Effect of phytobiotic mixture on production performance of broiler chickens

Introduction

Enhancing growth performance in broiler chickens is a primary objective of poultry production, as feed efficiency directly influences production cost and profitability (Mehta and Nambiar, 2008) [1] . Antibiotic growth promoters have been widely used to improve growth rate and feed utilization in broilers; however, increasing concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic residues in poultry products have resulted in restrictions on their use. Consequently, the search for safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics has become an important focus in poultry nutrition. Phytogenic feed additives derived from medicinal plants have gained attention as natural alternatives due to their growth-promoting, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and digestivestimulating properties (Raza et al., 2019) [2] . Several studies have reported that phytobiotics improve nutrient digestibility, gut health, and growth performance in broiler chickens (Lillehoj et al., 2018; Wickramasuriya et al., 2024) [4,3] . Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Phyllanthus niruri are medicinal plants rich in bioactive compounds and have been shown to support digestion, modulate gut microbiota, and enhance growth performance when included individually in poultry diets (Jagadeeswaran et al., 2011; Ayalew et al., 2022; Pasaribu et al., 2023) [5,7,6] . Although the beneficial effects of turmeric and Phyllanthus niruri have been documented, limited information is available on their combined supplementation at different inclusion levels on broiler growth performance. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of a phytobiotic mixture containing Curcuma longa and Phyllanthus niruri on the growth performance of broiler chickens.

Materials and Methods

Day-old commercial broiler chicks (Vencobb-400) were procured from a reputed private hatchery, and the experiment was conducted after approval of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) at the Animal Experimental Shed, Livestock Farm Complex (LFC), Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER), Puducherry. A total of 180 day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments with 36 birds per treatment. Each treatment consisted of three replicates, each with 12 birds. The experimental groups included Control (C), Reference (R), Treatment 1 (T 1 ), Treatment 2 (T 2 ), and Treatment 3 (T 3 ). The Control group was fed a standard basal diet, while the Reference group received the basal diet supplemented with an antibiotic growth promoter (Avilamycin). Treatments T 1 , T 2 , and T 3 were fed the basal diet supplemented with a phytobiotic mixture containing Curcuma longa and Phyllanthus niruri at inclusion levels of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, respectively. The phytobiotic mixture was prepared by drying and finely grinding turmeric rhizomes and whole plants of Phyllanthus niruri, which were mixed uniformly and incorporated into the feed. Experimental diets were formulated as per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS, 2007) recommendations. Birds were fed a three-phase feeding schedule consisting of pre-starter (0-7 days), starter (8-21 days), and finisher (22-42 days) diets. Feed and clean drinking water were provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period.

Housing and management

Birds were reared under a deep litter system in well-ventilated pens. Proper brooding management was followed during the initial period, and standard biosecurity and management practices were maintained throughout the experiment.

Growth performance parameters

Body weight, feed intake, and mortality were recorded weekly for all treatment groups. Body weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and livability were calculated on both weekly and cumulative bases.

Statistical analysis

The data obtained on growth performance parameters were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Treatment means were compared, and differences were considered significant when p < 0.05 and non-significant when p > 0.05.

Results and Discussion

During the six-week feeding trial, dietary supplementation with a phytobiotic mixture containing Phyllanthus niruri and Curcuma longa significantly influenced the growth performance of broiler chickens.

Average weekly Body weight gain & average weekly body weight:

The initial body weights of chicks did not differ significantly among the treatment groups (p > 0.05), indicating uniformity at the beginning of the experiment (Table 1 and figure 1). During the first and second weeks, body weight and weight gain were statistically similar (p > 0.05) across all groups (Tables 1 and2), suggesting that phytobiotic supplementation had minimal influence during the early growth phase. [5] , Hussein (2013) [9] , Osman et al. (2017) [10] , Ahlawat et al. (2018) [8] , Pasaribu et al. (2021) [11] , and Purnamasari et al. (2024) [12] . The reduced response observed at higher inclusion levels may be associated with decreased palatability or impaired nutrient utilization, as suggested earlier by Wang et al. (2015) [13] .

Feed intake:

Feed intake was moderately influenced by phytobiotic supplementation. Weekly feed intake did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) among treatments during the initial weeks (Table 3 and figure 2); however, during the midgrowth phase, birds in the T 1 and T 2 groups consumed comparatively higher amounts of feed. Cumulative feed intake was also higher in phytobiotic-supplemented groups, particularly at the 0.5% inclusion level (Table 4), indicating improved palatability and digestive efficiency. These findings are consistent with previous reports by Jagadeeswaran et al.

(2011) [5] , and Wang et al. (2015) [13] , who observed increased feed consumption in broilers fed phytogenic additives. (a,b,c) in the same row indicate significant difference (p ≤ 0.05). NS -non-significant (p > 0.05), * -significant (p < 0.05); **-(p < 0.01). C -Control, R -Reference (antibiotic), T1 -0.5%, T2 -1%, T3 -1.5% phytobiotics mixture respectively. 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 Bars representing means with different superscripts within a row differ significantly (p  0.05) 3.3 Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly improved with phytobiotic supplementation, especially during the later growth stages. Broilers receiving the 0.5% phytobiotic mixture exhibited significantly lower FCR values (p < 0.05) compared to the control group (Table 5 and figure 3), indicating enhanced feed utilization efficiency. This improvement may be associated with improved gut health, increased digestive enzyme activity, and stabilization of intestinal microflora promoted by phytogenic compounds. Comparable improvements in FCR with turmeric and P. niruri supplementation have been reported by Hussein (2013), Osman et al. (2017) [10] , Yesuf et al. (2017) [16] , and El-Gogary et al. (2025) [15] . [17] , Hussein (2013) [9] , and Purnamasari et al. (2024) [12] . Overall, the results indicate that dietary supplementation with a phytobiotic mixture containing Phyllanthus niruri and Curcuma longa, particularly at the 0.5% inclusion level, effectively improved growth performance and feed efficiency in broiler chickens without adversely affecting feed intake or survivability.

Conclusion

The findings of the present study indicate that dietary inclusion of a phytobiotic mixture comprising Phyllanthus niruri and Curcuma longa had a beneficial effect on the production performance of broiler chickens. Among the evaluated inclusion levels, supplementation at 0.5% produced the most desirable results, as evidenced by increased body weight, higher cumulative weight gain, and improved feed conversion ratio, without negatively affecting feed intake or bird survivability. Inclusion levels above 0.5% resulted in comparatively moderate responses, suggesting that optimal performance is achieved at lower supplementation rates. The enhanced growth and feed efficiency may be attributed to the synergistic effects of the bioactive compounds present in the phytobiotic mixture, which likely improved gut health, nutrient absorption, and metabolic efficiency. Overall, the results support the use of Phyllanthus niruri and Curcuma longa-based phytobiotic mixtures as a safe and effective natural alternative to antibiotic growth promoters for improving production performance in broiler chickens

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