Anticoccidial Activity of Allium Sativum and Aloe Vera in Broilers

Avian coccidiosis is the most costly and wide-spread parasitic disease in the poultry industry, and has been mainly controlled by the use of different chemotherapeutic agents. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, alternative control strategies are needed. In this study, the protective effects of Allium sativum or Aloe vera aqueous extracts were investigated in broiler chickens following experimental infection with mixed Eimeria species. The obtained results showed that, fecal oocyst shedding decreased significantly in all of the treated groups that were supplemented with either aqueous extract of Allium sativum or Aloe Vera alone or in combination as compared to the infected non-treated control group. Furthermore, the medicated groups showed significantly lower intestinal lesions compared with those infected non-treated ones. No significant differences were found in body weight gain or loss between the Allium sativum or Aloe vera-supplemented birds either alone or in combination and noninfected control group. In addition, Feed conversion rate (FCR) was improved in birds supplemented with either Allium sativum or Aloe Vera compared with non-infected control group. The findings of this study suggest that aqueous extract of Allium sativum and Aloe vera could be used as alternative treatment for controlling avian coccidiosis.