In vitro efficacy and ameliorating effect of Moringa oleifera on growth, carcass, stress and digestibility of nutrients in Escherichia coli-infected broilers

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of Moringa oleifera against E. coli infection and in vivo effect of M. oleifera on the growth, carcass quality, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H:L) and digestibility of nutrients in broilers infected with E. coli (1.5 × 109 CFU/ml). A total of 350 d old broiler chicks (Hubbard) were assigned to different groups as follows: (1) negative control (uninfected, untreated), (2) positive control (infected, untreated), (3) infected + treated with M. oleifera leaf extract at the rate of 50 ml/l (MOLE50), (4) Infected + treated with M. oleifera leaf extract at the rate of 100 ml/l (MOLE100), (5) Infected + treated with M. oleifera leaf extract at the rate of 150 ml/l (MOLE150). The results revealed that 12% M. oleifera extract produced significantly (P < 0.05) higher bacterial inhibition in the in vitro study. Body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass quality, H:L ratio and digestibility of proteins and energy were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in MOLE100 supplemented broilers. From the results of the present study, it was concluded that MOLE100 improved the growth performance, carcass quality, welfare issue and nutrient digestibility in broilers infected with E. coli.