Effect of plant-based bio-stimulant on mineral metabolism of broiler chickens

Abstract

Poultry productivity depends on housing conditions and the use of balanced diets in nutrition. To compensate for physiologically important nutrients missing in feeds, products and feed supplements of natural origin hold great promise. Among these, phytobiotics stand out due to their numerous beneficial properties. The effect of different doses of the plant-based feed supplement Orego-Stim on the mineral metabolism of broiler chickens was studied. Four groups were formed from one-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks. The chicks in the 1st trial group received Orego-Stim at a dose of 300 g t of feed in addition to their basic diet throughout the entire rearing period. The chicks in the 2nd and 3rd trial groups received the product at doses of 400 g t and 500 g t of feed, respectively. The chicks of the control group did not receive Orego-Stim and were raised being fed a standard diet. At the age of 30 and 40 days, physiological experiments were conducted using standard methods to study mineral metabolism in the trial chickens. Blood samples were taken during the same age periods to determine the levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and the activity of alkaline phosphatase. It was found that the use of the phytobiotic Orego-Stim in the diet of Arbor Acres broiler chickens promoted increased absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the feeds. In the trial groups at the age of 30 days, the body utilization of calcium exceeded the values of the control chickens by 11.57% (p < 0.05), 6.34%, and 5.75%. At the age of 40 days, these indices were as following: 11.80% (p < 0.05), 2.44%, and 10.15% (p < 0.05). Phosphorus utilization increased by 2.71-11.53% by the end of the experiment. In the blood of birds that received the feed supplement, at the age of 30 days, calcium levels increased by 6.02-8.59%, phosphorus - by 4.96-12.76%, and magnesium - by 6.72-10.92% compared to those of the control group. Similar changes were observed in the trial groups at the age of 40 days. The excess over the control group level for calcium was 5.92-9.47%, phosphorus - 4.34-10.89%, and magnesium - 5.38-9.23%. Alkaline phosphatase activity varied within the range of 0.99-1.22%. The best results were obtained in chicks receiving Orego-Stim at a dose of 300 g t of feed.