Phyto-Synthetic Combination as Great Enhancers of Haematological Parameters: A Case Study in Poultry

Abstract

This present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of graded concentrations of Allium sativum (garlic) powder (GP) in combination with amprolium (AMP) on oocysts counts and haematological parameters of coccidian in experimentally induced Cobb 700 broilers. They were compared with commercial drugs, amprolium and sulphaquinoxaline (SUL). Seventy day-old broiler chicks were used for this research. Broiler chickens were randomly divided into seven groups of ten replicates and five treatments (T1-T5) were administered to five groups while the last two groups served as positive and negative controls. On day nineteen, sixty birds were orally inoculated with 6 × 10³ sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella and treatment commenced on day 16 Post Infection (PI). T1 to T3 were treated with 12 mg (GP)+48 mg (AMP), 24 mg (GP)+48 mg (AMP) and 48 mg (GP)+48 mg (AMP) respectively. T4 and T5 received 48 mg (AMP) and 28 mg (AMP+SUL) respectively while T6 and T7 were the positive (Infected not treated) and negative controls (not infected not treated). Results showed that infection of broiler chickens with 6 x 10³ sporulated oocysts of E tenella coccidian oocysts had deleterious effects on the birds, caused faecal oocysts shedding, significant reduction of; red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin concentration (HB) and packed cell volume (PCV). Infection also resulted to a significant increase in heterophils (HEU), lymphocyte counts (LYM) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Treatment commenced when 90% of infection was established (day 16 PI) and lasted for seven days. Faecal oocysts counts significantly reduced in all the treated groups with the highest effect observed in groups T3, T4 and T5; while the untreated group T6 had the highest oocyst output and T7 did not shed oocysts all through the experimental period. In the haematological indices, PCV was highest in T1 and T3 while RBC was highest in T3. HB was highest in T1. T3 and T4 had the least HEU values, T2 and T1 had the lowest LYM values while T1, T2 and T4 had the lowest MCV values post treatments. It was concluded that since the addition of A. sativum to amprolium significantly reduced oocysts shedding and improved haematological indices of broiler chickens, it could be used as a substitute for pure chemical drugs in the treatment of chicken coccidiosis.