Botanical supplements as anti-coccidial alternatives in poultry nutrition

Abstract

Coccidiosis is well known as an expensive, parasitic disease for the poultry industry worldwide. The disease causes real economic losses by causing poor growth and feed efficiency in broilers even leading to high mortality. Consequently, large amounts of money are being spent on vaccination and inclusion of anticoccidial drugs into diets. In recent years, development of resistance to coccidiostats, elevated costs of systematic vaccination and increasing consumer demand for ‘natural’ food products has fuelled the development of natural, plant-based alternatives for coccidial control in poultry farming. The anti-coccidial properties of numerous natural products such as Ageratum conyzoides extract (billy goat weed), green tea, maslinic acid, extracts of Polygonum bistorta (Anjbar) and Agele marmelos (Bael), Artemisia sieberi, Artemisia absinthium, the leaves of Neem (Azadirachta indica), Artemisia annua and Aloa vera-based supplements have been reported. This article summarises the experimental knowledge relating to the efficacy, possible modes of action and different aspects of application of botanical supplements as feed additives for the treatment of poultry diseases, especially coccidiosis.