Treatment of Eimeria tenella Infection in Broilers by Using Sugar Cane Extract.

The objective of this study was to observe the effects of oral administration of sugar cane extract (SCE) on Eimeria tenella oocysts infection in commercial broiler chickens. The present paper describes the growth promoting effects of SCE in broiler chickens. For this purpose one hundred and sixty (160) day old chicks were divided into 4 groups, i.e. A, B, C and D, each of 40 chicks. Group A was non-infected and non-niedicated control (healthy control), group B was infected with Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts on day 21 (20000 oocysts per chick) and was considered as infected control. Chicks of group C were orally administered with SCE (500mg/ kg body weight) on day 21 and then challenged with 20,000 oocysts per chick of E. tenella oocysts. Chicks of group D were orally administered SCE at the dose rate of 500mg/kg body weight for three consecutive days and then challenged with 20,000 oocysts per chick of E. tenella oocysts. The results indicated that maximum reduction of oocyst per gram feces OPG counts (98.73%) occurred in members of group D which were administered SCE (500 mg/kg) for three consecutive days and then challenged with E. tenella oocysts. Group C (administered SCE for a single day @ 500mg/kg) was placed at no.2 and the reduction in this group occurred as (83.54%) as compared to group B. Mean body weight gains were calculated by taking difference between average weight records on day 21 and day 35 of age (final weight record). The difference of each group was compared with healthy control and percentage of weight gain of all the groups were recorded and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]