In broiler chicken production, the health of the small intestine is crucial for optimal growth. Pathogenic microbes in the small intestine can infect the digestive tract, causing inflammation and nutrient absorption issues, leading to suboptimal growth.
In recent decades, antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) have been used by farmers to enhance broiler chicken growth performance, administered through feed or drinking water. However, in 2018, the Indonesian government officially banned the use of AGP as additives in livestock due to concerns about AGP residues in chicken meat, which could increase bacterial resistance and cause allergic reactions in humans.
Recognizing the importance of education in addressing these issues, five students from Universitas Gadjah Mada conducted research on the addition of green betel leaf (Piper betle L.) essential oil to broiler chicken drinking water to improve productivity. These students are Isty Widiastuti (Animal Science and Industry, 2022), Mohammad Rakha Surya Pranaja (Veterinary Medicine, 2022), Annisa Nur Mayka Safitri (Chemistry, 2022), Hanna Priyo Cahyono (Animal Science and Industry, 2022), and Rahmaisya (Chemistry, 2023). This research was carried out through the Student Creativity Program in Exact Research (PKM-RE), funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture Research and Technology, Republic of Indonesia.
The research on green betel leaf essential oil as a replacement for AGP to enhance broiler chicken productivity was conducted from May to July 2024, supervised by a lecturer from the Faculty of Animal Science UGM, Moh. Sofi’ul Anam, S.Pt., M.Sc. The research took place at the Chemistry Department Laboratory of FMIPA UGM, the semi Closed House cage in Minggir, Sleman, Yogyakarta; the Pathology and Anatomy Laboratory of Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM; the Physiology and Reproduction Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal Science UGM; and the Biochemistry and Nutrition Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal Science UGM.
The green betel leaves used in this research are widely found throughout Indonesia.
“Green betel leaves are believed to contain phenolic compounds such as eugenol, which have antibacterial properties, potentially reducing pathogenic bacteria in the small intestine and enhancing nutrient absorption, thus optimizing broiler chicken growth,” said Rahmaisya on Sunday (21/7).
Isty Widiastuti added that the green betel leaves used in this research were distilled into essential oil and then added to the chicken’s drinking water in varying doses. The doses used were 50 μl/liter, 100 μl/liter, and 150 μl/liter of drinking water.
“The broiler chickens used as samples were one day old and were raised for 34 days, with treatments administered from day 11 until harvest, given intermittently,” she explained.
The research results showed that the broiler chickens in the control group, which received antibiotics in their drinking water, weighed 1639.52 ±16.66 g. Chickens in the 50 μl/liter essential oil supplementation group weighed 1836.00 ± 43.91 g. Chickens in the 100 μl/liter group weighed 1787.35 ± 41.38 g. Chickens in the 150 μl/liter group weighed 1711.05 ± 65.58 g.
These results indicate that supplementing essential oil at 50 μl/liter of drinking water increased the broiler chicken weight by 11.98% compared to the control group with antibiotic addition in their drinking water.
According to Isty, green betel leaf essential oil supplementation proved effective in enhancing broiler chicken growth. These findings suggest that future utilization and exploration of green betel leaves for livestock should be pursued to replace the use of AGP by farmers.
Source: Isty
Editor: Satria
Translator: Prisilia Putri