Apple Cider Vinegar & Orego-Stim - All You Need to Know

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is essentially apple juice, with the addition of yeast. Including yeast turns the sugar in the juice into alcohol. This is a process called fermentation, where bacteria turn the alcohol into acetic acid. That’s what gives vinegar its sour taste and strong smell.

There are plenty of poultry and pigeon keepers that will claim ACV has benefitted their flock in various ways, such as aiding digestion, making bird poo smell nicer, neutralising harmful toxins, increasing egg production and killing parasites.
The demand for natural, sustainable products is increasing and people are searching for alternatives to antibiotics.

While there is plenty of “at home evidence” to read online supporting ACV, there is little to no scientific evidence or published studies on the benefits of its use.
ACV cannot be used in metal drinkers as it can react with the metal and cause it to leak zinc into the water. Zinc is extremely toxic to birds; hence metal drinkers and bore hole water sources must be avoided.

Phytogenic (plant based) feed additives, such as oregano essential oil (OEO) are a widely recognised tool used by commercial livestock producers, smallholders, and pigeon fanciers alike.
With proven efficacy across numerous species, published scientific studies using phytogenic feed additives have shown that they can provide a multitude of benefits in supporting bird health and performance.
Reducing therapeutic antibiotic use and the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a key priority for both animal and human health globally. Finding natural solutions which support bird health and performance, thus reducing the requirement and preserving antibiotics for when they are really needed will help to safeguard future efficacy of antibiotics.

Anpario’s leading Orego-Stim range contains a source of 100% natural, oregano essential oil (OEO) extracted from an oregano variety that is specific to Anpario. The plants are grown following organic principles and cultivated to have the optimal balance of active ingredients, including carvacrol and thymol.

OEO naturally contains antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, as well as providing immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, all of which are widely known to support a healthy digestive system and support natural resilience. This can help to keep your birds naturally healthy, making Orego-Stim the perfect choice when antibiotics are not desired.
In addition, the aromatic and flavouring properties associated with oregano help to maintain voluntary feed intake, which is of particular importance during periods of stress, moulting, breeding, and pre- and post-racing.

Orego-Stim works to support gut health, which in turn supports nutrient availability for egg production. Orego-Stim can improve egg numbers, and the level of improvement depends on the extent of environmental challenge. In 2020, commercial trials on free range hens in Europe showed that hens with Orego-Stim supplemented water produced more high quality eggs (clean & free from cracks), required 12% less feed per egg produced and on average produced 22 extra eggs per hen.
A recent study with ACV showed it to have no effect at all on body weight, feed intake, egg production, egg quality, egg weight or feed efficiency (Karaalp, 2018).
On the surface of the intestines, there are “folded” structures known as villus and crypts, the shape of the structure determines how efficiently nutrients are absorbed by the bird.
Whilst trials have shown that ACV can help to increase villus height in the duodenum of the small intestine, in the jejunum the villus height was decreased when ACV was supplemented (Allahdo et al., 2018).
Supplementation with Orego-Stim however has been shown to increase villus height in the small intestine, including the jejunum and increase the crypt depth, allowing for optimal nutrient absorption, enhancing digestive support and function. (NCSU, 2020).

There are lots of published studies on the effectiveness of Orego-Stim on bird health and performance, as well as plenty of glowing reviews & testimonials from Anpario Direct customers.

The Orego-Stim range has both liquid and powder options available, enabling ease and flexibility in application in your bird’s feed or water.
Standard Application:

Apple Cider Vinegar liquid has higher recommended dilution rate compared to Orego-Stim at of 20ml/L of water for chickens, 10ml/L of water for pigeons and 5ml/L for small birds such as budgies.

The differences between dried oregano, similar to what we may keep in our spice rack, and steam distilled OEO found in Orego-Stim, is the amount, consistency and quality of the essential oil.
Carvacrol and thymol are two key active compounds, offering a variety of benefits to the bird. These can vary in concentration, resulting in fluctuating efficacy and lower consistency when dried oregano is used.
Orego-Stim is produced from a more concentrated source of OEO, providing consistently high levels of the beneficial active compounds in the essential oil, ensuring high quality support for you bird’s gut health.

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