Effect of Standardized Ginger ( Zingiber officinale Roscoe ) Extract on Gut Morphology, Microbiota Composition, and Growth Performance in Broiler Chickens

Martina Đurić Jarić, Željko Gottstein, Silvijo Vince, Ivona Žura Žaja, Maksimiljan Brus, Dražen Đuričić, Marko Samardžija and Hrvoje Valpotić ()
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Martina Đurić Jarić: Krka-Farma d.o.o., 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Željko Gottstein: Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Silvijo Vince: Clinic for Reproduction and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivona Žura Žaja: Department of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Maksimiljan Brus: Department of Livestock Breeding and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Dražen Đuričić: Department of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Samardžija: Clinic for Reproduction and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Hrvoje Valpotić: Department of Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-16

Abstract: With increasing concerns over antibiotic resistance in livestock, there is an urgent need for sustainable alternatives to enhance health and productivity in poultry production. Ginger ( Zingiber officinale Roscoe ), a phytobiotic recognized for its diverse health benefits, including growth promotion and the improvement of intestinal function, was evaluated for its efficacy. This study investigated the effects of standardized ginger extract on gut morphology, microbiota composition, and growth performance in broiler chickens. A total of 200 day-old (Ross 308) broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary groups: a control group receiving a basal diet and three experimental groups receiving a basal diet supplemented with 2.5 g/kg, 5 g/kg, and 10 g/kg of ginger extract. The performance results demonstrated that dietary ginger supplementation at 5 g/kg significantly improved feed efficiency without adversely affecting final body weight ( p < 0.01). Feed intake in broilers was significantly reduced by higher doses of ginger extract ( p < 0.01). Broiler chickens supplemented with 5 g/kg of ginger exhibited a significantly higher villous height-to-crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum ( p < 0.05). Groups supplemented with 5 g/kg and 10 g/kg of ginger extract demonstrated a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and an increase in the proportion of Firmicutes ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of ginger extract at 5 g/kg resulted in improved feed efficiency, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition.

Keywords: broiler; ginger extract; gut morphology; microbiome; growth performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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