Evaluation of Herbal Extract Emulsions on Broiler Chicken Growth: A Formulation and Characterization Study

Abstract This study aimed to formulate, characterize, and investigate the effects of herbal extract emulsions (HEE) on the growth of broiler chickens. The HEE were prepared with 0.3% herbal extracts, pharmaceutical excipients, and a 5% brown sugar solution as the continuous phase. The study was conducted with five groups, each with four replications, and three chicks per replication (completely randomized design). Mixed-sex broilers (n=60) were treated with 0.03% HEE in drinking water for five weeks, whereas one control group (n=12) received only regular drinking water. The preference rate for HEE in drinking water was determined by observing the consumption quantity over a designated period. Broiler chicken growth, including live weight, internal organ weight, carcass characteristics, percentage of abdominal fat, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in 40 birds slaughtered at the end of the trial. The 0.3% HEE preparations comprising moringa leaf extract, turmeric rhizome, or a mixture of both, were characterized as oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions, with a pH range of 5.6-6.5, and viscosity of 0.05-0.06 Pa.s. The treatment groups had significantly higher preference for the HEE-supplemented drinking water compared to the control. The mean live weight was 1,721.67-1,744.17 g/bird, mean internal organ weight 220.00-253.33 g/bird, carcass percent 70.41-74.20%, abdominal fat percent 0.90-1.94%, and mean FCR 1.55-1.60. This study showed that the HEE preparations were preferred and significantly influenced internal organ and abdominal fat weight. The carcass weight and FCR were non-significantly unaffected by HEE.