Protective Effects of Moringa stenopetala leaf supplemented Diets on Eimeria tenella Infected Broiler Chickens in Debre Zeit, Central, Ethiopia

Abstract

Coccidiosis is an intestinal infection caused by intracellular protozoan parasites belonging to several different species of Eimeria. Coccidiosis seriously impairs the growth and feed utilization of chickens. Moringa leaf is an excellent source of a wide spectrum of dietary antioxidants. It has been reported that antioxidant-rich plant extracts have potential benefits in treating coccidial infections. Moringa stenopetala (Moringaceae) has been used as a traditional medicine in some areas of Ethiopia. Leaf powder and extracts of M. stenopetala were evaluated for their anticoccidial activity against Eimeria tenella infection in broiler chickens. Following oral infection with 12 × 104 sporulated E. tenella oocysts, broiler chickens were assigned to five treatments; each group was assigned to one of the five treatments: infected/unsupplemented (control), infected/supplemented (with leaf powder, extract or amprolium) and a control check of noninfected/unsupplemented. The effects of M. stenopetala on E. tenella infection were assessed by four parameters: survival rate, body weight gain, oocyst count and cecal lesion score. Challenged chickens fed a diet supplemented with M. stenopetala as either dry leaf powder or in extract demonstrated a significantly higher reduction in oocyst counts (P < 0.0001) than those fed the control or unsupplemented diets. Infected chickens fed the diet supplemented with M. stenopetala dry leaf powder demonstrated significantly increased body weight gain (P < 0.0001) and reduced cecal lesions (P < 0.0001) than those fed the diet supplemented with M. stenopetala leaf extract or the control diet. These results suggest that M. stenopetala has a protective effect against E. tenella infection in chickens. However, Moringa-supplemented diets did not reduce mortality.