Efeito fitobiótico e toxigênico da Marrubium vulgare em frangos de corte tipo Griller

Abstract

The ongoing food industry aims to reduce the residue of antibiotics in intensive poultry farming due to the development of resilient bacteria. In this context, there is an enhancement of the usage of phytogenic additives as an alternative for the incorporation in ration and the promotion of an improved zootechnical parameter in poultry raised under intensive systems. Due to the pharmacological properties of the medicinal plant Marrubium vulgare, essentially as being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial, it could be potentially a phytobiotic growth booster when added to the ration and drinking water as an alternative to the antibiotics currently used as growth boosters. The aim of this project is to investigate the phytobiotic and toxicological evidences present in the M. vulgare (IMV) infusion in griller type poultry assessing their physiological parameters, zootechnical performance rate, hematological and biochemical parameters, morphology and morphometry of the jejunum, chromatography of the M. vulgare infusion, development of internal organs, and the sensory quality in the poultry’s meat. The experiment was conducted by a family property based in the region of Ampére, in the state of Paraná. In a restrained environment along with the Dark House light restriction system, 200 one-year-old hens of the COBB breed were distributed into five experimental groups: The Negative Control group (NC, allowed water intake), Positive Control group (PC tylosin 1%, 50 ppm intake), and three groups were treated with IMV: IMV 2% (IMV2), 4% (IMV4) and 6% (IMV6). Apart from this, it was observed an enhancement in weight and in the pectoral muscles girth in these groups. In relation to the physiological blood patterns, there were no hematological and biochemical alterations nor in relation to the metabolites, distancing it from the possibility of toxigenic effects in the relative dosage tested. A sensory analysis revealed that the meat samples of the IMV group had a more intense flavour in comparison to the control group. The improvement of the productive performance and of the sensory characteristics of the poultry meat may be associated with the phytobiotic activity of the IMV. Therefore, our results suggest that the plant Marrubium vulgare can be used as a natural growth booster for poultry when mixed in their ration and drinking water.