With policies restricting antibiotic overuse becoming mainstream, farmers are turning to non-antibiotic feed additives to maintain poultry health. Based on this trend, this study evaluated the effects of supplementing wheat-based broiler diets with essential oils-organic acids mixture (EOA) alongside enzyme preparations. The results showed that combining a low dose of EOA with enzyme preparations effectively improved the intestinal microenvironment of poultry, outperforming the individual use of each component. However, surprisingly, high-dose supplementation exacerbated intestinal burden and worsened health conditions. These findings demonstrate that an optimal ratio of feed additives is required for maximum efficacy, whereas indiscriminate application can lead to either ineffective waste or adverse outcomes.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.