PHOTO: ADM
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Effect of eugenol and garlic compounds on necrotic enteritis challenge
Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a major poultry disease leading to huge financial losses globally. The incidence and severity of this pathology have increased over the years. With the need to reduce antibiotic use, the market is asking for new solutions to alleviate the effect of NE while maintaining broiler performance.
BY WERNER DE GAIFFIER, PHYTOGENIC BIOACTIVES PRODUCT MANAGER, PANCOSMA E a 2,400 b 2,300 c 2,200 2,100 NEG C 12 Inf C EG BMD c
nteric diseases are a major concern for the poultry in- dustry. They lead to production losses, higher mortali- ty rates, reduced poultry welfare and an increased risk of contamination of poultry products for human con- sumption. One of the most damaging diseases is necrotic en- teritis (NE). It is caused by the over-proliferation of Clostridium perfringens and usually occurs in broiler chickens at 3-4 weeks of age. Necropsy of infected birds reveals typical necrosis in the small intestines. There are two forms of NE: firstly, the acute form which is characterised by a sudden increase in mortality. In most cases, there are no clinical warning signs and it can lead to mortality rates of up to 50%. Clinical signs of diseased animals include depression, dehydration, ruffled feathers, inappetence and diarrhoea. Conversely, the second form, sub-clinical NE often goes undetected, and thus untreat- ed, by producers. This form of the pathology represents 80% of cases and is the most costly for the industry. Difficult to
Figure 1 – Body Weight (kg) at 42 days 2,500
diagnose, it can lead to significant production losses, de- creased feed efficiency and negatively impact welfare.
Necrotic enteritis management Necrotic enteritis is typically managed with antibiotics, some in rotation programme systems. However, the use of antibi- otics is being reduced in many regions of the world due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Consumer acceptance of products from antibiotic-fed animals is also decreasing. To meet the challenge of maintaining broiler performance and limiting NE impact without antibiotic use, producers are increasingly interested in alternative strategies, like feed additives. Phytogenic molecules, such as eugenol and garlic com- pounds, have been identified as having interesting proper- ties. Eugenol is a naturally occurring molecule in cloves that has demonstrated its ability to reinforce the gut physical barrier by increasing the thickness of the intestinal mucus layer and decreasing bacterial attachment in the intestinal epithelium. Several poultry studies have also shown that garlic compounds support immunity parameters by limiting inflammatory processes and promoting optimal gut digestive functions, thereby reducing the amount of available nutrients for C. perfringens to grow.
Promising results In a recent trial performed in Virginia, USA, a blend of euge- nol and garlic compounds (EG) was compared to Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD), and was shown to promote broiler performance when under NE challenge conditions. This 42-day trial was performed on 1,000 Cobb500 broilers split into 4 groups: Negative Controlv (Neg C), Infected Con- trol (Inf C), eugenol and garlic compounds (EG; 100 g/t), and BMD (50 g/t). At 12 days of age, all birds except the negative control groups were inoculated via oral gavage by titrated C. perfringens culture to mimic a sub-clinical NE challenge. The results of this study showed significant improvement in bodyweight for the group fed EG (+5.5%) compared to infect- ed and non-supplemented birds (Figure 1). Regarding feed conversion, the group fed EG and BMD demonstrated a better feed conversion ratio than the Infected Control (Figure 2).
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 5, 2022
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