Vol. 9, Issue 7, Part W (2025)

In this 42-day research trial, 1,760 one-day-old “Cobb-430Y” broiler birds were allocated to four treatment groups, A, B, C, and D, each with 440 birds further divided into four replicates of 110 birds each to evaluate the effects of Bioactive Botanical Blend (BBB) versus a standard symbiotic on gut integrity and productivity in broilers. The BBB consisted of a blend of Piper longum, Mangifera indica, Thymus vulgaris, Ocimum sanctum, Trachyspermum ammi, Allium cepa, and Curcuma longa, while the standard symbiotic contained probiotics including Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, and prebiotics such as mannan oligosaccharide and β-glucans. Group A served as the control receiving the basal diet. Group B was provided with BBB at 50 g/100 kg, group C received BBB at 100 g/100 kg, and group D received the standard symbiotic at 25 g/100 kg. Birds in groups C and D found non-significant (p>0.05) differences in weekly live body weight, cumulative weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Duodenal, jejunal, and ileal villus lengths in group C were significantly (p<0.05) increased by 4.49%, 4.40%, and 4.59%, respectively, compared with group D. The villus height to crypt depth (V/C) ratios of the duodenum and jejunum were significantly (p<0.05) higher by 9.44% and 3.44%, respectively, while duodenal crypt depth was 4.36% lower in group C compared with group D. Carcass traits such as dressing percentage (with and without giblet) and breast meat percentage in groups B, C, and D showed no significant (p>0.05) differences. Breast meat percentage in group C was 1.81% higher than in group D. Thus, the inclusion of BBB at 100 g/100 kg feed was effective in improving growth performance, carcass traits, and gut health via enhanced intestinal histomorphology. Similar effects were shown by standard symbiotic at 25 g/100 kg feed, excluding gut health.