaked in drinking water over nightly @ 0.1% and basal diet + Ajwain seeds soaked in drinking water over nightly @ 0.2%, respectively. Standard feeding and all other managemental practices were followed during the experimental period. At 14, 28 and 42 day of the experiment one bird from each replicate were sacrificed for estimation of GIT health characteristics (villi height). Among GIT health characteristics villi height of duodenum, jejunum and ileum showed significant results at 14, 28 and 42 day i.e. highest in basal diet + Ajwain powder @ 0.1% in feed group. Through this experimentation it can be concluded that Ajwain can be promoted as a non-antibiotic growth promoter (NAGP) in broiler industry for producing quality meat without antibiotics in a very effective way.

A blend of benzoic acid and essential oil compounds as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets

The discussions about the possibility of bacterial resistance resulting from the use of antimicrobial growth promoters in broiler feed. The limitations of international market have forced the exporting countries to search for alternatives to ensure the animal growth without affecting the quality of the final product. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of in-feed CRINA® Poultry Plus (CPP, a mixture of benzoic acid and essential oils) in enhancing broiler growth performance and reducing coccidial lesions, as a non-antibiotic growth promoter. Effect of CPP on litter moisture content was also assessed. The treatments were: NC, a basal diet without growth promoters; PC, a basal diet with 10 ppm of Avilamycin (AVI); CPPD, a basal diet with 300 ppm of CPP from 1 to 42 d; AVI(1–21d)/CPP(22–42d), a basal diet with 10 ppm of AVI from 1 to 21 d and 300 ppm of CPP from 22 to 42 d; and AVI + CPP (1–42 d), a basal diet with 10 ppm of AVI and 300 ppm of CPP from 1 to 42 d. The 5 treatments were applied in a completely randomized arrangement and 10 replicate with 31 birds per pen. The diets with CPP increased body weight gain and feed conversion rates in the 1 to 42 d period and European productive efficiency index compared to birds fed with negative control diet (NC). Furthermore, lesion scores induced by E. acervulina were highest in the NC. The results suggest that CRINA® Poultry Plus can be used as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets without losses in productive performance.