Phytogenic additives in broilers chicken nutrition: essential oils and spices

Abstract

The search for safe food and products of animal origin that meet the wellness criteria and the environment gained momentum in the last decade. Thus, research aimed at the replacement of antimicrobials in animal diets are developed in order to reduce economic problems, health and provide safe and quality products to the consumer. These include probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotic, enzymes, acidifiers and phytogenic additives, which modify, by stimulating the natural biota or inhibit for greater competitiveness, in a less aggressive way, the pathogenic intestinal biota, promoting a better balance of gastrointestinal half and favoring the absorption of nutrients. The additives are phytogenic substances derived from medicinal herbs or spices, that have a positive effect on the production and health of the animals. These additives may act to inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in the intestine and improve the digestibility of nutrients. It is expected that in coming years more research involving the use of phytogenic additives in poultry feed are developed so that in this way there is greater interest of the poultry sector to make use of these additives in place and existing antimicrobial growth promoters. The use of phytogenic additives in poultry can be viable because it allows best performance and digestibility , and allows an improvement in viability stock breeding with consequent better productive efficiency index , especially when there are health challenge conditions. Thus, considering the growing interest in the use of these additives in poultry feed, we present a review of the phytogenic compounds and the main foods containing them.