Quillaja and Yucca: Improving Performance and Carcass Traits of Coccidia-Vaccinated Broilers
Results indicated that feeding Magni-Phi exerted a positive influence on the intestinal tract.
With their chemical structures of molecules containing both fat-soluble and water-soluble moieties, saponins derived from specific plant products have the ability to influence many biological processes and affect many disease organisms – and it’s believed that their natural role in plants is to prevent an invasion by pathogens. But how effective are commercially available saponins, like Quillaja saponaria (from the Chilean soap bark tree) and Yucca schidigera (plants common to the American Southwest) in improving the performance of coccidia-vaccinated broilers?
A series of six floor pen studies were carried out to evaluate graded levels of QY (0, 250 and 500 ppm) on performance and mortality and to determine whether these levels of supplementation influenced carcass yield. The Quillaja and Yucca combination was a commercially prepared product (Magni-Phi®, Phibro Animal Health Corporation). Each of the six trials included three treatments: 1) a control group, in which birds were vaccinated for coccidiosis and fed a standard feed devoid of anticoccidials and QY, 2) birds vaccinated for coccidiosis as above and fed 250 ppm of QY, or 3) birds vaccinated for coccidiosis and fed QY at 500 ppm. Each study started with pens containing 55 Ross 708 broilers. The combined analyses from these studies represent a total of 75 replicates of each treatment.
THE FINDINGS:
Aggregated performance data showed Magni-Phi (QY) significantly improved performance at days 21 and 42 – both body weight and feed conversion values were improved. Improvements in whole carcass and chilled carcass yield were also seen. The results indicated that, under conditions of multifaceted intestinal disease challenge, Magni-Phi improved the growth performance of coccidia-vaccinated broilers and improved all measured carcass variables.
Bafundo, K.W., I. Duerr, J.L. McNaughton, A.B. Johnson. 2021. The effects of a quillaja and yucca combination on performance and carcass traits of coccidia-vaccinated broilers exposed to an enteric disease challenge. Poult. Sci., 100:101391