Efficacy of Phyto-Genic Products to Control Field Coccidiosis in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing commercially available Phyto-genic products in preventing and controlling field coccidiosis in broiler chickens, compared to the most used chemical drugs. Five treatment groups were established, with a random allocation of 12,000 1-day-old broiler chicks. Six repetitions were conducted for each treatment, with 400 birds in each repetition. Three commercial formulas of Phyto-genic origin (Phyto-1, Phyto-2, Phyto-3) were used. Nicarbazin and Narasin, chemical drugs, were assigned as the control group. These products were added to the basal diets (BD) to formulate 5 dietary treatments (T): (T1) control fed BD supplemented with (Maxiban®) in starter and (Monteban®) in grower and finisher diets; (T2) fed BD supplemented with (Maxiban®) in starter diet and Phyto-1 (Aflocox D®) in grower and finisher feed diet; (T3) fed BD + Phyto-1; (T4) fed BD + Phyto-2 (Aflocox plus®), and (T5) fed BD + Phyto-3 (Herb-All COCC-X®). The results showed that the Phyto-genic blends improved the body weight, body weight gain, and overall feed conversion ratio to a level similar to that of the group fed the chemical coccidiostat drugs, with no significant differences among them. As well, mortality and lesion scores were not affected (P>0.05) among treatments. The study concluded that these Phyto-genic blends can be safely used as alternatives to the chemically synthesized drugs, either alone or in a shuttle program, for the control of poultry coccidiosis.