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This study's main objective was to determine the novel impact of supplementing Brachiaria decumbens leaf meal on the growth performance, blood biochemistry, and stress biomarkers of commercial broilers raised in hot and humid environments. A total of 300 male Ross 308 day-old broilers were divided into six different treatment groups at random. In Treatment 1, commercial diets without any additional additives were given to broilers. In Treatment 2, broilers were fed commercial diets containing 100 mg/kg of the antibiotic oxytetracycline. Similar commercial diets supplemented with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg of B. decumbens leaf meal, respectively, were given to Treatments 3, 4, 5, and 6 without the use of antibiotics. Growth performance, serum lipid profile, acute phase proteins, hormone, and heat shock protein all differed significantly (P < 0.05) among the treatments. The greatest final body weight, body weight gain, and lowest feed conversion ratio were generally seen in T3 broilers supplemented with 25 mg/kg of B. decumbens leaf meal. Besides, T3 broilers supplemented with 25 mg/kg of B. decumbens leaf meal showed the lowest AGP, corticosterone, and HSP 70 concentrations, while T6 broilers treated with 100 mg/kg of B. decumbens leaf meal had the lowest LDL and highest HDL values. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that supplementing broilers with B. decumbens leaf meal only requires a small amount to improve growth and reduce the effects of stress, but that a higher concentration is necessary to improve lipid profiles.

The food security of a country can be harmed if the supply and demand of poultry products are affected due to any disruptions disrupted by factors such as poor growth rates and disease outbreaks. On top of that, with regard to food safety reasons, developed countries have started to prohibit the inclusion of antibiotics in livestock feed. As a result, it is essential to seek alternative preventive substitutes for growth promotion and prophylaxis in poultry rather than depending on antibiotics. Plant extracts are one of the alternatives with anti-microbial and growth-promoting effects on poultry. Saponins have many biological and pharmacological activities like anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, immunomodulatory, and anti-oxidant properties. Because of its growth-promoting effect, immunity enhancer, and microbial capabilities, saponins from diverse sources and quantities could be used as an anti-microbial alternative to synthetic antibiotics in the broiler industry. Additionally, steroidal saponins have been commercialized as supplements for poultry, health foods for human consumption, and potential anti-cancer treatments. Therefore, the present review will critically shed light on the availability of different saponins and the influence on the production performance and immunopathology responses of poultry supplemented with different saponins extract. Information from this review will added knowledge on the usability of different saponins extracts which could be considered as a novel feed additive in the poultry industry.

In the poultry industry, using antibiotics as growth promoters has been found to significantly increase feed conversion efficiency and growth performance. Nevertheless, excessive use of antibiotics in the poultry production cycle may also lead to antimicrobial resistance in both poultry and humans. With regard to food safety reasons, most developed countries have banned the use of antibiotics in all animal feeds. Consequently, it may be necessary to explore other preventive alternatives for disease prevention and to stimulate fast growth rate in poultry. The interest in using phytobiotics as an alternative feed additive in poultry diets has increased following its natural, residue-free, and less toxic properties in contrast to synthetic antibiotics. Therefore, this review shed the light on the influences of using phytobiotics as a feed additive in commercial poultry diets and the results on the production performances and health status. Phytobiotics like cinnamon, cumin, oregano, clove, thyme, rosemary, sage, green tea, garlic, fenugreek, pepper, ginger, and other plant mixtures were found to consist of growth-promoting properties that enhance digestibility, stimulate feed intake, and improve growth in poultry. The carry-over effect leads to improved carcass characteristics and meat quality as value-added products. Additionally, various studies have also reported that some plant extracts from thyme, turmeric, lemon, green tea, cinnamon, cumin, wild mushroom, and garlic have antimicrobial effects as well as immunomodulatory function when they are complemented in poultry diets. In summary, phytobiotics can be used effectively to replace antibiotics as feed additives in enhancing production and health performances of poultry for food security while preventing antibiotic resistance.

This study aims to study the effect of Yucca shidigera as a phytobiotic supplementation in enhancing the production performance of commercial broilers reared under tropical environments. A total of 300 male day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated into six treatment groups. Treatment 1 broilers were fed with commercial diets without antibiotics. Treatment 2 broilers were fed with commercial diets added with 100 mg/kg oxytetracycline antibiotic. Treatment 3, 4, 5, and 6 were fed with the same commercial diets added with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera, respectively, without antibiotic. Throughout the six weeks study period, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly for each replicate to calculate the body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. In addition, the nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, cecal microflora population, carcass characteristics, and meat quality were determined. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the growth performance, apparent ileal nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, carcass traits, and meat quality. Overall, T6 broilers supplemented with 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera demonstrated the best production performances as compared to the other treatment broilers. In summary, information from this study will be valuable for the usability of Y. schidigera, which could be developed as a feed additive to replace antibiotics in the poultry sector in the tropics.