الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Coccidiosis is a realistic problem and one of the most important diseases of poultry worldwide. It is caused by a protozoan parasite known as Eimeria that invade the cells of the poultry intestine. The disease is characterized by enteritis, diarrhea and mortality. The disease is considered as one of the most severe health and economical problems in poultry that causes an enormous loss to poultry production. In this study, a special emphasis was directed to evaluate the anticoccidial activity of some medicinal plants as Artemisia herba-alba (Al sheeh) and Allium sativum (garlic) in comparison with a chemical anticoccidial agent (toltrazuril). Moreover, to determine their efficacy against different stages of Eimeria life cycle with special attention to their effect on some biochemical and histopathological parameters. The study was conducted on two hundred and forty one day-old Cobb broiler chicks (240) which divided into 5main groups Group I: 60 broiler chicks were kept as control negative and further subdivided into four subgroups (Each contains 15 chicks).Group Π: 45 broiler chicks were experimentally infected with (50.000 sporulated oocysts) of mixed Eimeria species at 3 weeks age and non-treated. Group Ш: 45 broiler chicks were experimentally infected and treated with toltrazuril (25 mg/L in drinking water / day). Further subdivided into three subgroups (each contains 15 chicks). Group IV: 45 broiler chicks were experimentally infected and treated with garlic (0.5 gm /kg B.wt) orally. Further subdivided into three subgroups (each contains 15 chicks). Group V: 45 broiler chicks were experimentally infected with and treated with Artemisia herba-alba (0.39 gm /kg B.wt) orally. Further subdivided into three subgroups (each contains 15 chicks). The efficacy of the tested medications were evaluated by the daily count of Eimeria oocysts in the DROPping of the experimentally infected chicks, severity of the clinical symptoms induced by the disease, body weight gain, lesions score ,feed conversion, and the degree of histopathological changes in intestine of the experimentally infected chicken. It could be concluded from the present study that: Toltrazuril was highly effective in treatment of coccidiosis when administered at 4th and 5th day post infection. Also; it is valuable in increasing the average body weight, improvement of feed conversion and reducing oocyst count. Garlic induced an increase in body weight and reduction of the oocyst count. It is preferred to administer at a sexual stages of life cycle and Artemisia herba-alba aqueous extract has anticoccidial activity at 2nd generation schizont and gametogony stage. |