What Are the Benefits of Feed Additives in Broiler Farming?

The growth and development of broiler chickens are similar to humans, they also require trace elements such as amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. 

It is often difficult to meet the daily needs of these trace elements through regular feed alone, which leads to large amounts of feed-producing chickens with ordinary size and meat quality.

Feed additives can promote the absorption of nutrients in layers, and regulate the microflora inside the gut, not only can it increase the weight of broilers, but it can also ensure their healthy growth and reduce illness.

Among these, herbal additives are even referred to as green additives in the industry. So how exactly do these additives work?

Immune Stress Regulation

Farmers who have raised chickens should know that the immune stress response of layers persists throughout the whole feeding cycle.

if the poultry has a stress response, they tear, shake heads, reduce feeding, and egg production, and even die, the damage caused cannot be underestimated.

However, all vaccines have side effects, and improper handling may cause additional harm to broilers. For medium and large-scale farms, this not only increases farming costs but also adds labor expenses.

At this time, the trace elements in feed additives can effectively regulate the poultry’s endocrine system, and cellular or humoral stress responses from within.

fundamentally reducing immune stress in broilers and thus decreasing the occurrence of illness and death.

Improving Gastrointestinal Health

Within a reasonable range, increasing the nutritional intake of broiler chickens, the meat quality and weight of the broiler can be improved in a short period.

The health of poultry’s intestines determines whether the feed can be converted into nutrients to the greatest extent.

Various microbial flora make up the basic environment of the broiler intestine, and external factors such as the types of food, water quality, and rearing environment all can affect its stability and, in consequence, impact the whole chicken's health.

However, there are various complex enzymes contained in feed additives.

These green food additives can protect intestinal mucosal barrier effectively, decrease the incidence of inflammation, increase the number of beneficial bacteria, promote digestion, and improve the intestinal micro-ecosystem.

This leads to maximum feed conversion, and broilers that consume the additives are 7%-12% heavier than regular chickens.

Reducing Disease Occurrence

Disease is one of the key factors affecting the growth of broiler chickens, with infectious diseases posing an even greater threat as they can drastically reduce the flock in a short time.

Growth performance, meat quality, and weight of broilers can be affected by some bacterial diseases.

for example, E. coli infection can cause diarrhea in chickens, loss of appetite, and trouble breathing. And fowl cholera can stunt the growth of chickens or even kill them, and is highly contagious, and difficult to control in a short period of time.

Farmers not only have to spend a lot of money on treatment but also lose economic benefits during the treatment period.

Bioactive peptides show great potential in improving animal immunity, widely used in the food industry and feed additives, it stimulate the proliferation of immune cells, such as lymphocytes and phagocytes, thereby preventing various diseases.

In the same environment, boilers fed with feed additives can reduce the incidence of diseases by more than 50%, it greatly reduces the epidemic prevention and treatment costs of farmers during breeding.

Mold prevention and control

Preventing and controlling mold in feed is very important because it is closely related to the health and production performance of broilers. mold can reduce the nutritional value of the food, and destroy the immune system of poultry, however, the only thing farmers can do is strengthen storage conditions and control the quality of feed purchased.

Feed additives contain richly plant polysaccharides, which can activate related Immune cells to clear toxins from the broiler's body, and decrease the formation of toxic metabolites. Reducing the burden on broiler livers to break down toxins.

From the inside to the outside, taking double protective measures can greatly improve the economic interests of farmers.

Weight Gain and Reduced Feed Consumption

The broiler rearing period can be divided into three stages: the brooding period, the growth period, and the fattening period. the latter two stages are the best times for broilers to gain weight.

During this time, feed consumption increases as the broilers gain weight; however, the nutrients in the feed are not fully absorbed.

Feed additives are rich in various complex enzymes, xylooligosaccharides, and bioactive peptides, which can promote nutrient absorption and improve the growth rate of animals.

The broiler chickens that consumed feed additives weigh 7%-12% more than those that did not consume feed additives, under the same feeding conditions.

Improving Meat Quality and Flavor

In addition to the effects of the environment, breed, and diseases on the quality of broiler meat, the most important factor is the impact of feed.

Under normal circumstances, broiler feed formulas are quite similar, with the only difference being the various additives used.

Farming practices have shown that additives containing herbal extracts are more effective at improving poultry meat quality, and they are environmentally friendly with no harmful residues.

Most herbal medicines have the functions of clearing heat and detoxifying, strengthening the stomach and spleen, and preventing diseases.

They are the best choice for enhancing health and prolonging life, whether for humans or animals.

Summary

Although the amount of feed additives used is small, their impact is significant.

They can shorten the feeding cycle, enhance feed nutrition, promote broiler growth and development, and reduce feed costs.

It can bring substantial economic benefits to farmers.