The multifunctional natural solutions used in this trial were designed to supply the requirements of broilers in the different stages and to replace a wide variety of additives with only one product for each productive stage. These solutions contain the following active principles in different quantities, depending on the age of birds:

• Silicoglycidol: highly efficient mycotoxin binder
• Cimenol ring: natural microbicide that acts as a preservative and balances the digestive flora
• Pronutrients: they improve organs’ physiology (gut, liver, immunity)
• Enzymes: they are specially selected to fit the animal requirements and diet composition
• Natural antioxidants and probiotics

Objective of the trial

To evaluate the effect of multifunctional natural solutions on performance and carcass quality in broilers, and compare the results with the use of multiple conventional additives.

Experimental design

248 one-day-old male broilers (Cobb 500) were distributed in two groups (completely randomized design), with 4 replicates each and 31 birds per replicate. The trial lasted for 6 weeks and chickens received three different diets depending on their age: starter (1-10 days), grower (11-20 days) and finisher (21-42 days).

Experimental groups: All groups received the same balanced basal diet to which the following were added:

• Control group: conventional additives (see table 1)
• Treatment group: multifunctional natural solutions (see table 2)

Data collection: The evaluated parameters were weight, weekly weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion rate, mortality, uniformity and carcass composition.

Statistical analysis: ANOVA and t-student (GLM SAS V. 9.2.). P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results

Weekly weight in the treatment group was greater during all the trial, with significant differences on day 7. At the end of the trial birds weighted 24.1 more grams per bird, while at the starter and grower stages differences were of 3.1 and 35.6 g/bird, respectively. Weight gain was also greater in the treatment group during all the trial and differed significantly (+51.4 g/bird) by the end of the trial.

Feed intake was slightly lower in the treatment group. This, together with the better weight, increased the differences in the feed conversion rate, which got significantly improved in the treatment group for starter (4.1%) and grower (24.6%) diets. This group also obtained the best feed conversion rate (numerically) in the last stage (1.9%).

Significant differences were observed in mortality between the two groups most of the weeks, since the treatment group obtained lower weekly mortality rates. At the end of the trial, accumulated mortality was 4.57% in the control and 1.58% in the treatment (34.6% reduction).

Using multifunctional solutions also had a positive impact on uniformity, which was 5.7% greater at the end of the trial in the treatment group. This means that this batch was healthier: weaker and sick birds do not grow proportionally to the rest of the group and, therefore, decrease uniformity.

Carcass composition was better with multifunctional solutions: birds in the treatment group obtained a higher breast/bones ratio (+3.2%), breast yield (6% increase) and a lower percent of abdominal fat (26% reduction). This means that chickens of the treatment group had more meat and less fat.

Some birds in the control had wooden breasts and green deep pectoral myopathy (green muscle disease). On the contrary, breasts in the treatment group did not show these anomalies, indicating metabolism was better in the treatment group.

Economic analysis

Based on these results, for each million broilers supplemented with natural multifunctional solutions, a farm would produce 51.4 more tons of meat and safe 129.2 tons of feed, compared to conventional additives.

Conclusions

These multifunctional solutions composed of natural ingredients improve productive performance compared to the use of conventional additives, as they have a positive effect on weight (+51 g/bird), feed conversion (1.9%), uniformity (5.7%) and carcass quality.

These multifunctional products have additional advantages: they are completely natural, do not need a withdrawal period, and make additive management simpler. They are effective at lower doses, compared to the sum of additives separately to have a smaller effecton the inclusion of other ingredients.

Multifunctional solutions based on natural ingredients are marketed in the Alquermix Line by Biovet S.A (Alquermix Starter Premium, Alquermix Grower Premium and Alquermix Finisher Premium for starter, grower and finisher diets, respectively).

If you would like to know more about the results of this trial, particularly of relative organ weight, digestive and hepatic lesions and microvilli structure, please visit the following link: Use of natural multifunctional solutions in broilers: relative organ weight, digestive and hepatic lesions and microvilli structure