Plant extracts in animal nutrition

Plant extracts have been known since ancient times and are used by human to take care of his health. With the help of roots and herbal decoctions, phytotherapy appeared as a solution to all illnesses when medicines did not yet exist. This alternative medicine was also applied to treat domestic animals.

Plant extracts have been known since ancient times and are used by human to take care of his health. With the help of roots and herbal decoctions, phytotherapy appeared as a solution to all illnesses when medicines did not yet exist. This alternative medicine was also applied to treat domestic animals.

Various kinds of antibiotics have been used extensively as growth promoters in animal feeds for a large number of years, especially in the fields of poultry production. As a result of the decision to ban of the antibiotics in livestock production researches on plant extracts as alternatives to the use of growth promoters (antibiotics) has significantly increased. Many novel natural candidate replacements including probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids and plant extracts and essential oils have been applied to maintain good production. Recently, herb and plant extracts have been received a great attention to be fed to poultry as feed additives to improve and increase production. The most commonly studied plants to be used in animal nutrition are cinnamon, oregano, cumin, garlic, sumac, cloves, anise, green tea ,yucca, epimedium, berberine and ginger. Researchers have shown that these extracts are the powerful stimulators of the immune and animal digestive systems as well as highly beneficial effects in poultry nutrition due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticoccidial and anthelmintic properties.