Effect of Standardized Ginger (<i>Zingiber officinale Roscoe</i>) Extract on Gut Morphology, Microbiota Composition, and Growth Performance in Broiler Chickens
Martina Đurić Jarić | Željko Gottstein | Silvijo Vince | Ivona Žura Žaja | Maksimiljan Brus | Dražen Đuričić | Marko Samardžija | Hrvoje Valpotić
With increasing concerns over antibiotic resistance in livestock, there is an urgent need for sustainable alternatives to enhance health and productivity in poultry production. Ginger (<i>Zingiber officinale Roscoe</i>), a phytobiotic recognized for its diverse health benefits, including growth promotion and the improvement of intestinal function, was evaluated for its efficacy. This study investigated the effects of standardized ginger extract on gut morphology, microbiota composition, and growth performance in broiler chickens. A total of 200 day-old (Ross 308) broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary groups: a control group receiving a basal diet and three experimental groups receiving a basal diet supplemented with 2.5 g/kg, 5 g/kg, and 10 g/kg of ginger extract. The performance results demonstrated that dietary ginger supplementation at 5 g/kg significantly improved feed efficiency without adversely affecting final body weight (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Feed intake in broilers was significantly reduced by higher doses of ginger extract (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Broiler chickens supplemented with 5 g/kg of ginger exhibited a significantly higher villous height-to-crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Groups supplemented with 5 g/kg and 10 g/kg of ginger extract demonstrated a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and an increase in the proportion of Firmicutes (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of ginger extract at 5 g/kg resulted in improved feed efficiency, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition.
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