Protective effects of Aloe vera-based diets in Eimeria maxima-infected broiler chickens.
Aloes have been widely used for a broad range of pharmacological activities, including parasitic problems. Avian coccidiosis is the most costly and wide-spread parasitic disease in the poultry industry, and has been mainly controlled by the use of chemotherapeutic agents. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, alternative control strategies are needed. In this study, the protective effects of Aloe vera-based diets were assessed in broiler chickens following oral infection with Eimeria maxima. Chickens were fed a regular diet supplemented with ground Aloe vera throughout the duration of the experiment beginning 2 days prior to infection with 1 × 10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. maxima. No significant differences were found in body weight gain or loss between the Aloe vera-supplemented and unsupplemented groups with or without E. maxima infections. Fecal oocyst shedding decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in all of the treatment groups that were supplemented with Aloe vera as compared to the unsupplemented group. Furthermore, the Aloe vera-supplemented group showed significantly fewer intestinal lesions (p < 0.05) than the unsupplemented group following infection. The findings of this study suggest that Aloe vera could be used an alternative treatment for controlling avian coccidiosis.
Yim
Dongjean
D
College of Veterinary Medicine & Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea.
Kang
Sang S
SS
Kim
Dong W
DW
Kim
Sang H
SH
Lillehoj
Hyun S
HS
Min
Wongi
W
D000504:Aloe; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004539:Eimeria / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011208:Powders; D011897:Random Allocation; D015430:Weight Gain
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D011208:Powders