Effects of Addition Feeding the GUF, EUO, SUL on the Productivity and Serum Contents in Broiler Chicken

Antibiotic supplements are one of the most economical and effective methods to promote growth and development of livestock. However, due to several concerns including the presence of drug residues in meat products, the development of alternatives to antibiotics is required. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the feasibility of feeding broiler chickens a herb mixture comprising Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch (GUF), Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (EUO), and Solanumnigrum Linne (SNL) as an alternative to antibiotic supplements. The chickens were fed either the herb mixture, added to chicken feed in proportions of 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% or antibiotic supplements or neither. After 6 weeks, we evaluated weight gain, feed efficiency, carcass productivity, internal organ weight, and blood cholesterol level. All groups fed herb mixture showed significantly higher (p＜ 0.05) total weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion rate, and carcass weight than the other two groups. A pinkish red or lustrous, dark red color of the liver and bowel is considered an indicator of a healthy animal. This was observed in only 1 animal in the group that did not receive the herbal mixture; however, in groups that received 0.3% and 0.5% herbal mixture showed 11 animals with healthy pinkish red color of the liver. Additionally, compared to the group that received the herbal mixture, the serum levels of total protein and GPT were higher in the group that did not. Although more studies are required, these results indicate that the use of this herbal mixture may be considered an alternative to antibiotic supplements in livestock feed.