Effects of vaccination against coccidiosis, with and without a specific herbal essential oil blend, on performance, oocyst excretion and serum IBD titers of broilers reared on litter

Kucukyilmaz K., Bozkurt M., Selek N., GÜVEN E., Eren H., ATASEVER A. , ...More

ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, vol.11, no.1, 2012 (Journal Indexed in SCI) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 11 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2012
  • Doi Number: 10.4081/ijas.2012.e1
  • Title of Journal : ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE

Abstract

The aim of the present experiment was to investigate the effects of oral administration of a live attenuated vaccine (VAC) and an essential oil blend (EOB), either alone or in combination, as a novel anticoccidial strategy for broiler chickens with a mixed Eimeria spp. infection. A total of 624 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to one of six treatments. Two of the groups, only one of which was challenged with coccidiosis, were given a basal diet and served as controls. The other two groups, also infected, were given a basal diet supplemented with monensin sodium (MON, 100 mg/kg) or the EOB (75 mg/kg). Of the remaining two groups, which were infected with coccidiosis, one was vaccinated against coccidiosis (VAC) and the other was both vaccinated and fed a diet with an EOB (VAC+EOB).