Synergistic effects of Moringa oleifera and Thymus vulgaris methanolic extracts on growth performance, Gut acid-base balance, Humoral immunity, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens

TL;DR

This study shows that combining Moringa and Thyme extracts improves chicken growth, immunity, and gut health as a natural alternative to antibiotics.

Contribution

The novel finding is the synergistic effect of combined Moringa and Thyme extracts on broiler performance and immunity.

Findings

Combined Moringa and Thyme extracts improved feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio.

Combined extracts enhanced antibody levels against poultry diseases and improved protein digestibility.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of methanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera (MO) and Thymus vulgaris (TV), administered alone or in combination via drinking water, on growth performance, carcass traits, gut health, immune response, lymphoid organ development, liver and kidney function, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. A total of 540 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to six dietary treatments for a 42-day experimental period, including a basal diet control, a basal diet supplemented with a standard antibiotic growth promoter, MO extract alone, TV extract alone, and two combined MO–TV extract treatments. The combined treatments consisted of graded inclusion levels, with the most effective group receiving M50T50 (100mg/L MO + 150mg/L TV).

The results demonstrated that combined MO and TV supplementation, particularly M50T50, significantly improved feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio compared with the control and single-extract groups (p = 0.01). Dressing percentage and breast and thigh yields were highest in the combined extract groups (p = 0.01). Intestinal pH was significantly reduced, indicating an improved gut environment (p < 0.05), while antibody titers against infectious bronchitis (IB), Newcastle disease (ND), and infectious bursal disease (IBD) viruses were markedly elevated (p < 0.01). Lymphoid organ development, particularly bursal weight, was enhanced, whereas liver and kidney function markers remained within normal physiological ranges. Crude protein digestibility was also significantly increased (p = 0.01).

These findings demonstrate that combined MO and TV methanolic extracts exert synergistic effects on growth performance, immunity, gut health, and protein utilization in broilers without adverse effects, highlighting their potential as a natural and effective phytogenic alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production.