Novel <i>Brachiaria decumbens</i> saponins extract as a feed additive improves growth, gut health and meat quality in broiler chickens

With restrictions on antibiotic use in poultry, plant-derived metabolites such as commercial saponins have emerged as alternatives for growth promotion. This study examined the effects of novel saponins extract from Brachiaria decumbens on broiler performance under tropical conditions. A total of 300-d-old female Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to six dietary groups, each with five replicates of ten birds. The control group received a standard diet without additives, while the positive control group was supplemented with 100 mg/kg of oxytetracycline. The remaining four groups were fed the same basal diet enriched with 25, 50, 75 or 100 mg/kg of B. decumbens saponins extract. The extract was obtained through maceration from five-week-old plants. Over the 42-day feeding period, weekly feed intake and body weight were recorded to assess weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Ten birds per group were slaughtered at the end of the starter and finisher phases for analysis of nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, caecal microflora, carcase yield and meat quality. Broilers supplemented with 100 mg/kg extract showed 6.1% higher body weight gain and 9.2% better FCR than controls (p < 0.05). Ileal protein digestibility rose by 22% and duodenal villus height by 10%. Dressing percentage increased by 2%, while breast muscle drip loss dropped by 19% (p < 0.05). Supplemented groups also had balanced caecal microflora with no Salmonella or E. faecalis detected. These indicate that B. decumbens saponins extract is a promising plant-based alternative to antibiotics for enhancing poultry production in tropical climates.