Paper Review: Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic as Alternatives to Antibiotic Growth Promoters
Quick Look
Study evaluated apple cider vinegar (ACV) and garlic as potential alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters.
Conducted on 390 Ross 308 commercial broiler chickens over a standard commercial production cycle.
ACV alone showed limited improvements in performance and did not match the effectiveness of antibiotic growth promoters.
The combination of ACV and garlic performed better than either supplement alone but still did not fully replace antibiotics.
Findings apply to fast-growing commercial broilers, not heritage breeds, breeding stock, or backyard flocks.
The study did not evaluate long-term health, reproduction, egg production, or lifetime effects of ACV supplementation.
Poultry Nerds takeaway: ACV may have value as a nutritional supplement, but this study does not support it as a replacement for proven disease prevention and flock management practices.
Journal:Translational Animal Science (Oxford University Press), 2023
One of the most common claims on social media is that apple cider vinegar (ACV) can replace antibiotics in poultry. This study set out to test that claim under controlled conditions.
Researchers at the University of Venda evaluated 390 Ross 308 broiler chickens, comparing birds receiving conventional antibiotic growth promoters with birds receiving apple cider vinegar, garlic extract, a combination of both, or no additives. The goal was to determine whether these natural products could produce comparable improvements in growth and performance.
The results were interesting because they challenge some of the claims commonly made online. Birds receiving the conventional antibiotic treatment consistently had better growth performance than those receiving apple cider vinegar or garlic. Apple cider vinegar alone did not significantly improve weight gain or feed conversion compared to the untreated control. The only notable improvement associated with the natural additives was an increase in dressing percentage, and the authors concluded that, at the dosage used in this experiment, apple cider vinegar and garlic did not provide enough benefit to replace antibiotic growth promoters.
There are also important limitations to keep in mind before applying these findings broadly.
First, this study was conducted on Ross 308 broilers, a commercial meat bird specifically bred for extremely rapid growth and processing at approximately six weeks of age. These birds have very different genetics, metabolism, and production goals than heritage chickens, dual-purpose breeds, backyard flocks, or long-lived breeding stock. Results observed in a fast-growing broiler cannot automatically be assumed to apply to other types of poultry.
Second, this was a short-term production study. The researchers measured growth performance during the birds' commercial production cycle, but they did not evaluate long-term health, reproductive performance, egg production, longevity, or lifetime effects of continuous apple cider vinegar use. Those questions remain unanswered and require additional research.
Poultry Nerds Takeaway
This paper is valuable because it reminds us to separate evidence from anecdotes. It does not conclude that apple cider vinegar is harmful, nor does it support the claim that it can replace conventional antibiotic growth promoters in commercial broiler production. Instead, it highlights that the effects of ACV appear to depend on factors such as dosage, preparation, management, and the type of bird being raised.
For backyard poultry keepers and heritage breed enthusiasts, the biggest takeaway may actually be what hasn't been studied. We still need well-designed research evaluating long-term ACV use in layers, breeding flocks, and heritage breeds before broad recommendations can be made. Until then, it's best to view apple cider vinegar as a management supplement with limited evidence rather than a proven cure-all.
Original Research
Chabalala O, Bhebhe E, & Fushai F.
Evaluation of Apple (Malus domestica) Cider Vinegar and Garlic (Allium sativum) Extract as Phytogenic Substitutes for Growth-Promoting Dietary Antibiotics in Sexed Broiler Chickens.
Translational Animal Science. 2023;7(1):txad109.
DOI: 10.1093/tas/txad109
Original publication:
https://academic.oup.com/tas/article/7/1/txad109/7264142
Open-access version:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10601447/
How to Cite This Review
Poultry Nerds. (2026). Apple Cider Vinegar as an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Broiler Chickens (Research Review). Poultry Nerds Research Library. Retrieved July 15, 2026, from https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/research-library/apple-cider-vinegar-broiler-study
(Update the URL once the page is published.)
Research Review
This article summarizes a peer-reviewed scientific publication and explains its practical application for poultry keepers, breeders, and educators. It is an original review written by Poultry Nerds and is not a reproduction of the original manuscript. Readers are encouraged to review the complete publication using the original publisher and open-access links provided above.
Important: The study reviewed here was conducted using commercial Ross 308 broiler chickens raised under a typical production cycle. Results may not directly apply to heritage breeds, dual-purpose breeds, breeding stock, laying hens, turkeys, waterfowl, or other poultry species. As with any scientific study, findings should be interpreted within the context of the study's design, population, and limitations.