Studies conducted at the University of Arkansas to evaluate curcumin as a feed additive to control bacterial and protozoal infections and reduce aflatoxicosis severity in poultry

Several phytogenics have been evaluated as feed additives in the poultry industry for nutritional purposes. However, phytogenics play an essential role in the prevention of several diseases in poultry due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and immunomodulatory properties. Hence, in recent years, our laboratories have studied several phytogenics as feed additives to control salmonellosis and necrotic enteritis, to reduce the severity of aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens, and to control coccidiosis in Leghorn chickens. Curcumin is a bright yellow chemical and the principal curcuminoid of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). The aim of this presentation is to summarize the studies that have been published by our laboratories evaluating this remarkable phytochemical alone and in combination with other nutraceuticals: (1) Hernandez et al., 2018, Front. Microbiol. 9:1289; (2) Hernandez et al., 2019, Animals 9:184; (3) Solis et al., 2019, Toxins 11:121; (4) Leyva et al., 2021, J. Anim. Sci. Biotechnol. 12:23; (5) Petrone et al., 2021, Sci. Rep. 11:1–9.

Key Words: curcumin, salmonellosis, coccidiosis, aflatoxicosis, necrotic enteritis.

Presented at the 9th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals, St. Louis, USA, 2021. For information on the next edition, click here.