Barbour EK, Bragg RR, Karrouf G, Iyer A, Azhar E, Harakeh S, Kumosani T
Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2014
ABSTRACT:
AIM:
The hypothesis of this research is to control eight most predominant Eimeria spp., involved in the economic disease of coccidiosis in broiler chicken, by a chemically-characterized essential oil of eucalyptus and peppermint.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
The experimental design consisted of 160 day-old-broiler chicks, divided into four equal groups (G1 , G2 , G3 , and G4 ), with 40 birds/group. Each group was divided into four equal subgroups. Birds in G1 were deprived of essential oil treatment and of Eimeria challenge. Birds in G2 were unchallenged, and administered the essential oil in drinking water at 0.69 ml/Kg body weight. Birds in G3 were untreated with essential oil, and each of its four subgroups was challenged at a different age (14, 21, 28, and 35 d.). Birds in G4 were treated with essential oil, and challenged in the same manner as for G3 . Equal number of birds from all subgroups (n=10) were sacrificed at 6 days-post the time allocated for each challenge. The six days-incubation period post-challenge resulted in respective mean percent weight increase in G2 and G1 birds equivalent to 57.8% and 53.1% (P<0.05). In addition, the essential oil improved the percent weight increase in challenged birds (54.6%) compared to the challenged-untreated (18.6%) (P<0.05). The mean feed conversion, mortality, intestinal lesion scores and oocyst counts were significantly reduced in the challenged-treated birds compared to the challenged-untreated (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:
The results supported the hypothesis of using the essential oils of eucalyptus and peppermint to control the most prevalent Eimeria spp. involved in coccidiosis of broiler chicken, helping in improvement of their production, alleviation of lesions, and reduction of intestinal oocyst counts.
SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY:
This study provides information about the possibility of using this blend of essential oil as a coccidiostat for the protection of broiler chickens against the prevalent eight Eimeria spp. of coccidiosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
CITATION:
Barbour EK, Bragg RR, Karrouf G, et al. Control of eight predominant Eimeria spp. involved in economic coccidiosis of broiler chicken by a chemically-characterized essential oil. J Appl Microbiol. 2014. doi: 10.1111/jam.12731.
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