Volume 12, Issue 26, July - December 2026

Assessment of Acinos arvensis Leaf Powder as a Natural Replacement for Chemical Antibiotics in Hubbard Broilers: Effect on Growth, Nutrient Utilization and Blood Parameters

Alagbe John O^1,2♦, Aliyu Karimat I³, Togun Mary E³, Agubosi OCP³, Daniel Anorue N⁴

¹Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Monogastric Nutrition and Toxicology, Gandhi College of Agriculture, Rajasthan, India
²Department of Animal Science, Center for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, Nigeria
³Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, Nigeria
⁴Department of Theriogenelogy, Faulty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Alagbe John O, Department of Animal Science, Center for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This research examined how well Acinos arvensis leaf powder (AALP) can perform as a natural feed additive instead of synthetic antibiotics in broiler chickens. The trial used 200 one-day-old Hubbard broiler chicks that were allocated randomly to 5 different treatment groups created by means of Completely Randomized Design (CRD) of 4 replicates per treatment with each replicate having 10 chicks. The treatment groups included: T1 (negative control); T2 (positive control group with 25 g/kg Neomycin addition to basal diet); T3, T4 and T5 (treatment groups with AALP addition at the rate of 30, 60 and 90 g/kg and basal dietary formulation). The phytochemical analysis of AALP indicated high levels of flavonoids (809.2 mg/g) and phenolic compounds (313.5 mg/g) as well as tannins (112.4 mg/g), alkaloids (76.44 mg/g), saponins (189.5 mg/g) and steroids (100.2 mg/g). During the period of 42 days of trial, growth rate and digestibility showed a clear tendency of increasing alongside with the AALP supplementation level in diets. The greatest weight gain at the end of the trial period and best Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) were observed in T5 treatment group being significantly superior over the negative control (T1) group and surpassing Neomycin group (T2). Digestibility ratio values for dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash and crude fibres showed the higher results in T3 – T5 treatment groups due to the positive influence of the polyphenolic profile of AALP on the digestive system performance. Hematological indices including PCV, Hb, RBC, WBC, and lymphocytes were estimated to be higher in T3-T5 than those in T1, as well as intermediate in T2, but still complied with the normal physiological limits. This shows that Acinos arvensis leaf powder exhibits a high level of safety, as well as has very high effectiveness as an immunomodulator leading to growth, and it is capable of being a complete substitute for synthetic antibiotics in broiler production.

Keywords: Acinos arvensis, Phytogenics, Neomycin, Nutrient Digestibility, Hematology, Broiler Performance

Discovery Agriculture, 2026, 12, e21da3229

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Published: 09 September 2026