Cranberry extracts could be a new alternative for antibiotics in broiler chickens.
Dr. Moussa Diarra with Agriculture Canada has been conducting research that shows cranberry extracts could decrease mortality in broiler birds by 50 per cent when they were treated with 40 mg of cranberry extracts per one kilogram of feed.
He says the cranberries act as an immune system booster, while increasing the birds' resistance to bacteria such as salmonella.
"About 70 or 75 per cent of all antibiotics are used in animals," he says, "so if you want to regulate that, then you need to have something that could help animals to fight against infection. Cranberry itself, for me, I'm very optimistic could be a viable alternative."
Source : PortageOnline