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Scientifically Speaking …


By Matthew Wedzerai


HEALTH BENEFITS OF HERBS AND SPICES IN POULTRY


In most European countries, the need for sustainable therapeutic aids in poultry production is driven by the ban on antibiotic use, threats of emerging pathogens, and ever-increasing demand for poultry products. Herbs and spices, in their various forms, offer multiple benefits for sustainable poultry health and production.


Sustainable poultry production is marked by responsible use of natural resources for feeding animals; the focus is on animal health and welfare, animal production, environmental impact, and consumer preferences. These are the focal points that represent the greater part of the poultry production value chain.


Why herbs and spices?


Herbs and spices can be provided to animal diets (in feed or water) in different forms and preparations, given whole or as extracts such as essential oils, phytogenics etc. Several studies have indicated herbs, spices and their extracts are important in sustainable poultry production, as they are cost-effective, more readily available, and free from residual effects and threats of antibiotic resistance in human beings.


Consumer preferences


There are several reports of consumers preferring poultry products emanating from poultry fed natural ingredients as substitutes for antibiotics. A recent survey (2018) carried out in Thailand revealed high consumer preference on meat products raised with phytogenic feed additives. The survey showed that 90% of consumers when choosing a specific brand of meat consider the following:


 Meat products from poultry fed completely natural ingredients, without antibiotics.


 Products that reduce environmental impact.


 Want to know and choose meat from poultry raised with phytogenics or similar herb extracts.


 Overall, it is important to them that food choices reflect their value for the environment, animal health/welfare, and natural ingredients.


Effect on poultry health


There is growing interest in herbal feed additives in livestock production due to development of microbial resistance to antibiotic drugs, and their consequences on human health. Herbs and spices offer several health beneficial properties including immune stimulation, anti-bacterial,


PAGE 16 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 FEED COMPOUNDER


coccidiostatic, antiviral or anti-inflammatory activity, and antioxidant properties.


Anti-bacterial


Herbs and spices contain flavonoid components such as baicalin, baicalein, limonene, cinnamaldehyde, thymol, carvacrol or eugenol, among others, which exert antimicrobial effects. They act as antimicrobial agents by changing the characteristics of cell membranes, and causing ion leakage, ultimately making microbes less virulent. In bacteria, they act in the cell wall structure, denaturing and coagulating proteins.


Anti-parasitic and antioxidant


Several herbs such as sage, garlic, thyme, echinacea, and oregano, possess anti-coccidial properties against Eimeria species, which reduce oocyst excretions from infected birds. Most of these herbs’ antioxidant activity coupled with their content of alkaloids (e.g. halofuginones), help to significantly reduce oocyst production in birds. Studies have shown that different herbs and spices can be used as prophylactic or therapeutic anti-coccidial agents. Another example, Curcuma longa through its phenolic compound, curcumin, exerts its anti-coccidial effect in birds through its anti-oxidant action on the immune system. Ecto- parasites such as lice and mice are also controlled by the use of herb extracts, for example, aqueous extract of garlic, and cinnamon oil, have been shown to be effective in decreasing lice and mice infestations in chickens (Jacob and Pescatore, 2011; Zenner et al., 2003). Use of herbs reduces oxidative stress in chickens (Bharavi et al., 2010). Herbs and spices such as thyme, ginger, turmeric, marjoram, peppermint, nutmeg, have been shown to have antioxidant properties as they contain compounds such as polyphenolics, alkaloids, lignans, flavonoids and terpenoids. These compounds neutralise superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide by scavenging radicals or by increasing production of enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase.


Anti-viral


Herb catechins, a type of natural phenol, decreases replication and excretion of the H9N2 virus from chickens in a dose-dependent manner (Lee et al., 2012). The anti-influenza activity of catechins is due to direct interaction with viral HA and inhibition of viral RNA synthesis. The saponins of ginseng significantly increase the serum antibody response to Newcastle disease; inactivates H5N1 and H9N2 vaccines in chickens.


Immunostimulant


Most herbs and spices are rich in flavonoids, vitamin C and carotenoids beneficial to the bird’s immune system. Some of these plants include echinacea, liquorice, garlic and cat’s claw. These plants improve the activity of lymphocytes, macrophages and natural killer cells; they increase phagocytosis or stimulate the interpheron synthesis. In addition, several herbs have been reported to have immunomodulatory effects such as histamine release, modulation of cytokine, and immunoglobulin secretion.


Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com


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