Effect of herbal extracts in animal nutrition as feed additives

This paper is reviewed with the objective to understand the effect of herbal extracts on animal performance as feed additives. The number of both external and internal factors which affects the production and productivity of animals obviously includes nutrition as a major factor. Feed additives are products used in animal nutrition to increase the quality of feed and animal-derived foods, as well as the performance and the health of animals. Plant extracts as feed additives are described as herbal-derived components added to ration to improve livestock performance and product quality. Many herbal extracts contain chemical components that have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticoccidial and anthelmintic properties to improve ruminal microbial activity, diet palatability and stimulate digestion. Bioactive chemicals found in nature, such as flavonoids and glucosinolates isoprene derivatives, are primarily responsible for the qualities of plant extracts. Plant extracts are commonly added to feed to increase palatability, productivity and to inhibit lipid oxidation. When added to meals, herbal extracts aid to decrease rancidity, delay the generation of hazardous oxidation products, and retain nutritional quality. It is concluded that; herbal extracts are important to improve growth performance and product quality.