球虫病和坏死性肠炎(NE)是世界范围内流行的家禽疾病,导致不使用抗生素的生活表现下降和死亡率上升。这项研究评估了Nigellasativa(黑孜然)种子(BCS)和开菲尔作为肉鸡抗生素的替代品。一项为期28天的体内研究,使用384Cobb500雄性肉鸡,将其分为六个治疗组,作为完全随机区组实验设计的一部分。每个治疗组包括八个重复,每个复制品包含八只鸟。治疗包括阳性对照,阴性对照,抗生素控制,饲料中5%的BCS,饮用水中20%的开菲尔,以及5%BCS和20%开菲尔的组合。通过在第14天口服施用〜5000个最大艾美球虫卵囊,然后在第19、20和21天用约108CFU/mL的产气荚膜梭菌(Cp)(菌株Cp#4)接种,在肉鸡中诱导NE。现场性能指标,包括饲料摄入量,体重增加,在肉鸡中评估饲料转化率。此外,NE疾病结果,如病变评分,死亡率,在研究过程中确定了盲肠中的Cp种群。BCS,kefir,并且该组合对肉鸡的生活性能没有不利影响。与阳性对照相比,BCS治疗组和组合组具有更低的NE评分(p>0.05),并且与抗生素对照没有显著差异(p>0.05)。此外,治疗组和抗生素对照组在死亡率上无显著差异(p>0.05),而与阳性对照的31.3%相比,BCS和开菲尔组合显著降低(p<0.05)死亡率至14.1%。产气荚膜梭菌营养细胞在BCS处理中显著减少(p<0.05),kefir,以及它们在第22天和第28天的组合与阳性对照相比。在第22天,与阳性对照相比,开菲尔和组合治疗的Cp疮显著更低(p<0.05)。总之,BCS和开菲尔成功地降低了产气荚膜梭菌感染和死亡率,而对肉鸡的生活性能没有任何不利影响,联合治疗是最有效的。这些结果表明,BCS和开菲尔可以作为管理NE的抗生素的潜在替代品。
Coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE) are prevalent poultry ailments worldwide, leading to decreased live performance and elevated mortality rates without antibiotic usage. This study evaluated Nigella sativa (black cumin) seeds (BCS) and kefir as alternatives to antibiotics for broilers. An in vivo study over a 28-day period, using 384 Cobb 500 male broilers organized into six treatment groups as part of a completely randomized block experimental design was conducted. Each treatment group included eight replicates, with each replicate containing eight birds. The treatments included positive control, negative control, antibiotic control, 5% BCS in feed, 20% kefir in drinking water, and a combination of 5% BCS and 20% kefir. NE was induced in broilers by administering ~5000 oocysts of Eimeria maxima orally on day 14, followed by inoculation with about 108 CFU/mL of Clostridium perfringens (Cp) (strain Cp#4) on days 19, 20, and 21. Live performance metrics including feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion were assessed in broilers. Additionally, NE disease outcomes such as lesion scores, mortality rates, and Cp populations in cecum were determined during the study. The BCS, kefir, and the combination had no detrimental effect on broiler live performance. BCS-treated and combination groups had lower NE scores (p > 0.05) in comparison to the positive control and exhibited no significant difference (p > 0.05) from antibiotic control. Additionally, treatment groups and antibiotic control were not significantly different (p > 0.05) in mortality, whereas the BCS and kefir combination significantly reduced (p < 0.05) mortality to 14.1% compared to 31.3% for the positive control. C. perfringens vegetative cells significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in treatments with BCS, kefir, and their combination on days 22 and 28 compared to the positive control. On day 22, Cp sores were significantly lower (p < 0.05) for the kefir and combination treatments compared to the positive control. In conclusion, BCS and kefir successfully reduced C. perfringens infection and mortality without any detrimental impact on broiler live performance with the combined treatment being the most effective. These results suggest that BCS and kefir could serve as potential alternatives to antibiotics in managing NE.