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Natural oregano essential oil-based feed additive as an alternative to anthelmintics

An Evaluation of a Natural Oregano Essential Oil-Based Feed Additive on the Worm Burden and Productivity of Bovans Brown Laying Hens in a Free-Range Production System

Published: March 5, 2024
By: W. WAKEMAN 1, L. CORBETT 1, K.E. ANDERSON 2 and K.L. CUPO 2 / 1 Anpario plc, Worksop, United Kingdom; 2 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA.
Summary

Alternatives to anthelmintics for mitigating helminth infection and maintaining hen performance are much needed in free-range egg production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding a natural oregano essential oil-based feed additive (OS) to Bovans Brown laying hens in a free-range system, on intestinal helminth load, egg production and egg quality characteristics.

Pullets were fed either a Control (corn/SBM diet) or supplemented diet (Control + OS (300g/tonne)) through to 16 weeks of age. The laying phase, from 17-41 weeks of age, had three dietary treatment groups as follows: (1) Control in rearing phase (C) + Control in laying phase (C), CC; (2): Control in rearing phase (C) + OS in laying phase (O), CO; and (3) OS in rearing phase (O) + OS in laying phase (O), OO. Five hundred and forty hens were reared in a conventional slatted system until 12 weeks of age, then allowed to range with a mix of summer and winter forages providing three replicates per treatment in the production phase. Biweekly performance data was captured. Tapeworm, large roundworm, and caecal roundworm burden were measured at 16 weeks and termination of the trial at 41 weeks.

At the end of rearing, caecal roundworms were observed in lower numbers in pullets on O diet rather than C. At 41 weeks, a lower count of caecal roundworms and large roundworms were observed in hens in OO group compared to hens in CO and CC groups. Fewer hens in OO and CO groups were infected with tapeworms compared to CC hens. Feed conversion (kg feed consumption/dozen eggs) was six points lower for OO and CO than CC, and a larger proportion of USDA Grade A eggs were produced for OO than CO and CC.

The use of natural oregano oil in free range poultry systems offers a potential tool for mitigating helminth infections and maintaining hen performance.    

I. INTRODUCTION

Consumer demand for organic and free-range poultry products is driving the commercial egg industry away from conventional housing systems towards free-range housing systems that allow birds access to the outdoors. Whilst these systems are considered higher welfare, they also carry more health risks that can impact the intestinal health of the bird, such as greater exposure to parasites as reported by Permin et al., (1999). Intestinal helminths such as nematodes and tapeworms may reduce hen performance and transmit disease. Challenges with preventing and treating such helminth infections include increasing resistance to anthelmintics and a limited number of anthelmintics available for laying hens. Therefore, finding alternatives for mitigating helminth infections and maintaining hen performance in free-range housing systems is important for production efficiency and hen welfare. Anti-parasitic properties of oregano essential oil have been reported previously (Force et al., 2000).
This study was conducted to provide an evaluation of feeding Orego-Stim®, OS to a brown egg breed, Bovans Brown (BB), in a free-range system, on intestinal helminth loads, egg production and egg quality characteristics.

II. METHOD

Pullets were fed either a Control (corn/SBM diet) or supplemented diet (Control + OS (300g/tonne)) and were brooded and reared on slats until 12 weeks of age and then allowed on range through to 16 weeks, followed by the laying phase on range (929 cm2 /pullet) from 17-41 weeks of age. The laying phase had three dietary treatment groups as follows: (1) Control in rearing phase (C) + Control in laying phase (C), CC; (2): Control in rearing phase (C) + OS in laying phase (O), CO; and (3) OS in rearing phase (O) + OS in laying phase (O), OO. Five hundred and forty hens were reared in a conventional slatted system, then allowed on range with a mix of summer and winter forages that provided three replicates per treatment in the production phase. Biweekly performance data was taken during rearing and laying phases. Tapeworm, large roundworm, and caecal roundworm burden was measured at 16 weeks, just before the laying phase, and termination of the trial at 41 weeks by screening the intestinal contents of 10 hens from each treatment for adult helminths.

III. RESULTS

At the end of the rearing phase, no large roundworms or tapeworms were observed in any of the hens, but caecal roundworms were observed in lower numbers in pullets on O diet rather than C (P > 0.05) (Table 1).
There was no difference observed in pullet days (pullet number x days in rear), mortality, pullet end body weight, pullet body weight gain, feed consumption per pullet per day or feed conversion (g feed/g gain) in rearing phase between treatments (P > 0.05).
Table 1 - Rearing phase helminth summary.
Table 1 - Rearing phase helminth summary.
Large roundworm, caecal roundworm, and tapeworms were observed in all 3 treatment groups at 41 weeks. A lower count of caecal and large roundworms were observed in hens in OO group compared to CO and CC groups (P > 0.05). Fewer hens in OO and CO groups were infected with tapeworms compared to CC hens (P > 0.05) (Table 2).
In the laying phase, there was no difference in egg production percent (hen day or hen house), egg weight or age at 50 % production between treatments (P > 0.05). Feed consumption was lower for OO and CO than CC (P < 0.05) and the overall feed conversion (kg feed consumption/dozen eggs) was six points lower (P < 0.05) for OO and CO than CC (Table 3). A larger proportion of USDA Grade A eggs (P < 0.05) were produced for OO than CO and CC (Table 4).
Table 2 - Laying phase helminth summary.
Table 2 - Laying phase helminth summary.
Table 3 - Laying phase production summary.
Table 3 - Laying phase production summary.
Table 4 - Laying phase egg quality summary.
Table 4 - Laying phase egg quality summary.

IV. DISCUSSION

The inclusion of a natural oregano oil-based feed additive numerically reduced helminth infections at the end of the rearing and laying phases. The anti-parasitic properties of plants are well characterized in vivo (Dhama et al., 2015), where natural oregano oil has been shown to significantly reduce gut lesion scores caused by intestinal parasite, Eimeria spp. in broilers (Giannenas et al., 2003). Natural oregano oil is documented to contain over 100 active components which together have a complex mode of action, exhibiting anti-microbial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (Gheisar and Kim, 2018). Rajkovic et al., (2019) showed carvacrol, a main active component of natural oregano oil, to be effective against large roundworms taken from the intestines of laying hens, with no evidence of resistance.
The most common genera of roundworms and tapeworms in poultry reside in the intestine and/or caeca. Infection can cause damage to the intestinal mucosa, reducing feed efficiency and subsequent egg production. In this study, feed conversion efficiency was improved by six points (P < 0.05) when hens were supplemented with natural oregano oil in either rearing or laying phase. In a recent experiment (Lund et al., 2020), intestinal morphology was improved in pullets fed diets supplemented with 300g/tonne OS. Supplemented pullets had increased villus height, deeper crypt depth and thicker intestinal lining, indicating better digestive function. Other studies in poultry have reported improved gut morphology and beneficial modulation of the gut microbiota following dietary supplementation with natural oregano oil at the same concentration as that used in this study (Mohiti-Asli and GhanaatparastRashi, 2018; Soliman et al., 2016). Whilst intestinal health parameters were not assessed in this study, previous work would suggest natural oregano oil may have helped in improving feed efficiency and egg quality.
In conclusion, the inclusion of a natural oregano oil-based feed additive either during both rearing and laying phases, or the laying phase only, reduced helminth infections, whilst improving feed efficiency and egg quality. The use of natural oregano oil in free range poultry systems offers a potential tool for mitigating helminth infections and maintaining hen performance, which can be used to support conventional worm control programmes.
     
Presented at the 34th Annual Australian Poultry Science Symposium 2023. For information on the next edition, click here.

Dhama K, Latheef SK, Mani S, Samad HA, Karthik K, Tiwari R, Khan RU, Alagawany M, Farag MR, Alam GM, Laudadio V & Tufarelli V (2015) International Journal of Pharmacology 11: 152-176.

Force M, Sparks WS & Ronzio RA (2000) Phytotherapy Research 14: 213-214.

Gheisar MM & Kim IH (2018) Italian Journal of Animal Science 17: 92-99.

Giannenas IB, Florou-Paneri P, Papazahariadou M, Christaki E, Botsoglou NA and Spais AB (2003) Archives of Animal Nutrition 57: 99-106.

Lund E, Wakeman W & Anderson KE (2020) International Poultry Scientific Forum, Atlanta, USA.

Mohiti-Asli M & Ghanaatparast-Rashi M (2018) Journal of Applied Animal Research 46: 184- 189.

Permin A, Bisgaard M, Frandsen F, Pearman M, Kold J & Nansen P (1999) British Poultry Science 40: 439-443.

Rajkovic M, Vucicevic I, Vucicevic M, Dosenovic M, Charvert LC, Resanovic R & Trailovic MS (2019) Acta Veterinaria-Beograd 69: 414-425.

Soliman MM, Mousa SMM & Bahakaim ASA (2016) Egyptian Poultry Science Journal 35: 67-83.

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Related Questions

Whilst these systems are considered higher welfare, they also carry more health risks that can impact the intestinal health of the bird, such as greater exposure to parasites as reported by Permin et al., (1999). Intestinal helminths such as nematodes and tapeworms may reduce hen performance and transmit disease.

Challenges with preventing and treating such helminth infections include increasing resistance to anthelmintics and a limited number of anthelmintics available for laying hens. Therefore, finding alternatives for mitigating helminth infections and maintaining hen performance in free-range housing systems is important for production efficiency and hen welfare.

The inclusion of a natural oregano oil-based feed additive numerically reduced helminth infections at the end of the rearing and laying phases.

Rajkovic et al., (2019) showed carvacrol, a main active component of natural oregano oil, to be effective against large roundworms taken from the intestines of laying hens, with no evidence of resistance.

In a recent experiment (Lund et al., 2020), intestinal morphology was improved in pullets fed diets supplemented with 300g/tonne OS.
Authors:
Wendy Wakeman
Anpario
Laura Corbett
Anpario
Dr. Kenneth E. Anderson
Egg Industry Center
Egg Industry Center
Katherine Cupo
North Carolina State University - NCSU
North Carolina State University - NCSU
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