PLANT EXTRACTS
The sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics as growth promoters is a public health concern because of the transfer of antibiotic-resistant organisms, many of which can be normally found in bird’s feces. Bacteria expend large amounts of energy to maintain their resistance to antibiotics. Removing or replacing antibiotics with another drug is a common practice in the poultry industry that only exacerbates the problem leading to the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to several drugs.
Plant extracts are currently gaining global attention as organic alternatives to antibiotics because they contain phytochemicals that are safe, effective, environmentally friendly and could be used to bridge the gap between food safety and livestock production. Extracts from plants can be gotten from the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and seeds of different species of medicinal plants. Examples of phytochemicals are tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, and oxalates which are reservoirs of biologically active compounds with therapeutic properties (antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, cytotoxic, hypolipidemic and antibacterial).
Among the potential medicinal plants are: garlic, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, and baobab leaf powder which are found to be loaded with several bioactive compounds or phytochemicals at various concentrations. Variations in the concentrations of phytochemicals in these compounds could be attributed to differences in species, stage of growth, antinutrients, geographical locations as well as method of processing.
The use of herbal plants (plant extracts) is considered safe without having side effects for enhancing the performance of birds. Herbs could have been expected to serve as feed additives due to their suitability and preference, reduced risk of toxicity, and minimum health hazards.
GARLIC
Garlic (Allium sativum) contains sulfur compounds including alliin, produced enzymatically from (diallyl ehisosulfinate), allyl propyl disulfide, diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide, ajoene and vicnyldithiines (secondary products of alliin produced non-enzymatically from allicin); S-allylmeracaptocystocysteine (ASSC) and S-methymeracaptocysteine (MSSC); terpens include Citra, geraniol, linalool alfa and beta-phellandrene Previously, garlic has been listed as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). It has also been scientifically proven to prevent the activities of pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli.
GINGER
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. Its essential oil had long served the purpose of being medically significant, as antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory analgesic, and immunomodulatory impacts due to the presence of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and phytochemicals (β-bisabolene and zingiberene (major) other sesquiterpenes include zingiberol, αr-curcumence, β-sesquiphellandrene, β-sesquiphellandrol (cis and trans); numerous monoterpene hydrocarbons, alcohols, and aldehydes) reported to improve hatchability, growth, and immune booster.
- Increases feed intake and improve digestibility
- Promotes healthy gut
- Prevent dysbiosis
- Beneficial for all stages of growth
- Increases profitability
- No negative side effects or withdrawal periods
- Immune booster
- Promotes thick shell and hatchability in pullets
PRACTICAL TROPICAL PLANTS USED IN POULTRY PRODUCTION
| PLANTS/ LEAF EXTRACT | METHOD OF PROCESSING | QUANTITY/ USES |
| Guava leaf | Powder: To treat E. coli, improve egg quality and immune booster | 200g to 100 kg feed 3 ml of extract to 10 liters of water |
| Guava root | Aqueous extract: To treat E. coli, hatchability, egg quality, reduce mortality, coryza infection and other bacterial infections | 5 ml of extract to 20 liters of water |
| Guava stem bark | Powder: Improves intake, palatability of feed, egg quality, and immune booster | 5 ml of extract to 20 liters of water |
| Mango leaf | Powder: Improves intake, palatability of feed, egg quality and immune booster | 250 g to 100 kg feed |
| Mango stem bark | Aqueous extract: Bacterial infections and improve growth of broilers | 3 ml to 20 liters of water |
| Mango root | Aqueous extract: Bacterial infections and improve growth of broilers | 3 ml to 20 liters of water |
| Polyalthia longifolia leaf | Powder: Newcastle and other bacterial infections | 150 g to 100 kg feed |
| Polyalthia longifolia stem | Aqueous extract: Newcastle and other bacterial infections | 8 ml to 20 liters of water |
| Tridax procumbens leaf | Powder: Bacterial infections | 150 g to 100 kg feed |
| Orange leaf | Powder: Antioxidants, bacterial infections | 150 g to 100 kg feed |
| Orange peels | Aqueous extract: Newcastle disease and other bacterial infections | 5ml to 20 liters of water |
| Moringa oleifera leaf | Powder: bacterial infections | 150 g to 100 kg feed |
| Pawpaw leaf | Powder: bacterial infections | 150 g to 100 kg feed |
| Pawpaw root | Aqueous extract: bacterial infection and Newcastle disease | 3 ml of 20 liters of water |
| Pawpaw stem bark | powder | 150 g to 100 kg feed |
| Phyllantus amarus leaf | Powder: Newcastle disease | 3ml to 20 liters of water |
| Bitter leaf (leaves) | Powder | |
| Phyllantus amarus leaf extract | Aqueous extract | 3 ml of 20 liters of water |
| Bitter leaf stem bark | Aqueous extract | 3 ml of 20 liters of water |
*To prepare the plant extract air dry the leaves (200 g) and soak in water (1000 ml or 1 liter) for 72 hours. Stir continuously and sieve before administration.
Author : Dr. Alagbe J.O(2022)