Effects of clove oil as a substitute for antibiotic growth promoters on broiler growth performance

Abstract

The goal of the current study was to assess how clove (Syzygium aromaticum) oil promotes broiler growth. A total of 50 chicks were split into 5 groups at random. As a control group, Group I received basal feed devoid of clove oil and antibiotics. Avilamycin was administered at a rate of 15 ppm in feed as a standard growth promoter to Group II, which functioned as the standard control group. Clove oil was administered to Groups III, IV, and V at doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg feed, respectively. The duration of this study was 42 days. Weekly body weight (BW), weekly and total body weight gain (BWG), weekly and total feed consumption (FC), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and livability were all measured for each bird in the various experimental groups. In comparison to birds in the control group, poultry fed with clove oil at 400 and 800 mg/kg food and avilamycin antibiotic demonstrated significantly higher body weight and body weight gain at the end of the experiment. Birds treated with clove oil also displayed dose-dependent increases in body weight and weight gain. It showed that when it comes to enhancing broiler performance, clove oil supplementation has comparable effects to standard antibiotic avilamycin supplementation. The total amount of feed consumed by the birds from birth to the sixth week of life was not significant and did not alter amongst the various experimental groups, indicating that the addition of clove oil had no negative impact on the birds' feed intake. When compared to birds in the control group, the overall feed conversion ratio (FCR) at the end of the trial was considerably improved in birds supplemented with clove oil at 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg food and the common antibiotic avilamycin. This suggests that clove oil has a positive effect on feed utilization. Furthermore, the FCR of birds fed with conventional antibiotics and clove oil (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg diet) was nearly same. The current study's findings showed that clove oil has the potential to replace conventional antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets and can be utilized as a safe, natural growth promoter with no negative health consequences.