Turmeric on Poultry Production: A Review

In the commercial poultry chain, a great diversity of production systems is found to meet the needs of the market, since the consumer has become increasingly aware of the importance of the relationship between diet and health, which has encouraged researchers and the food industry to develop products enriched with nutrients capable of producing beneficial effects on health. There has been increasing progress in research aimed at including viable alternative products, such as plant extracts, in poultry diets, which have been shown to have an antimicrobial and antioxidant action and to promote improvements in animal performance. Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a popular medicinal herb, which shows a wide range of pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, antiangiogenic, antitumor, antivenom, antinflammatory, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antiprotozoal, and antiaging. The use of turmeric in poultry production has been reported by many researchers. The aim of this review is to describe and report the most recent research on the use of turmeric as feed supplement for birds and so its effect on animal health and welfare.