Effect of turmeric powder on egg quality, gut morphology, ecology and on immune system of laying hen: A review

Abstract

The growing concerns of consumers on the use of antibiotic as a growth promoter in livestock feed have fuelled the interest in alternative products. In the recent years a group of natural product known as phytogenic has been a focus of several studies. Phytogenics are a heterogeneous group of feed additives originating from plants and consist of herbs, spices, fruit, and other plant parts. These feed additives are reported to have a wide range of activities including antimicrobial, anthelminthic, antioxidant, growth enhancer, and immune modulator. The active substances in the turmeric oil are Curcuminoids, aromatic turmerones (32.5%), alpha (15.6%) and beta turmerones (17.1%) and curlone. Curcuminoids have a wide spectrum of biological activities including antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory property. They include many different bio-active ingredients such as alkaloids, bitters, flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids. These feed additives have been tested in the form of extracts, essential oils in a number of animals but the results are variable. Therefore, their application as feed additive has been limited, largely owing to their inconsistent efficacy and lack of full understanding of the modes of action. The aim of this review is to summarize on the current knowledge on the use of turmaric powder as a feed additive in monogastric animal.