Changes in weight gain, faecal oocyst count and packed cell volume of Eimeria tenella-infected broilers treated with a wild mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) aqueous extract.

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of a wild Ganoderma lucidum aqueous extract in coccidian-infected broilers. At 6 weeks of age the birds were randomly allocated to 6 treatment groups of 20 Ross broilers each in wire cages. Groups A, B and C were infected with Eimeria tenella Houghton strain at the rate of 36 250 sporulated oocysts/ml per bird. The remaining 3 groups D, E and F were uninfected controls. At 7 weeks the birds in group A were treated with G. lucidum aqueous extract and those in B with amprolium in drinking water ad libitum at the rate of 200 mg/ml each for 7 days consecutively. Body weight gain, feed intake, faecal oocyst output and some haematological parameters were monitored. The result showed that all the infected birds in groups A, B and C had clinical signs of weakness and reduced appetite on day 4 post-infection. By the 5th day post-infection their faeces became bloody and watery, and large numbers of E. tenella oocysts were present in the faeces. On day 3 after treatment the oocysts detected were considerably reduced in both treated groups A and B and slightly higher in the untreated group C. The faeces of the uninfected control groups were normal and free of coccidial oocysts. After treatment for 7 days no coccidial oocysts were found in faeces of the birds that had been treated. Infected, untreated birds showed a slight drop in feed intake and weight gain from 7 to 8 weeks of age. The final mean weight gain recorded in the treated groups A and B was comparable to that of the uninfected birds in the 3 control groups, while it was lower in the untreated group C. The feed to gain ratio was higher in C than in the other groups. A slight drop in packed cell volume was observed in groups A, B and C at 7 weeks of age, 1 week after infection. This study showed that treatment with G. lucidum results in a marked reduction in the number of E. tenella oocysts shed in the faeces, leading to improved weight gain and decreased weight loss. The results confirmed the virulence of the Houghton strain of E. tenella and the effectiveness of both amprolium and G. lucidum extract against E. tenella.