UNB, Dhaka :Avoiding antibiotics use in broiler production, the quality poultry could be produced in the country through using green tea, which will be safer for human consumption, according to a new study.The study reveals that 0.25 percent of green tea (250 grams in every 100 kilograms of feed) as feed additive could bring better results than the use of antibiotics in poultry production.The poultry, which take green tea, are safe for human consumption as the long-term use of antibiotics adversely affects the human health. Dr Md Elias Hossain, an associate professor of the Department of Poultry Science at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), conducted the experimental study titled, ‘Supplementation of green tea in broiler diet for the production of antibiotic free broiler meat’.The experiment was carried out recently at BAU Poultry Farm in Mymensingh. A total of 280 day-old broiler chicks were reared for 35 days in five dietary treatment groups, which includes control (basal diet), antibiotics and three levels of green tea powder (0.25, 0.5 and 1 percent).The result suggests that green tea at a level of 0.25 percent may be used as potential feed additives in broiler diet. Broiler production is one of the most important and promising industrial sector in Bangladesh. But, poultry farmers are extensively using antibiotics with broiler feed to improve growth and feed efficiency.Although it is known that antibiotics have short-term impacts on human microbiome, evidence demonstrates that the impacts of some antibiotics remain for extended periods of time, says a research article published in the science journal – Microbiology – in 2010.Using green tea as feed additive is a new phenomenon in Bangladesh. In addition to human consumption, lower-grade green tea and green tea by-products have been used as feed additive in animal feed all over world. It contains more than 200 bioactive components such as flavonoids (powerful antioxidants), amino acids, xanthine alkaloids, vitamin and minerals, which are safe for human. So, the biological, physiological and pharmaceutical effects of green tea have been increasing in this decade.Researcher Hossain said, the use of antibiotics is almost common in broiler production although there is no law or regulation in this regard in the country. It is, therefore, necessary to find alternative sources of antibiotics to prevent the possible pathogens and to maintain the growth.He said, medical plants like green tea have already been used as an alternative source of antibiotics because it has no residual effects like antibiotics. “If we extensively use green tea in our country as alternative feed additive in poultry production, we can make antibiotics meat and eggs, which will be safe food for human and can play an important role for the improvement of national health status and the country’s socioeconomic condition,” Hossain said, citing the findings of his study. The researcher says the use of green tea in poultry production may be a little costlier than antibiotic use, but there will be more body weight gain of broiler-fed green tea. “So, farmers may make a balance in production cost. These days, consumers hardly think about price but surely look for safe food.”
