A Review on the Use of Azolla Species in Poultry Production

Aquatic plants are receiving a lot of attention in nutrition research, which is due to their broad range of uses in animal and human food. Azolla is one of the commonly used these floating plants. Currently, different Azolla species are used as maintainable feed alternatives for cattle, pigs, poultry, and fish as dried flakes or fresh form. In addition to high protein and essential amino acid content of Azolla, the fern is rich in other nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, and pigments. There is a discrepancy in the use of Azolla to improve the productivity of poultry. However, most studies have indicated that the incorporation of broiler ration with certain levels of Azolla promotes feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion rate, and general health conditions as Azolla comprises growth promoters. In layers, the use of Azolla improves productivity in terms of egg quantity and quality as Azolla contains pigments, minerals, and essential amino acids. Moreover, Azollas improves carcass traits at processing. Therefore, this review article provides information on Azolla plant, its composition, and the significance of its supplementation for different poultry species.