Table 3 Poultry responses to dietary inclusion of selected local phytogenic plants

Seaweed

Boschveld chickens from 4 to 14 weeks. Inclusion rates: 0, 20, 25, 30 and 35 g/kg (seaweed meal)

i) Linearly increased feed intake and overall weight gain

ii) No effects on apparent nutrient digestibility and feed conversion efficiency

[42]

M. oleifera

Hy-line brown hens, 64–74 weeks old. Inclusion rates: 0, 3, 6, and 9 g/kg (leaf meal)

i) Increased egg production and some egg quality parameters

ii) Decreased triglycerides, serum cholesterol, and the concentrations of excreta ammonia

[45]

Green tea

Female Huiyang Bearded chickens. Inclusion rate of 2% leaf meal

i) Promoted lactobacillus and inhibit the proliferation of E. coli in the lower GIT

ii) Increased leg meat and meat calcium contents

[46]

Amaranth

Ross 308 male broilers from 1 to 42 days old. Inclusion rates: 0, 4 and 6% (grains)

i) Improved body weight and European broiler index

ii) Reduced blood cholesterol, abdominal fat and low-density lipoprotein levels

[47]

Lippa javanica

Male Japanese quails from 1 to 9 weeks old. Inclusion rate: 25 g/kg (leaf meal)

i) No effects on growth performance, blood parameters, and meat quality traits

[48]

Garlic and onion

Layers from 30 to 60 weeks old. Inclusion rates: 0.5 or 1% garlic and onion powder, respectively, and the mixture (1% garlic + 1% onion)

i) Improved egg production, egg mass/hen, and feed conversion ratio

ii) Decreased high-density lipoprotein

iii) Reduce blood cholesterol

[24]

Pumpkin leaf

Arboc acres from 28 to 42 days old. Inclusion rates: 0, 15 and 30% (extracts)

i) Improved packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, and red blood cell counts

ii) No mortality recorded

[49]