Effect of Dietary Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) Extract on Gizzard Erosion and UIceration Induced by Dietary Histamine in Broiler Chicks

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine if dietary Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) extract prevents gizzard erosion and ulceration of chicks induced by dietary histamine. Day old broiler chicks were fed on a basal diet, a diet with 0.4% histamine or a diet containing 0.2% Stevia extract (on dry matter basis) +0.4% histamine for 14 days. Dietary histamine reduced growth and caused occurrence of gizzard erosion and ulceration as previously reported. Feeding of Stevia extract containing diet partly prevented retardation of growth and occurrence of gizzard erosion and ulceration caused by histamine. The result shows that the Stevia extract contains active substance(s) that attenuates histaminic action.

Keywords

• stevia extract
• growth
• gizzard erosion
• broiler