Yitbarek, 2015. International J Ext Res.

3:49-60
International http://www.journalijer.com
Journal of Extensive Research e-Print ISSN: 2394-0301

Review article Open Access

Phytogenics As Feed Additives In Poultry Production: A Review

Melkamu Bezabih Yitbarek*

Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Debre Markos University, Ethiopia

Abstract
The purpose of this review is to provide detailed information about the use of phytogenic feed additives in poultry produc-
tion. Phytogenics are a group of natural and non-antibiotic growth promoters used as feed additives, derived from herbs,
spices, essential oils and oleoresins. It is natural, less toxic, residue free and ideal feed additives for poultry when compared
to synthetic antibiotics or inorganic chemicals. Most common and frequently used herbs and spices for phytogenic feed ad-
diitives in poultry production are oregano, thyme, garlic, horseradish, chili, cayenne, pepper, peppermint, cinnamon, anise,
rosemary and sage. Many beneficial properties of phytogenic compounds derive from their bioactive molecules are carvacrol,
thymol, cineole, linalool, anethole, allicin, capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate and piperine. Phytogenic feed additives have antimi-
crobial, antifungal, antiviral, antitoxigenic, antiparasitic and insecticidal properties. The potential benefits of using phytogen-
ics in poultry nutrition are: increased feed intake, stimulation of digestion, increased growth performance, reduced incidence
of disease, improved reproductive parameters, improved feed efficiency, increased profitability and reducing poultry house
emissions. Phytogenic feed additives from aromatic plant parts could be included ranged from 0.01-30 g/kg (oregano 10 to
30 g/kg , garlic at 1.5-2 g/ kg feed, rosemary at 5-10 g/kg feed and rosemary powder at 0.5 g/kg feed) whereas essential oils
could be included in the feed (rosemary and sage extracts at 500 mg/kg of feed, oregano essential oil at 50-300 mg/kg feed,
thymol at 100 mg/kg ). Therefore; to maximize the overall performance of poultry, phytogenic feed additives should be used
as an alternative feed additives in poultry production because of the absence of side effects, residual effects, non-hazardous
and eco-friendly.

Keywords: Growth promoters, phytogenics, poultry production.

Introduction overcome this problem, restrictions are being imposed in 2006 by

Growth promoting antibiotics (GPAs) are widely used to improve
the production performance of meat producing animals. Howev-
er, the use of GPAs in animal production may increase antibiotic
resistant bacteria, the accumulation of antibiotic residues in ani-
mal products and the potential to transfer resistant strains from
animals to humans via the food chain (Stanaćev et al. 2011a). To
*Corresponding author e-mail: melkamu_bezabihy@yahoo.com
European Union health authorities to reduce or ban the use of
GPAs in meat and egg producing animals (Windisch et al. 2008).
Any ban on the use of GPAs in meat and egg production will in-
crease the cost of production, which will result in reduced profits.
After a complete ban or restricted use of antibiotic growth pro-
moters imposes a comprehensive researches about their replace-
ment with additives that on acceptable way increase production
performance, maintain animal health and not create harmful resi-
dues in food (Castanon, 2007). One of the possible alternatives to
replace GPAs in poultry production is phytogenic additives (Win-
disch et al. 2008).

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Yitbarek et al. 2015. International J Ext Res. 3:49-60
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Phytogenics are a group of natural growth promoters (NGPs) or
non-antibiotic growth promoters used as feed additives, derived
from herbs, spices or other plants. Aromatic herbs and spices
added in feed or water, because they contain a large number of
substances with antimicrobial, antiviral and antioxidant activities
(Bölükbaşi et al. 2009). Phytogenic feed additives (PFA), are in-
corporated into animal feed to enhance productivity through the
improvement of digestibility, nutrient absorption and elimination
of pathogens residents in the animal gut (Athanasiadou et al.
2007). Digestive stimulation by phytogenic additives is achieved
through stimulation of saliva secretion, liver, pancreas and intes-
tine enzymes activities, intestine function and morphohistology
and metabolism (Perić et al. 2010). The use and methods of
phytogenic feed additives application may vary widely with respect
to botanical origin, processing, and composition. However, phy-
togenics, are a relatively new class of feed additives and there is
still a limited knowledge regarding their uses and methods of
application. Therefore this review provides updated information
on the use and applications of phytogenic feed additives in poultry
production.
Survey
Phytogenics
Phytogenics are a group of natural growth promoters (NGPs) or
non-antibiotic growth promoters used as feed additives, derived
from herbs, spices or other plants (e.g. garlic, oregano, thyme,
Table 1. Often used plants, its active components and functions for poultry and other
animals
Source: Kamel, 2000
rosemary, coriander and cinnamon) as well as to their respective
plant extracts in the form of essential oils (Windisch et al. 2008).
They are commonly regarded as favorable alternatives feed addi-
tives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in poultry produc-
tion (Windisch et al. 2008). Phytogenic feed additives consist of
a broad variety of substances, mainly extracts from plant materi-
als, such as flowers, buds, seeds, leaves, twigs, bark, herbs, wood,
fruits and roots (Burt, 2004). It was reported that these products
of plant origin are natural, less toxic, residue free and ideal feed
additives for animal when compared to synthetic antibiotics or
inorganic chemicals (Hashemi et al. 2008). Phytogenic substances
have antimicrobial, antifungal antiparasitic antiviral, antitoxigenic
and insecticidal properties (Guarrera, 1999; Burt, 2004; Okitoi et
al. 2007). Phytogenic feed additives are either available in a solid,
dried and ground form or as extracts or essential oils.
Commonly Used Phytogenic Compounds
Commonly used to classify the vast variety of phytogenic com-
pounds, mainly with respect to origin and processing, such as
herbs (flowering, nonwoody, and nonpersistent plants), spices
(herbs with an intensive smell or taste commonly added to human
food), essential oils (volatile lipophilic compounds derived by cold
expression or by steam or alcohol distillation), or oleoresins (ex-
tracts derived by nonaqueous solvents). Within phytogenic feed
additives, the content of active substances in products may vary
widely, depending on the plant part used (e.g., seeds, leaf, root, or
bark), harvesting season, and geographical origin. The technique
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Table 2. Herbs and spices frequently used in phytogenic feed additives for poultry

Herb/spice Latin name Plant family Main constituents

Oregano Oreganum vulgare Labiateae Carvacrol, thymol
Thyme Thymus vulgare Labiateae Thymol, carvacrol
Garlic Allium sativum L. Alliaceae, Liliaceae Diallyldisulfide, alliin, alliciin
Horseradish Armoracia rusticana Brassicaceae Allyl-isothiocyanate
Chili, Cayenne Pepper Capsicum frutescens Solanaceae Capsaicin
Peppermint Mentha piperita Labiateae Menthol, carvacrol
Cinnamon Cinnamomum cassia Lauraceae Cinnamaldehyde
Anise Pimpinella anisum Apiaceae, Umbelliferae Anethol
Source: Windisch et al. 2008

for processing (e.g., cold expression, steam distillation, extraction
with nonaqueous solvents, etc.) modifies the active substances and
associated compounds within the final product.
Herbs and herbal products are incorporated in poultry diets to
replace synthetic products in order to stimulate or promote the
effective use of feed nutrients which may subsequently result in
more rapid body weight gain, higher production rates and im-
proved feed efficiency. Moreover, active components of herbs
may improve digestion and stimulate the immune function in
poultry (Ghazalah and Ali, 2008). Among the listed spices and
herbs in Table 1, commonly and frequently used phytogenic feed
additives in poultry diets are presented in Table 2.
Chemical Composition of Phytogenic Feed Additives
Usually, phytogenic vary seriously in their chemical ingredients,
depending on their composition and influences of climatic con-
ditions, locations or harvest time. Hence, differences in efficacy
between phytogenic products which are currently available at the
market can be attributed mainly to differences in their chemical
composition (Table 3)(Steiner, 2006).

Table 3. Chemical composition of phytogenic feed additives

Spices/Herbs DM% EE% CP% CF% Ash% NFE%

Organo 88 0.6 10.8 12.9 0.9 62.8
Garlic 96 0.7 15.3 2.1 4.1 73.2
Cress 97 23.2 24.2 11.9 7.1 30.7
Mustard 96 38.5 25.4 6.4 4.3 21.2
Black cumin 97 31.9 20.6 10.4 4.5 30
Fenugreek 92 4.5 12.9 13.1 4.2 57.5
Black pepper 95 5.3 25.5 23.6 3.6 37.4
Clover 92 16.6 6.9 11.5 6 51.3
Ginger 94 5.4 8.6 3.3 6.3 63
Ansi 94 1.38 12.9 20.9 0.8 58
Source: Christaki et al. 2011

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intestinal availability of essential nutrients for absorption, thereby

helping animals to grow better within the framework of their ge-
netic potential (Hashemi and Davoodi, 2010). According to Xu
et al., (2008), essential oils have the ability to disrupt cytoplasm
Table 4. Examples of aromatic plants and their major bioactive membrane of pathogens. Moreover, antibacterial activity occurs
components in reason of active substances of essential oils which might cross
the cell membrane and interact or disrupt intracellular structures
Proximate Essen- (Cristani et al., 2007). Where the reduction of pathogens within
Spice /  Major essential oil Com-
Herb 
tial Oil Content
ponent(s)  the intestines will promote less nutrient competition and conse-
(%) quently increase more nutrient availability for animal utilisation
Garlic  0.3 - 0.5  Allicin  and also prevent intestinal diseases. The principal mode of ac-
Mustard  0.5 - 1.0  Allyl isothiocyanate  tions of phytogenic additives for better growth performance of
Cinnamon  0.5 - 2.0  Cinnamaldehyde, Eugenol  birds is shown in Figure 1.
Cloves  1.6 – 1.8 Eugenol 
Beneficial Effects of Phytogenic Feed Additives on Poultry
Sage  0.7 - 2.0  Thymol, Eugenol 
Phytogenic compound’ is the parts (e.g. seeds, fruits, roots and
Oregano  0.8 - 0.9 Thymol, Carvacrol 
leafs) of various aromatic herbs and spices (e.g. garlic, oregano,
Source: Lee et al. 2004
thyme, rosemary, coriander and cinnamon) as well as to their re-
spective plant extracts in the form of essential oils (Windisch et al.
2008). Many beneficial properties of phytogenic compounds de-
rive from their bioactive molecules (e.g. carvacrol, thymol, cineole,
linalool, anethole, allicin, capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate and piper-

Currently there is a rising interest in essential oils for animal nu-

trition, as they have a much higher biological activity compared to
the raw material they were extracted from. Essential oils are plant
bioactive compounds along with variable chemical composition
and concentrations. Essential oils consist basically of two class-
es of compounds, the terpenes and phenylpropenes (Lee et al.,
2004). There is a dependency regarding content and composition Phytogenic supplementation (feed
of essential oils on the interaction of many factors in the plant or drinking water)

raw material and the essential oils production process. For exam-
ple, plant species and growth stage, the environment (e.g. harvest
season, climate and stress condition), agricultural practices (e.g. Antimicrobial effect towards gut
microflora
plant density per cultivated area, fertilization, irrigation level) and
growing region will all affect essential oil content and composition
of the raw extract (Daferera et al., 2003). The processing methods
Increased nutrient digestibility
applied in essential oil production, such as hydrodistillation or sol-
vent extraction, can have a significant effect on the amount and
composition of the extracted oil (Russo et al. 1998).
Essential oils are odoriferous, secondary plant products which Reduced levels of microbial toxic
metabolites in the gut
contain most of the plant’s active substances, being mainly hy-
drocarbons (e.g. terpenes, sesquiterpenes), oxygenated com-
pounds (e.g. alcohol, aldehydes, ketones) and a small percentage Relief from intestinal challenge and
of non-volatile residues (e.g. paraffin, wax) (Losa, 2000). They are immune stress

obtained from the raw materials, basically through steam distilla-

tion (Table 4).
Enhanced performance & livability

Mode of actions
The primary mode of action of phytogenic feed additives aris-
Figure 1. Mode of action of a phytogenic additive based on
es from beneficially affecting the ecosystem of gastrointestinal
oregano, anise and citrus essential oils
microbiota through controlling potential pathogens. Improved
digestive capacity in the small intestine may be considered an in-
direct side effect of phytogenic stabilizing the microbial eubiosis
in the gut. Consequently, phytogenic relieve the host animals from
immune defense stress during critical situations and increase the

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ine). Most phytogenic feed additives is still not fully understood,
but antimicrobial, antioxidative, and growth-promoting effects in
poultry have already been reported (Windisch et al. 2008; Jacela
et al. 2010). The most well-known potential mechanisms of their
action are as follows:
(i) Antimicrobial effects
Oregano and thyme are among those which have received a great
deal of interest (Papatsiros et al. 2009). These plants contain
the monoterpenes carvacrol and thymol, respectively, and have
demonstrated high efficacy in vitro against several pathogens
found in the intestinal tract (Jugl-Chizzola et al. 2005). The an-
timicrobial activity is dependent on the physico-chemical charac-
teristics of plant compounds and bacterial strains used (Sari et al.
2006). Burt and Reindeers (2003) observed an antibacterial effect
of essential oils of oregano and thyme against E. coli (Gram -)
at a dose of 0.6 mL /L. Ayachi et al. (2009) studied the in vitro
effect of some extracts of berries and thyme to fight against E.
coli and Salmonella isolates from chicken. These authors concluded
that only the thyme would be effective against Salmonella. Thyme
would work with the most active compounds (thymol and carvac-
rol) against fungi such as Candida albicans (Cosentino et al. 1999).
Other investigations have demonstrated the effectiveness of wal-
nut leaves (Juglandaceae) to reduce the proliferation of Clostrid-
ium perfrengens in chickens but also to enhance the growth of
these birds (Mathis et al. 2007). Clove frequently used as a spice
is very rich in eugenol. It is used as an antibacterial in human and
veterinary medicine (Rhayour et al., 2003).
The essential oil of oregano contains about 60% carvacrol
and 10% thymol with a demonstrated effectiveness against some
strains of salmonella (Koscova et al. 2006) located in the digestive
tract of chicken. Additionally, some plant extracts have demon-
strated an activity against some chicken parasites, especially coc-
cidia (Eimeria spp) (Naidoo et al. 2008). Betaine is a by-product of
the sugar beet industry PFA are an interesting solution to clean the
digestive tract of birds which is very useful in diseases prevention
in poultry (Shelef, 1983); have a positive impact in fighting coccid-
iosis. It protects against osmotic stress associated with dehydration
and permits normal metabolic activity of cells.
Turmeric is a spice coming from the rhizome of Curcuma lon-
ga. It is used as a food coloring, but also for medicinal purposes.
The active component is curcumin, a phenolic compound at con-
centrations of about 1 to 5%. It has antioxidant, anti-inflamma-
tory and antitumoral activities. In infected chicken with Eimeria
maxima, supplementation of feed with 1% turmeric spice im-
proves weight gain, reduces intestinal lesions and oocyst excretion.
Curcumin exerts its anticoccidial effect through its antioxidant ac-
tion on the immune system (Allen et al. 1998). Soltan et al. (2008)
found that the supplementation of poultry feed with anise grains,
improved blood parameters and increased the phagocytic activity
and lymphocyte counts. Cinnamon has also an immuno-stimulat-
ing effect that can be attributed to its anti-oxidant property.
In addition to all these antimicrobial implications, phytogenics
improve the microbial carcass hygiene and the preservation qual-
ity, in relation with their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties
(Aksit et al. 2006). Plants extract in foods and/or systems used on
carcass surfaces decreases the bacterial contamination of poultry
products (Gülmez et al. 2006). In the improvement of microbial
carcass hygiene, oils extracted from plants (such as oregano, rose-
mary, sage) have a positive effect (Govaris et al. 2007).
(ii) Antioxidative effects
The antioxidant properties of herbs and spices have been large-
ly described by Wei and Shibamoto (2007). Among the varieties
of plants with antioxidant constituents, plants of the Labiatae
families (like mint) have attracted a great interest. Their antioxi-
dative activities are due to phenolic terpenes (Cuppett and Hall,
1998). Other herbs and species with antioxidative properties such
as thyme and oregano contain large amounts of monoterpenes,
thymol and carvacrol ( Rahim et al. 2011). Plants rich with fla-
vonoids such as green tea and other Chinese herbs have natural
antioxidant (Wei and Shibamoto, 2007). Black pepper (Piper ni-
grum), red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and chili (Capsicum fre-
tuscene) contain also several antioxidative compounds (Nakatani,
1994). The antioxidant properties of several PFA can contribute
to dietary lipids protection from oxidation. Labiatae plants used
as antioxidants in feed diet of small animals are very encouraging
(Cuppett and Hall, 1998).
The activity of Labiatae phenolic compounds in improving
the stability of animal products has been demonstrated in broiler
chickens by several authors (Giannenas et al. 2005; Florou - Paneri
et al. 2006). In addition, phytogenic feed additives derived from
the Labiatae plant family containing herbal phenolic compounds
to improve the oxidative stability of chicken meat (Janz et al.
2007). The use of PFA as an antioxidant is not only important for
the poultry health, but also for the oxidative stability of their prod-
ucts (meat). Supplementation of turkey feed with 200 mg extract
of oregano/kg feed significantly decreases lipid per-oxidation
during refrigerated storage of fresh and cooked meat (Botsoglou
et al. 2003).
(iii) Growth-promoting effects
As replacement for antibiotics, most frequently used alternative
growth stimulators in broiler production are probiotics, prebiotics,
enzymes, acidifiers, antioxidants and phytogenic additives (Perić et
al. 2009). Phytogenic additives have growth-promoting effects (in-
creased feed intake, improved gut function and dietary palatabili-
ty). Essential oils extracted from thyme, origanum, rosmery, clove
and cinnamon are used to growth promoters, prevent coccidial
multiplication and reduces the damage effect of the intestinal wall
(Hashemi et al. 2008). Their stimulatory effect on feed intake is
probably due to the improvement in the dietary palatability of re-
sulting from the enhanced flavor and odor, especially with the use
of essential oils (Frankic et al. 2009). Recent studies indicated, also
stabilizing effects of phytogenic feed additives (essential oils and
oleoresins) on the ecosystem and the activity of ceacal microbial
flora of poultry (Kroismayr et al. 2007) associated with a decrease
in microbial activity in the gastrointestinal gut. Improvement in
gut function is mainly attributed to the possible stimulatory effect
of phytogenic substances on digestive secretions, such as digestive
enzymes, bile, and mucus (Platel and Srinivasan, 2004).
(iv) Immuno stimulant effect
The immune system generally benefits from the herbs and spic-
es rich in flavonoids, vitamin C and carotenoids. The plants con-
taining molecules which possess immunostimulatory properties
are echinacea, liquorice, garlic and cat’s claw. These plants can
improve the activity of lymphocytes, macrophages and NK cells;
they increase phagocytosis or stimulate the interpheron synthesis
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(Craig, 1999).
(v) Effects on gut function
A wide range of PFA is known to exert beneficial actions on the
gastrointestinal tract, such as spasmolytic, laxative or against flat-
ulence (Chrubasik et al. 2005). Mechanisms thought to influence
gut function include transit time, digestive secretions and en-
hancement of digestive enzyme activities, as the combination of
all these effects will impact nutrient digestibility. Lee et al. (2004)
have shown that phytogenic compounds enhance the intestinal
activities of trypsin, lipase and amylase in broilers. The addition
of plant extracts to feed mixtures for 41 day old broiler chickens
enhanced lipase activity by 38-46% (Jamroz et al., 2005). Phyto-
genics have potential effects on gut morphological characteristics
(Jamroz et al. 2006). Smith-Palmer et al. (1998) found cinnamon
extract, thyme and clove to be efficient against several bacteria.
Furthermore, stimulation of the digestive secretions of bile, mu-
cus, saliva and improvement of enzymes activities are of great
nutritional interest (Platel and Srinivasan, 2004).
Other researchers have shown that essential oils used in chick-
ens have positively influenced the activity of trypsin and amylase
(Jamroz et al. 2005). It was also found that the phytogenic ad-
ditives have a stimulatory effect on intestinal mucus in chickens.
This effect is assumed to influence the adhesion of pathogens and
in consequence help to stabilize the microbial equilibrium in the
chicken gut (Jamroz et al. 2006). These improvements could also
be due to morphological changes induced in the gut such as villi
and crypts size modifications in the jejunum and colon of PFA
ingesting chickens (Jamroz et al. 2006).
(vi) Effects on intestinal health
Intestinal health is a prerequisite for optimal performance and
profitability in poultry fattening and egg production, with opti-
mized feeding strategies playing a central role. Intestinal disorders
usually cause a damage of the intestinal mucosa. The body’s
reaction includes an accelerated renewal of the damaged tissues.
This process is complex and required additional energy. In other
words: Intestinal diseases go to the expense of performance the
use of PFA contributes to prevent intestinal disorders. In broil-
ers that were subjected to enhance microbial challenge, these
effects were shown recently (Chrubasik et al. 2005). Phytogenic
substances were able to reduce the microbial pressure and stabi-
lize intestinal health. Nutrients that are supplied in the feed are
absorbed by means of the villi, which loom into the interior of
the intestine. Optimal functioning of the villi is essential for high
performances. In broiler trials, it was seen that supplementation
of feed with a PFA increased villus length, hence resulting in an
increased capacity for nutrient absorption. The incorporation of
phytogenic feed additives in poultry diets can significantly contrib-
ute to intestinal health and, hence, profitability in poultry produc-
tion (Steiner, 2006).
(vii) Effects on feed intake
Some PFA were sometimes seen as having a role to improve the
taste and feed palatability. This implies an improvement in poultry
production performance. In general, an increase in feed intake in
chickens is much more due to additives such as organic acids, pro-
biotics and prebiotics (Catala - Gregori et al. 2007). Herbs, spices
and extracts improve the feed intake (Windisch et al. 2008).
Cross et al. (2007) compared 5 culinary herbs and their EO in a
study with 165 female broilers. They found that the average feed
intake was reduced for birds which were fed 10 g/kg oregano herb,
while birds which were fed 1 g/kg oregano EO consumed com-
parable amounts of feed as the control birds. However, rosemary
EO supplementation resulted in a higher feed intake than the no
supplemented of rosemary EO. Significant improvements on feed
intake were also discovered when 100 or 200 mg/kg of thyme EO
(Bölükbasi et al. 2006) or 300, 500 or 700 mg/kg of oregano EO
were added to the diet (Kirkpinar et al. 2010). Carvacrol and its
isomer thymol, which are active components of thyme and orega-
no EO, are mainly responsible for the characteristic flavouring. In
order to assess their individual effects Lee et al. (2003b) added 200
mg/kg of each thymol and carvacrol to a broiler diet. Results re-
vealed that carvacrol lowered feed intake which again may be due
to surpressed appetite of the birds. Zhang et al. (2005) observed a
reduced feed intake after adding 200 or 300 mg/kg of RepaXol™
over a period of 42 days.
CRINA® Poultry is a commercial product containing 29%
active ingredients, including thymol. The product is supposed to
stimulate the secretion of endogenous digestive enzymes and bal-
ance the gut microbial ecosystem and thus improve growth per-
formance. However, CRINA® Poultry did not have any impact
on feed intake when a diet containing 100 mg/kg of the prod-
uct was fed (Lee et al. 2003a). Likewise, Jang et al. (2007) did not
observe any significant effects on feed intake when feeding CRI-
NA® Poultry at levels of 25 or 50 mg/kg. Ulfah (2006) noticed an
increased average daily feed intake after feeding a diet containing
18 mg/kg of each oregano, cinnamon, eucalyptus and thyme EO.
It was assumed that the EO assisted in returning the microbial
population in the gastrointestinal tract to more balanced levels
and thus improved overall feed intake. Similarly, Ertas et al. (2005)
noticed an increase in feed intake after three weeks when supple-
menting anise, oregano and clove EO mixture at 200 and 400 mg/
kg to the broiler diet. Active ingredients like carvacrol, thymol,
anetole and eugenol may be responsible for the appetizing effect
of the respective EO mixture and are consequently responsible
for the increased feed intake.
(viii) Effects on bodyweight gain
Among the growth parameters that have been studied include
broiler body weight, growth, feed intake and feed conversion ra-
tio. The usage of oregano essential oils at 50 and 100 mg/kg in
a wheat-soybean meal basal diet fed to Cobb broilers had no ef-
fect on overall body weight and feed conversion ratio, and did
not differ from the unsupplemented control treatment and from
a treatment supplemented with 200 mg α-tocopheryl acetate (Lee
et al. 2004).
The addition of two commercial three-component mixtures
(i.e. one consisting of oregano, cinnamon and pepper and the oth-
er consisting of sage, thyme and rosemary) of phytogenic essential
oil products in a wheat-corn-soybean meal basal diet at 200 mg/kg
and 5000 mg/kg levels did not improve overall body weight gain
compared to an unsupplemented control or an avilamycin treat-
ment (Hernandez et al. 2004). Kumar and Berwal, (1998) showed
that the use of garlic oil (Allium sativum) was shown a positive
effect of garlic on growth in chickens (Lewis et al. 2003). Sper-
nakova et al. (2007) have reported that the addition of rosemary
powder at 500 mg/kg in poultry diets gave higher body weight
gain compared to an unsupplemented control group.
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Feed inclusion of five herbs (i.e. thyme, oregano, marjoram,
rosemary and yarrow) or their associated essential oils at 10 g/
kg and 1 g/kg respectively, in a wheat-soybean meal diet for fe-
male Ross broilers had different effects on broilers performance.
In particular, the oregano herb and oil treatments reduced average
body weight gain (Spernakova et al. 2007). Lippens et al. (2005)
have attempted to assess the effectiveness of a mixture composed
of cinnamon, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, citrus extracts and
of another mixture of plant extracts and organic acids in compar-
ison with the avilamicine in chicken feed. The supplemented with
plant extracts group of animals reached a much larger body weight
than the other groups. Apparently, the increase in body weight was
due to the increase of feed intake. This was attested by a reduced
feed conversion in animals of the plant extracts group (0.4% low-
er than avilamicine group and 2.9% lower than the organic acids
group).
The inclusion of anise seeds at a level of 0.5-0.75 g/kg corn-
soybean-meal diet administered to broilers during 6 weeks, im-
proved their body weight gain, performance index and relative
growth rate. In contrast, a higher inclusion level of anise seeds
(1.5 g/kg diet) reduced growth performance (Soltan et al. 2008).
Garlic (Allium sativum), thyme (Thymus vulgarus) and conflower
(Echinacea purpurea) as feed supplements have recently been re-
ported to exert a wide range of beneficial effects on weight gain
(Khan et al. 2012). Significant improvements have been observed
when 400 mg/kg of anise EO were added to the diet (Simsek et
al. 2007). Cross et al. (2007) reported a significant improvement in
BW gain when supplementing 1 g/kg EO of thyme. When 10 g/
kg of the corresponding herb was fed, it was noticed that thyme
herb did not achieve the same positive results as its EO. Never-
theless, another study showed that an addition of 5 g/kg thyme
herb improved BW gain by approximately 6% when compared to
the corresponding control group (Toghyani et al. 2010). Similarly,
Mohamed and Abbas (2009) observed an increase of BW gain by
6% when adding 1 g/kg of fennel. A dosage of 5 g/kg thyme
EO caused a substantial decrease in BW gain approaching almost
a level of significance (Cross et al. 2003). Addition of 100 mg/kg
cinnamaldehyde tended to show improvements when compared
to the rye control diet (Lee et al. 2004a).
Tiihonen et al. (2010) added a mixture of 15 mg/kg thymol
and 5 mg/kg cinnamaldehyde to a diet over a period of 42 days.
They found that BW gain was improved by approximately 5% and
concluded that this might be due to beneficial changes in the in-
testinal microflora. Another EO mix derived from oregano, anise
and clove increased BW gain significantly by approximately 16%
compared to the control group. The mixture was tested at dif-
ferent levels, whereas 200 mg/kg of the composition gave best
results after 5 weeks of trial (Ertas et al. 2005). CRINA® Poultry
added at 25 mg/kg improved total BW gain slightly, yet not sig-
nificantly (Jang et al. 2007). However, an inclusion of 100 or 200
mg/kg CRINA® Poultry resulted in a decrease of BW gain over
a growing period of 25 days (Abildgaard et al. 2010). RepaXol™
a commercial product containing EO from oregano, thyme, cin-
namon and capsaicin showed no effect on BW gain when fed at
50-100 mg/kg (Zhang et al. 2005).
(ix) Effects on feed conversion ratio
The feed conversion ratio (FCR) describes the relation of feed
intake and BW gain. More precisely, it is the animal’s overall ef-
ficiency in converting feed mass into body mass over a specific
period of time. The effects of FPA on production performance
have shown promising results. Cabuk et al. (2006) measured pro-
duction parameters in chickens grown on feed supplemented with
a mixture of essential oils of oregano, bay leaf, sage, anise and
citrus. This mixture has significantly improved feed conversion re-
sulting of high nutrients availability due to changes in the intesti-
nal ecosystem. The addition of two commercial three-component
mixtures (i.e. one consisting of oregano, cinnamon and pepper
and the other consisting of sage, thyme and rosemary) of phy-
togenic essential oil products in a wheat-corn-soybean meal basal
diet at 200 mg/kg and 5000 mg/kg levels did not improve feed
conversion ratio compared to an unsupplemented control or an
avilamycin treatment (Hernandez et al. 2004). Among the growth
parameters that have been studied include broiler body weight,
growth, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. The usage of orega-
no essential oils at 50 and 100 mg/kg in a wheat-soybean meal bas-
al diet fed to Cobb broilers had no effect on feed conversion ratio,
and did not differ from the unsupplemented control treatment
and from a treatment supplemented with 200 mg α-tocopheryl
acetate (Lee et al. 2004).
Lippens et al. (2005) have attempted to assess the effectiveness
of a mixture composed of cinnamon, oregano, thyme, cayenne
pepper, citrus extracts and of another mixture of plant extracts
and organic acids in comparison with the avilamicine in chick-
en feed. The result was shown a reduced feed conversion in an-
imals of the plant extracts group (0.4% lower than avilamicine
group and 2.9% lower than the organic acids group). Fenugreek
(Trigonella foenum-graecum), is an annual legume, cultivated all over
the world, it is one of the herbs with multi-functional charac-
teristics. It is a good source of dietary proteins for humans and
animals. Fenugreek seeds supplementation improved significantly
feed conversion ratio of broiler chickens which might be related
to morphological changes in the gastrointestinal tissues (Mamoun
et al. 2014). Garlic (Allium sativum), thyme (Thymus vulgarus) and
conflower (Echinacea purpurea) as feed supplements have recently
been reported to exert a wide range of beneficial effects on feed
conversion (Khan et al. 2012). An inclusion level of 400 mg/kg of
anise EO enhanced FCR by approximately 12% (Çiftçi et al. 2005),
while 100 and 200 mg/kg of thyme EO changed FCR beneficially
as well (Bölükbasi et al. 2006). Likewise, fennel seeds at the dose
of 2 and 3 g/kg improved FCR by almost 16% (Mohammed and
Abbas, 2009). Nevertheless, Toghyani et al. (2010) discovered that
thyme herb at an inclusion level of 10 g/kg downgraded FCR by
approximately 4%. Carvacrol, the major component of oregano
EO led to a significantly improved FCR when added at a level of
200 mg/kg over a period of 28 days.
Ertas et al. (2005) observed a significant improvement after
feeding 200 mg/kg of a mixture containing EO from oregano,
clove and anise. The FCR was improved by approximately 12%
compared to the control group and 8% when compared to the
group which has been fed an antibiotic treatment. Similarly, the
inclusion of a blend that contained oregano, thyme, cinnamon
and eucalyptus EO tended to improve FCR by 5% compared to
the control treatment (Ulfah, 2006). However, several commercial
EO blends were included in trials but only two studies confirmed
a significant improvement of FCR. The addition of 100 mg/kg
of RepaXol® optimized FCR by 4% (Zhang et al. 2005), while
the supplementation of 100 mg/kg of XTRACT™ enhanced
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FCR equally by 4% (Jamroz et al. 2005). Studies on EO mixtures
showed that the positive action of EO is superior to the effect of
a single EO. Corn soyabean meal wheat-barley-soybean meal diets
fed to male Hubbard broilers with 100 mg/kg of a plant extract
containing carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and capsicum oleoresin sig-
nificantly improved the feed conversion ratio by 3.9% in a maize-
based diet (Jamroz et al. 2005).
(x) Effects on nutrient digestibility
Lee et al. (2004) reported that there is no differences between
the non-supplemented control and the phytoadditive treatments
regarding the apparent ileal digestibilities of crude protein and
starch as well as for the total tract fat digestibility at the age of
21 and 40 days in an experiment with female Cobb broilers fed a
corn-soybean meal basal diet supplemented with thyme, cinnamal-
dehyde or a commercial essential oils preparation at 100 mg/kg
diet. Inclusion of two three-component commercial essential oil
products in a wheat-corn-soybean meal basal diet fed to Ross
male broilers, showed improvements in ileal digestibility of dry
matter and starch and the total tract apparent digestibility of dry
matter, crude protein and fat compared to the un-supplemented
control (Hernandez et al. 2004). Plant extract products contain-
ing carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and capsicum oleoresin included
in corn-soybean meal or wheat-barley-soybean meal diets fed to
male Hubbard broilers did not significantly increase the appar-
ent ileal digestibility of nutrients (i.e. crude protein, crude fibre
and amino acids) compared to unsupplemented controls. None of
these five herbs or their respective essential oil treatments tested
that were used in the study by Cross et al. (2007) had an effect
on the apparent metabolisable energy and the total tract apparent
digestibility coefficients of dry and organic matter. Supplementary
to that, none of the dietary treatments that affected the intestinal
endogenous losses were determined by the concentration of sialic
acid in the excreta. By the reports of Theron and Lues, (2007) the
addition of corn-soybean meal diets with a blend of essential oils
derived from oregano, anise and citrus at 125 mg/kg diet increased
ileal apparent fat digestibility in male Cobb broilers, and Stanaćev
et al. (2011b) came to similar conclusions in their research with
the inclusion of rapeseed oil in broiler diets. Hernández et al.
(2004) observed that two blends of plant extracts (oregano, cinna-
mon, and pepper at 200 mg/kg and sage, thyme, and rosemary at
5,000 mg/kg) affected digestibility and improved the performance
slightly, but not significantly.
(xi) Effects on carcass characteristics
There are no indications of significant beneficial effects of phy-
togenic feed additives in terms of carcass yield. Supplementation
with plant extracts enhanced the breast muscle proportion of the
eviscerated carcass by only 1.2% when compared with the con-
trol group, while supplementation with anise seeds did not im-
prove carcass dressing percentage (Jamroz et al. 2005; Soltan et
al. 2008). The values obtained for breast portion, thigh and drum-
stick portion were very approximate, and the differences between
them were significant compared with control group (Stanaćev et
al. 2011a).
(xii) Effects on meat quality and safety
Include rosemary and sage extracts, oregano oil, oregano, rose-
mary powder, garlic powder has shown beneficial effects on stored
meat quality, an effect related to their antioxidant properties in the
case of the reduction or delaying of lipid oxidation(Young et al.
2003; Spernakova et al. 2007; Stanaćev et al. 2011a). It is widely
acknowledged that the addition of phytogenic compounds such as
herbs, spices or essential oils in foods of animal origin contribute
to food microbiological safety and quality upon food storage in
the raw or cooked stages through their antimicrobial and antioxi-
dant functions (Soltan et al., 2008).
Beside the phytoadditives that are used as to supplement broil-
ers diet, Stanaćev and Puvača (2011) showed that even micromin-
erals in certain amounts positively affect quality and carcass meat
safety when they are added to broiler diets. Based on this principle,
the dietary intake of phytogenic feed additives could contribute
to food safety in a couple of ways. In the first instance it could
achieve this through the reduction of pathogens in the gut, thus
promoting a healthy gut environment, which in turn could con-
tribute to a reduction of carcass contamination at slaughter.
(xiii) Effects on egg production
Garlic (Allium sativum), thyme (Thymus vulgarus) and conflower
(Echinacea purpurea) as feed supplements have recently been re-
ported to exert a wide range of beneficial effects on egg produc-
tion and quality (Khan et al. 2012). Bolukbasi and Erhan, (2007)
studied the effect of dietary supplementation with thyme on per-
formance of laying hens and E. coli concentrations in their feces.
Thyme addition to basal diet at the level of 0.1-0.5% have given
an improvement in feed conversion and egg production associated
to a decline of E.coli concentration in feces. Lohmann Brown
hens fed phytogenics consumed less feed and had higher egg pro-
duction as compared to the control group. Total and average daily
feed intake was lower by 1.8% when supplemented with phyto-
genics (Nichol and Steiner, 2008). Effect of PFA on egg quality
traits, such as yolk composition, shell thickness or Haugh Unit
rating, were reported in a few studies only, whereas the majority
of reports did not identify substantial effects (Navid et al. 2013).
Recent trials carried out with a standardized phytogenic additive
(Biomin® P.E.P.) confirm the potential of these substances in lay-
ing hen nutrition. Especially shell thickness and Haugh Unit rating
revealed higher values hens fed phytogenics as the birds grew old-
er. Moreover, eggs were slightly and significantly heavier in these
hens, as indicated by a higher number (29.5 vs 23.1%) of heavier
(L) eggs, particularly towards the end of the trial.
(xiv) Effects on reducing feed cost
The use of the phytogenic feed additive in broiler chicken diets had
a good economic advantage when feed cost is considered (Gerson
et al. 2009). Minh et al. (2010) who reported that supplementation
of dried ginger to broiler diets led to improved performance and
reduced feed cost. Phytogenic feed additives is a sustainable and
safe solution allowing for reducing feed cost while maintaining the
desired performance standard (http://www.thepoultrysite.com).
Broilers fed with PFA had an improved FCR. This could be re-
lated to a higher nutrient digestibility of protein, fat, and minerals.
These effects can result in higher economic efficiency in broiler
meat production (Amad et al. 2011)
(xv) Effects on emission reduction
Saponins (Yucca schidigera) are proposed to reduce intestinal ammo-
nia formation, and thus aerial pollution of housing environment,
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which is considered an important health stress, especially for
young animals (Francis et al. 2002). Improvements in protein di-
gestibility will result in better utilization of dietary amino acids and
thus reduce the excretion of nitrogenous compounds. As such,
phytogenic feed additives have the potential to reduce emissions
from poultry farms. Studies investigating the effects of feeding
two levels of dietary crude protein (21 vs. 23 percent) in com-
bination with or without two levels of green tea (1.5 and 3 g/kg
diet) or one level of oxytetracycline at 0.1 g/kg diet, revealed that
decreasing dietary crude protein level to 21 percent had no adverse
effects on the growth rate of broilers. Green tea supplementation
at 1.5 g/kg diet increased growth rate and improved FCR by 10
percent. The authors concluded that feeding broiler chickens a 21
percent protein diet containing adequate amino acid levels when
supplemented with green tea, had no negative effects on produc-
tive performance. This may contribute to less environmental pol-
lution by reducing nitrogen excretion (Mathis et al. 2007).
Several published experiments have demonstrated that protein
and energy digestibility was improved in birds fed phytogenic feed
additives (PFAs). Because the birds digest crude protein better
with a PFA, it is also possible to reduce the dietary crude nutri-
ents, and in this way reduce the nitrogen excretion and associated
ammonia emissions. In commercial applications in broiler houses
in the Netherlands, it was ascertained that a phytogenic digestibil-
ity enhancer reduced the quantity of excreta up to 0.29 kg/animal
(Soltan et al. 2008).
Inclusion Levels of Phytogenics in Chicken Feed
There are reports of a wide range of phytogenic feed inclusion
levels. Depending on the usage of aromatic plants or their respec-
tive essential oils, up to ten fold differences in feed inclusion levels
have been used. When aromatic plant parts were used, feed inclu-
sion levels ranged from 0.01-30 g/kg of diet. Examples include
oregano addition at 30 g/kg feed (Young et al. 2003) or 10 g/
kg feed (Cross et al. 2007), garlic at 1.5-2 g/ kg feed (Stanaćev et
al. 2010; 2011a), rosemary at 5-10 g/kg feed (Govaris et al. 2007)
and rosemary powder at 0.5 g/kg feed (Spernakova et al. 2007).
Lower feed inclusion levels than the above have been reported
for essential oils. Examples include rosemary and sage extracts at
500 mg/kg of feed (Lopez-Bote et al. 1998), oregano essential oil
at 50-100 mg/kg of feed (Govaris et al. 2005) or 300 mg/kg feed
(Giannenas et al. 2002), thymol at 100 mg/kg feed (Lee et al. 2004)
and essential oils from other herbs at various levels. Since actual
plant or essential oil composition in active components may vary
substantially between different studies, it should be noted that the
above inclusion levels should be considered as indicative only.
Limitations of Phytogenic Feed Additives
The limitations of phytogenic feed additives are not easily quanti-
fiable and standardized due to their complex composition. The lo-
cation, soil type, weather conditions, altitude, season during which
the plant is grown, harvesting procedure & storage conditions may
affect the composition of plants. Although majority of herbals are
stable, there are various constituents which are photo labile, ther-
mo labile thus less stable (Pullaiah, 2011). Potential overdose of
phytogenic feed additives that may be harmful to the bird (Jacela
et al. 2010).
Conclusions
It can be concluded that phytogenic feed additive can be used as
natural non-antibiotic growth promoters, which is found from
herbs, spices, essential oils and oleoresins. Phytogenic feed addi-
tives have antioxidative, antimicrobial, growth promoting and em-
muno stimulant effects in poultry production. The antioxidative
efficacy of some phytogenic compounds to protect the quality of
feed, as well as that of food derived from animals. Phytogenic
feed additives have a potential of antimicrobial effects to contrib-
ute to a final reduction of intestinal pathogen pressure through
inhibition of adherence to the mucosa. It has a great role in en-
hancements of digestive enzyme activity and absorption capacity.
Phytogenic feed additives has beneficial effects on normal gut
function, the overall performances of birds ( feed intake, body
weight gain, feed conversion ratio, , nutrient digestibility, carcass
characteristics and egg production) , meat quality and safety
in the storage, and emission reduction in poultry houses. These
effects show that phytogenic additives can contribute to the im-
provement of production performance, and therefore production
efficiency as well. The plant part of phytogenic feed additives
could be included ranged from 0.01-30 g/kg feed whereas essen-
tial oils should be 500 mg/kg feed for best performance.
The identification, composition, effectiveness, toxicity and res-
idues analysis, traceability and the risk of manipulation are the
main factors to be studied in detail during the manufacturing pro-
cess. Animal feed manufacturers and especially the poultry one
must bring such high quality additives within cheapest cost to the
market in sustainable way. Promoting the use of phytogenic feed
additives in poultry production, that agrees with today consumers’
demand. There is crucial to introduce and support farmers for
producing such additives from locally available herbs and spices.
In general, phytogenic feed additives have positive effects, but the
knowledge of their use in poultry nutrition is still limited and re-
quires further research.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Professor Birhan Tamir for his constant en-
couragement and valuable advice.
Conflict of interests
The author declares that he has no conflict of interests.
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**********
Article Information:
Received: 12 February 2015
Accepted: 15 March 2015
Online published: 16 March 2015
Cite this article as:
M B Yitbarek et al. 2015. Phytogenics as feed additives in poultry pro-
duction: A review. International Journal of Extensive Research. Vol. 3:
49-60.
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