Waste from the cannabis industry could offer poultry producers a cost-effective dietary supplement while helping broiler farms become more sustainable.
In a study published in Poultry Science Journal, researchers in Thailand looked at the impact of incorporating varying amounts of hemp stalks and leaves, known as Cannabis sativa residues (CR), into broiler diets.
The trial involved 256 one-day-old male Ross 308 birds, divided into four groups. Each group was given a base diet containing different levels of CR, ranging from 0% to 2%, over a 40-day period.
The results showed that while chickens fed higher levels of CR (2%) consumed less feed overall, their body weight and carcass yield remained the same as birds fed a standard diet.
CR contains bioactive compounds like CBD, THC, and total phenol, which are known for their antioxidant properties. These compounds may explain why chickens fed CR showed signs of better gut health and less oxidative stress, which can damage cells.
The CR-fed birds had a higher villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in their intestines, meaning their digestive systems were more efficient. This improvement in gut health may explain why the chickens maintained good growth even though they ate less.
Importantly, the study found no negative impacts on liver health or blood chemistry. In fact, the chickens on the CR diet had lower levels of total and indirect bilirubin, markers for oxidative stress, suggesting the CR helped protect their livers from damage.
Yusup Sopian, the report’s lead author, said the findings suggest CR has the potential be used as a natural feed additive in poultry farming, offering benefits to gut health and reducing the amount of feed needed without harming growth or meat quality.
Although the results were promising, the researchers emphasised the need for further studies, particularly to explore CR’s effects on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory gene expression, as well as its potential to influence meat quality.
With cannabis legalisation and hemp farming continuing to expand globally, scientists across the world are investigating ways Cannabis sativa and its by-products could be used in by farmers as a sustainable and economically-friendly input.
As well as improving the antioxidant capacity of finishing lambs, chemical compounds from the plant have been identified as a possible organic pesticide. It has also been touted as a sustainable alternative feed in cattle diets.
