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Brown Seaweed


Ascophyllum nodosum

Brown seaweed

Other Names:

Norwegian Sea Kelp, Laminaria Digitata, Sea Vegetable, Sea-Weed, Sea Frond, Atlantic Seaweed

Benefits

  • Antiparasitic
  • Antibacterial
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Immunity
Sea kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) is a type of brown seaweed known to contain high amounts of phlorotannins and ascophyllan. Phlorotannins may be able to inhibit starch and lipid absorption and ascophyllan is thought to have immunostimulatory properties. Specific applications studied in poultry include:
  • Ethnoveterinary uses: In British Columbia, sea kelp is given as a supplement in chick starter rations to prevent disease.
  • Antibacterial: Sea kelp powder may be helpful in reducing the presence of Escherichia coli.

Poultry Specific Studies

TypePlant PartDosageSpecific useResultsRef
Chickensextract1,250 - 5,000 mg/kg basal dietanti-obesityreduced fat accumulation in both adipose tissue and the liver by modulating lipogenesis.M Kwak et al., 2024
Chickens0.5%GI healththe jejunum of late-stage laying hens showed a strain-dependent reduction in ZO-1 expression in response to long-term seaweed supplementation, as well as significant strain differences in the tight junction protein occludin’s expression levels. L MacLaren et al., 2024
Chickensextract0.5 kg/metric ton of feedheat stressReduced stress during prolonged heat exposure.G Archer 2023
Chickensextract1-2 mL in drinking waterantioxidant, heat stresssignificantly increased the AFI, ABWG, and AWI of chickens irrespective of heat stress.F Akinyemi et al., 2022
Chickens0.5% dietblood chemistryImproved feed efficiency and resistance to heat stress. Resulted in significant liver enzyme changes in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). S Borzouie et al., 2020
Chickens0.05% of feedheat stressreduced the effect of prolonged heat stress.E Sobotik et al., 2018
Chickensextract500-1000 ppm dietantibacterialReduced Campylobacter jejuni counts in the caecum of chicks. T Sweeney et al., 2016

References

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