Phytogenic Feed Additives in Poultry Nutrition
Summary
Phytogenic feed additives encompass a diverse array of plant-derived substances, including essential oils, herbs, spices and other botanical extracts, introduced into poultry diets as natural alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. These compounds are rich in secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, terpenes and phenolic acids, which exert multifaceted modes of action: modulation of gut microbiota, enhancement of digestive enzyme secretion, antioxidant protection and immune stimulation. In broiler and layer production systems, appropriate inclusion rates of phytogenics have been shown to improve feed efficiency, promote intestinal integrity and reduce inflammatory markers, thereby supporting sustainable intensification and mitigating antimicrobial resistance. Global trends in consumer demand for residue-free poultry products and tightening regulatory frameworks have accelerated both fundamental and applied research into formulation strategies, standardisation of active constituents and delivery technologies. Taken together, phytogenics represent a promising toolkit for optimising bird health, welfare and performance while addressing environmental and public-health challenges in modern poultry production.
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Phytogenic Feed Additives in Poultry Nutrition publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytogenic feed additives in poultry nutrition across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phytogenic feed additives: Plant-derived compounds used in animal feeds to promote growth, health and gut function.
Phytobiotics: A subset of phytogenics comprising bioactive plant substances such as flavonoids and terpenes.
Essential oils: Volatile, aromatic extracts from plants rich in terpenoids and phenolic constituents.
Nanoencapsulation: Encapsulation of active agents within nanometre-scale carriers to enhance stability and controlled release.
Gut microbiota: The community of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract that influences digestion and immunity.
Feed conversion ratio (FCR): A measure of feed efficiency calculated as feed intake divided by weight gain.
References
- Enhancing broiler chicken health and performance: the impact of phytobiotics on growth, gut microbiota, antioxidants, and immunity. Phytochemistry Reviews (2024).
- Impact of Nanoencapsulated Rosemary Essential Oil as a Novel Feed Additive on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilization, Carcass Traits, Meat Quality and Gene Expression of Broiler Chicken. Foods (2024).
- Impact of coriander (Coriandrum sativum), garlic (Allium sativum), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) on zootechnical performance, carcass quality, blood metabolites and nutrient digestibility in broilers chickens. Veterinary Quarterly (2024).
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