Herbanoplex and broiler chicks

Herbanoplex™ is a mixture of especially selected phytogenic products and has been developed to support the intestinal flora of poultry and boost the immune system against unfavourable bacteria. In this study the effect of Herbanoplex™ on broiler chicks that had been exposed to pathogens, was tested.

Study design

The study was carried out at a trial farm in Hungary. 200 Broiler chicks (Ross 308) were divided over four treatments (50 chicks per group, divided over two pens, followed for 42 days). In order to expose the chicks to pathogens, a filtrate was made from the litter of the preceding clutch. This was added to the drinking water. The filtrate contained 2 x 10⁸ cfu and mainly consisted of E. coli (10⁸ cfu/ml), Clostridium perfringens (10³-10⁴ cfu/ml) and oocytes (2.5 x 10³ oocytes/ml).

The trial groups were divided into test groups as follows:

• Positive control: pathogens administered by drinking water
• Negative control: no administration of pathogens
• Herbanoplex group: administration by drinking water + Herbanoplex (1kg/ton feed)
• Heat-treated positive control: inactivated pathogens added to drinking water

Results

The table below shows the broiler chick body weight on day 0 and day 42 of the study. On day 0 the chicks in all groups had an average weight of 41 grams. At the end of the study (day 42) the Herbanoplex™ group had the highest body weight: an average of 2564 grams (see graph). This was 36% more than the positive control group and over 6% more than the negative control group.

Group	Day 0	Day 42
Positive control	41	1880b
Negative control	41	2406a,c
Herbanoplex™	41	2564d
Heat-treated positive control	41	2284a,c,d

Table 1. Body weight broilers on days 0 and 42

Figure 1. Results day 42

Conclusion

Due to the use of Herbanoplex™ the final weight of the broiler chicks is significantly higher, and when the chicks are exposed to pathogens the negative influence of pathogens on their weight is limited.