Plant Extracts for Pet Food Additive

The pet food additives market is fast growing to satisfy the act demands on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection. Especially antibiotic-free (ABF) feed production is the market trend, plant extracts additives will become one of the key ingredients of animal feeding.Plant extracts for feed additives are an important application of animal nutrition science. Herb-based additives are the common feed solution. It was used the herbs blend with feed materials directly without extraction processing,  The products are easy producing and has the advantage of low-cost for livestock management.  Animal feed additives can affect Pets：

     · Improve pet feeding.

     · Improve the quality of pet.

     · Brighten the colors of ornamental fish and birds.

     · Provide nutrition to pet and increase feed efficiency.

     · Improve the environmental impact of livestock production.

     · Improve pet resistance and inhibit coccidia and tissue infection

Application of Plant Extract Additives in Livestock and Poultry Production--Piglets

Studies on plant extract additives in pigs have shown that there are large differences between different plant extract additives. On average, the average weight gain is about 2% on average, ranging from -5% to 9%; The improvement is on average about 3%, ranging from -10% to 4%. Researchers have studied extracts of fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and lemongrass, and found that most of the feed conversion rate improved, but there was no consistent positive effect on weight gain and feed intake. However, the use of the Origanum vulgare ssp. Hirtum or oregano extract additive has a clear improvement in weight gain and feed conversion, and increases feed intake in most trials.

Thymol, one of the main ingredients of valerian and oregano, is also used as a food flavoring agent. The fragrance function of the Origanum vulgare ssp. Hirtum and oregano extracts can be used to unify the changes in taste and odour caused by changes in the feed ingredients of weaned piglets. Herbs and oregano as a spice can increase the appetite of the pig. However, some plant extracts may have a negative impact on animal feed intake. Gebert et al. studied rhubarb extract and found that the daily feed intake decreased, which may be a green onion derivative in rhubarb.

Application of Plant Extract Additives in Livestock and Poultry Production--Sows

Studies have shown that oregano extract can improve sow production performance and improve sow reproductive capacity (Table 2). Using a large group of sows, the extract additive can increase the litter size of the sow nest by an average of 0.5 (range from 0.3 to 1.1), increase the sow delivery rate, and the average daily free feed intake is higher than the control group. % to 10%. A study using 5,000 sows showed that the addition of plant extracts to the diet significantly increased sow pregnancy rates, litter size and piglet daily gain.

Carvacrol andthymol in plant extracts can affect intestinal mucosa and accelerate the rate of regeneration of intestinal epithelial cells, reducing the chance of pathogens adhering to intestinal epithelial cells and promoting nutrient absorption. Adding the sedge extract to the diet after sow weaning can significantly increase the body weight gain and improve the health of the pig. Adding oregano extract to the diet can significantly increase the daily feed intake and lactation of the lactating sow. In addition, the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of plant extracts and antioxidants can reduce the incidence of perinatal diseases, thereby improving the breeding performance of sows.

Application of plant extract additives in livestock and poultry production-- poultry 

Plant extract additives did not have a significant effect on poultry feed intake, but significantly improved weight gain and feed return (Table 3). Extracts of rosemary, fennel, oregano, valerian, mint, etc. can increase the weight gain of broilers and improve feed compensation. The results of studies on the effects of cinnamon, clove, and citronella extract on broiler performance were not consistent (Table 1). Twelve different studies have found that the results of adding the additives of valerian or oregano extract in the diet are relatively consistent, with an average improvement in feed compensation of 3.1% (range from 1% to 9%), increasing weight gain and increasing Heavy, but the results in terms of feed intake are not consistent (Table 3). Plant extracts have also shown positive results in other poultry species. The addition of 1.25 to 3.75 g/kg of dried oregano leaves to the turkey feed significantly improved the feed utilization of the meat turkey. Adding 60 mg/kg of thyme extract with high carvage content to the feed of alfalfa significantly increased body weight gain and improved feed remuneration, reduced abdominal fat content, and affects Chinese yellow feather broiler in plant extract feed additives. In the study of production performance, it was found that the addition of the patented plant extract feed additive can increase the daily gain of yellow feather broiler by 11.4% and improve the feed compensation by 10.1%. The use of patented plant extracts under actual farming conditions can significantly increase the daily gain of yellow-feathered broilers and improve feed returns, significantly reducing the mortality rate of yellow-feathered broilers by 40%.

Analysis of factors affecting the application of plant extract additives In the past 20 years, a large number of research reports on the use of plant extract additives have been published, but the results are not completely consistent. There are many reasons, mainly: the type, variety, source, active ingredient content and proportion of the plant extract used; the difference of additives, feed formulation, animal feeding environment and other factors.

Summary and outlook

In recent years, developed countries such as Europe, the United States, and Japan have invested a large amount of research funds in plant extracts for basic and applied research. From avian influenza to SARS virus to prevention and treatment of diseases such as AIDS, scientists have tried to extract from plants. Seek solutions. Research and development of plant extract feed additives have also received increasing attention in countries around the world.

In short, plant extracts and related products with remarkable effects, mechanistic science, and clearly controlled components have gradually gained public recognition. Plant extract feed additives can not only kill and inhibit those strains resistant to antibiotics, but also reduce animals. It can guarantee the health of the intestines, improve the production performance of animals, and has no residue and no drug resistance. It can provide a strong guarantee for the safe and efficient production of animal breeding and feed industry.