• Livestock

Use of a phytobiotic supplement in the feeding of broiler chickens

The BroilerNet project involves a bottom-up approach to identify challenges and innovation needs for broiler farmers in Europe, and to collect promising and already successfully implemented Good Practices to meet the challenges in questions. The top Good Practices selected by experts within the three thematic areas (animal health management, animal welfare and sustainability) have been summarized in factsheets. Since ancient times, plants and especially herbs have been used in the prevention and treatment of humans and animals. Many studies confirm the beneficial effects of herbs on poultry health. Various parts of plants can be used as herbal raw material as a source of biologically active substances. Factors having a positive effect on the poultry organism are the biologically active compounds contained in herbs, such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, glycosides, tannins, tannins, mucilages, bitters, essential oils, alkaloids, terpenes, triterpenes, saponins, iridoids, naphthoquinions, anthraquinions, phenols, phenolacids and mineral salts. All of the aforementioned substances are included in a group of biologically active compounds with a wide chemical diversity called phytobiotics.