A total of 21 herbal products have been developed in an experimental lab.

The technology will be extended for use in the feed meal industry so the country can upgrade the quality of its meat exports.

Livestock feeding on meal mixed with those herbal ingredients will eat more, yield more meat by weight and produce higher quality meat with no residues.

Chanjaras Rieodecha, director of the agriculture division, said last week the research was aimed at serving both farmers and manufacturers so they can use those herbal ingredients to achieve sustainable development.

"Using those ingredients will allow them add more value and boost exports through local wisdom, particularly herbal knowledge," Chanjaras said.

Herbs that the Thailand Research Fund selected for research and development include chillies and essential oils from turmeric. These extracts' quality is high enough to replace antibiotics in treating livestock and meet international demands.

"Those natural supplements in feed meal will facilitate the Kingdom's exports to markets with stringent import restrictions, such as the European Union," she said.

Nantawan Bunyapraphasara, a pharmacy lecturer at Mahidol University, said the project had mixed extracts of chilli in chicken meal. The results showed that chickens eat more and yield a higher feed conversion ratio. In addition, cholesterol in egg yolks is reduced to a maximum of 15 per cent.

With hogs, the natural extracts boosted their size by 10 per cent while lowering fat and enhancing meat quality.

She said other oils from herbs could be developed as essential oils for antiseptic products, particularly for the dairy industry.

"Those herbal substances can be developed to use in various kinds of industries, which also ensures safety for both humans and animals," she added.