Economic Evaluation of Broiler Diets Supplemented with Either Selected Herbs or Their Associated Essential Oils

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 1 - 9, 15.01.2025

Nadya Mincheva , Magdalena Oblakova , Ivelina Ivanova , Pavlina Hristakieva

https://doi.org/10.47115/bsagriculture.1564174

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in incorporating phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) into broiler chicken diets as potential alternatives to traditional growth-promoting additives. This study evaluated the economics of individually incorporating either six different dried herbs or their essential oils into broiler diets: chamomile, rosemary, lavender, oregano, thyme, and St. John's wort. A total of 390 day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly divided into 13 groups of 30 chicks with three replicates (10 chicks/replicate). One group received a basal diet (control group), while the others received a basal diet supplemented with 2% of each dried herb (E1-E6 groups) or 0.02% of their essential oils (E7-E12 groups) for 39 days. The parameters measured were feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, feed costs, economic efficiency and European Broiler Index (EBI). The results showed better economic efficiency with 2% dried St. John's wort herb, as well as 0.02% St. John's wort, rosemary, thyme or lavender essential oils compared to the other treatments (P<0.05), but not compared to the control group (P>0.05). Unsatisfactory results were observed with dry lavender herb and essential oils of chamomile or oregano, which resulted in a significant decrease in net income and economic efficiency due to higher feed costs per kilogram live weight (P<0.05). EBI values were not significantly increased in any of the treated groups compared to the control group (P>0.05). These results suggest that while certain PFAs can improve economic efficiency, their overall effect is variable and some may not outperform traditional growth promoters.

Keywords

Broiler performance, Phytogenic feed additives, Herbs, Essential oils, Economic efficiency

Ethical Statement

The authors confirm that the ethical policies of the journal, as noted on the journal's author guidelines page, have been adhered to. All procedures, including the use of birds, management and care, were in compliance with the European Council Directive regulations on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (2010/63/EU), and national protocol (approval date: November 01, 2012, protocol code: 20).

Project Number

project “Opportunities for obtaining functional foods from poultry”- №КП-06- Г 26/3

Thanks

We are highly grateful to the Bulgarian National Science Fund for financial support.

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