Evaluation of Herbal Extracts Used in Broiler Feeding in Terms of Performance, Meat Quality, Biochemical and Other Parameters

Antibiotics have been used as increase growth performance and health protectors in poultry feeds for many years. The use o f antibiotics has been banned in many countries, including our country, due to the fact that antibiotics are found to leave residues in meat and pose a risk to consumers. However, as an alternative to antibiotics, herbal extracts have started to be used as increase growth performance and health protectors in feeds. Active compounds contained in plants have many effects such as growth stimulant, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticoccidial and anti-inflammatory. Due to these effects, they provide important benefits in increasing the immune system and not adversely affecting the performance against the negative effects that may occur due to yield-related stress and environmental factors in broiler feeding. As a matter o f fact, it has been observed that the compounds contained in many plant extracts have positive effects on growth performance and health in poultry. In this review, it is aimed to outline the updated scientific information on the effects of herbal extracts used instead of synthetic additives in broiler nutrition on performance, meat quality, biochemical and other parameters.