Fermented Shallot (Allium cepa L.) Extract with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Improves Growth Performance and Attenuates Physiological Stress in Broiler Chickens under Chronic Natural Summer Heat Exposure
Abstract
Heat stress has remained one of the gravest limitations on poultry production under tropical climatic conditions. It stimulates increased stress hormone levels, oxidative damage, and impaired metabolism, which ultimately reduce growth performance. This study aimed to evaluate whether Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 1582-fermented shallot bulb extract (LPFS), supplied as drinking water, could improve growth performance and physical resilience in yellow-feathered Rilai broilers exposed to chronic natural summer heat in Central Vietnam. In a completely randomized study design, 300 day-old male chicks were randomly assigned to six treatments (five replications of 10 birds each) and raised for 90 days in an open-sided house. The birds were fed plain drinking water (negative control), oxytetracycline in feed (100 mg/kg diet, positive control), or LPFS at 25, 50, 75, or 100 mg/L in drinking water. The growth performance was measured weekly, and blood samples were taken after 90 days and analyzed to determine lipid profiles, liver enzymes, acute-phase proteins, and stress/oxidative biomarkers. Body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly higher with LPFS supplementation compared to the negative control (p<0.05), with the most significant benefits observed in the later growth phase. Also, LPFS significantly decreased the levels of circulating corticosterone, malondialdehyde, and heat shock protein 70 in addition to increasing the activities of several major antioxidant enzymes. The serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were also lower in the groups treated with LPFS, with positive changes in liver enzyme activities. In conclusion, LPFS acts as a postbiotic–phytochemical water additive that supports productivity and metabolic resilience during prolonged natural summer heat exposure and may partially substitute for antibiotic-associated benefits in tropical poultry production.
Full text article
References
Adli, D. N., Sholikin, M. M., Ujilestari, T., Ahmed, B., Sadiqqua, A., Harahap, M. A., Sofyan, A., & Sugiharto, S. (2024). Effect of fermentation of herbal products on growth performance, breast meat quality, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens: A meta-analysis. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 23(1), 734–750. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2024.2351441
Alagawany, M., Abd El-Hack, M. E., Farag, M. R., Sachan, S., Karthik, K., & Dhama, K. (2018). The use of probiotics as eco-friendly alternatives for antibiotics in poultry nutrition. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25, 0611–10618. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1687-x
Friedewald W. T., Levy R. I., & Fredrickson D. S. (1972). Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clinical Chemistry, 18(6), 499-502. https://doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/18.6.499
Habeeb, A. A., Gad, A. E., & Atta, M. A. (2018). Temperature-humidity indices as indicators to heat stress of climatic conditions with relation to production and reproduction of farm animals. International Journal of Biotechnology and Recent Advances, 1(1), 35–50. https://doi.org/10.18689/ijbr-1000107
Hai, P. V., Hoang, P. H., Hung, P. H. S., Na, T. T., Lai, N. H., Khuong, N. D. T., Liem, T. N., & Hoa, N. X. (2024). Selection of Lactobacillus strains from native chicken feces for the fermentation of purple onion (Allium cepa L.) as an antibiotic alternative against Salmonella spp. in chickens. Open Veterinary Journal, 14(12), 3525–3538. https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.35
Hai, P. V., Hoa, N. X., & Hoang, T. A. P. (2025a). Fermented purple onion (Allium cepa L.) and chive (Allium schoenoprasum) bulb extracts as antibiotic alternatives against toxin-carrying bacteria: in vitro and pathogenicity assessment in chickens. Open Veterinary Journal, 15(6), 2355–2364. https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i6.8
Hai, P. V., Anh, L. X., & Hoa, N. X. (2025b). Fermented chive (Allium schoenoprasum) with Lactobacillus plantarum: A potential antibiotic alternative feed additive for broilers challenged with Escherichia coli. Fermentation, 11(5), 277. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11050277
Huynh, N. T., Van Camp, J., Smagghe, G., & Raes, K. (2014). Improved release and metabolism of flavonoids by steered fermentation processes: A review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 15(11), 19369–19388. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms151119369
Kothari, D., Lee, W.-D., Niu, K.-M., & Kim, S.-K. (2019). The genus Allium as poultry feed additive: A review. Animals, 9(12), 1032. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121032
Mishra, B., & Jha, R. (2019). Oxidative stress in the poultry gut: Potential challenges and interventions. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 6, 60. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00060
Nawab, A., Ibtisham, F., Li, G., Kieser, B., Wu, J., Liu, W., Zhao, Y., Nawab, Y., Li, K., Xiao, M., & An, L. (2018). Heat stress in poultry production: Mitigation strategies to overcome the future challenges facing the global poultry industry. Journal of Thermal Biology, 78, 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2018.08.010
Ooi, L. G., & Liong, M. T. (2010). Cholesterol-lowering effects of probiotics and prebiotics: A review of in vivo and in vitro findings. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 11(6), 2499–2522. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms11062499
Song, J., Xiao, K., Ke, Y. L., Jiao, L. F., Hu, C. H., Diao, Q. Y., Shi, B., & Zou, X. T. (2014). Effect of a probiotic mixture on intestinal microflora, morphology, and barrier integrity of broilers subjected to heat stress. Poultry Science, 93(3), 581-588. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2013-03455
Sugiharto, S., & Ranjitkar, S. (2019). Recent advances in fermented feeds towards improved broiler chicken performance, gastrointestinal tract microecology and immune responses: A review. Animal Nutrition, 5(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aninu.2018.11.001
Surai, P. F., Kochish, I. I., Fisinin, V. I., & Kidd, M. T. (2019). Antioxidant defence systems and oxidative stress in poultry biology: An update. Antioxidants, 8(7), 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8070235
Teyssier, J.-R., Brugaletta, G., Sirri, F., Dridi, S., & Rochell, S. J. (2022). A review of heat stress in chickens. Part II: Insights into protein and energy utilization and feeding. Frontiers in Physiology, 13:943612. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.943612
Sun, L., Xu, G., Dong, Y., Li, M., Yang, L., & Lu, W. (2020). Quercetin protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced intestinal oxidative stress in broiler chickens through activation of Nrf2 pathway. Molecules, 25(5), 1053. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25051053
Wasti, S., Sah, N., & Mishra, B. (2020). Impact of heat stress on poultry health and performances, and potential mitigation strategies. Animals, 10(8), 1266. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10081266
Zaboli, G., Huang, X., Feng, X., & Ahn, D. U. (2019). How can heat stress affect chicken meat quality? - A review. Poultry Science, 98(3), 1551–1556. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey399
Authors
Copyright (c) 2026 Tropical Animal Science Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors submitting manuscripts should understand and agree that copyright of manuscripts of the article shall be assigned/transferred to Tropical Animal Science Journal. The statement to release the copyright to Tropical Animal Science Journal is stated in Form A. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA) where Authors and Readers can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, as well as remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, but they must give appropriate credit (cite to the article or content), provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
Article Details
How to Cite
