Raw material used for animal feed undergo various manipulation processes (harvest, transport, storage, packaging) from its primary source and production until it is delivered to the animals.

Each of these manipulation processes represent a critical point and a possible source of contamination and further development of microorganisms. The growth of bacteria and fungi in raw materials not only impacts on the feed nutritional quality that animals receive, but also on the innocuousness and safety of animal origin foods humans consume.

The conservation of grains and feed is carried out with different products such as formaldehyde -dangerous due to its high toxicity-, organic acids and botanical preservatives (cimenol ring).

An essay was conducted at the Agricultural University of Bangladesh (BAU), with the aim of demonstrating the effectiveness of a botanical preservative with bactericidal botanical and fungal action, which can be also used as an intestinal biocide in the improvement of the productive parameters in poultry farming.

Methodology

Cobb 500 chickens were used in the trial; they were divided into four lots and given the following treatments:

• T0 = Standard Basal Diet (SBD)
• T1 = SBD + Botanical Preservative (CB) 1 kg / T
• T2 = SBD + Botanical Preservative (CB) 0.5 kg / T
• T3 = SBD + Mold Inhibitor 1 kg / T

All lots received an initiation diet (ME = 2900 Kcal / kg – CP = 22.3%) and a growth diet (ME = 3050 Kcal / kg – CP = 21%). They were vaccinated at day 4 against Gumboro disease (IBD) and Newcastle (ND). On day 14 they received a Gumboro reinforcement.

No drugs were given during the 28 days of the trial.

Results

Birds treated with a botanical preservative (T1 and T2) obtained better productive parameters compared to the other lots. The lots that consumed standard basal diet supplemented with the botanical preservative obtained the better body weights, being the lot T1 the one that obtained the best weight (CB 1kg / T).

Regarding the conversion index, a better performance was also observed in the lots T1 and T2. A reduction in this index indicates that birds consumed less feed to gain 1 kg of body weight.

Conclusions

In view of the results obtained it can be concluded that the external and internal microbiocidal action provided by the botanical preservative had a positive effect on the weight gain and conversion rate.

The reduction of the bacterial and fungal load avoided the degradation of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, so the nutritional quality of the feed was preserved. The intestinal biocidal effect of the tested botanical preservative also controlled pathogenic microorganisms (E. Coli, Salmonella), maintaining good general health and promoting the balance of the intestinal flora.

The botanical preservative is commercialized under the trademark Alquermold Natural, by Biovet S.A.