The use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) has been restricted or even prohibited around the world, which brings serious challenges to the health development of the poultry industry. Some plant essential oils and their constituent bioactive compounds have received increasing attention in antibiotic-free diets thanks to their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and lack of environmental residue. This study is the first to evaluate the effects of a combined application of coated oregano essential oil and cinnamaldehyde (COEC) on broiler chickens. The results revealed that dietary supplementation with 300 or 450 mg/kg of COEC showed similar effects as 50 mg/kg of chlortetracycline in promoting broiler growth, stimulating immune responses, and inhibiting the proliferation of Escherichia coli in the cecum of broiler chickens.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.