Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA.
Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA.
Poult Sci. 2023 Aug;102(8):102831. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102831. Epub 2023 Jun 3.
The poultry industry has significant coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE) challenges, leading to high mortality and unacceptable growth without antibiotic treatment. This research explored supplementing Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed oil in poultry feed to mitigate coccidiosis and prevent or lessen NE in broilers. In vivo studies consisted of 384 and 320 Cobb 500 male broiler chicks distributed in a randomized complete block experimental design for trials 1 and 2, respectively. The first trial compared 3 concentrations (1, 2, and 5 mL/kg) of black cumin seed oil (BCSO), and trial 2 compared 2 concentrations (2 and 5 mL/kg) BCSO, with birds challenged with Eimeria maxima and Clostridium perfringens (Cp) strains Cp#6 and Cp#4, respectively. Broiler live performance, NE disease outcomes, and Cp populations were measured for both trials. A commercially available BCSO oil product, determined in a preliminary in vitro study to have the highest anti-Cp activity, was selected for in vivo studies. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis indicated the major bioactive compounds p-cymene, thymoquinone, carvacrol, and thymol were present in the BCSO. In trial 1 with strain Cp#6, BCSO concentrations of 2 and 5 mL/kg reduced NE lesion score and mortality rate to 1.6% compared with 7.8% for positive control, with no adverse impact on live performance. In trial 2 with strain Cp#4, BCSO reduced NE lesion scores and mortality rate to 35.9% compared with 51.6% for positive control and also improved weight gain when there was a Cp infection in broiler chickens. The current study compared NE in broilers challenged with 2 different Cp strains producing different levels of NE. Following Cp infection, both the population of vegetative cells and spores of Cp in cecal contents decreased for all treatments in trial 2. In conclusion, BCSO at concentrations of 2 and 5 mL/kg enhanced broiler live performance and alleviated NE and has potential as a natural, non-medication antimicrobial nutritional supplement for use as a feed additive in chickens.
家禽业面临着严重的球虫病和坏死性肠炎（NE）挑战，如果不进行抗生素治疗，会导致高死亡率和无法接受的生长速度。本研究探索了在禽饲料中添加黑种草（黑孜然）籽油，以减轻球虫病并预防或减轻肉鸡的 NE。体内研究包括 384 只和 320 只科宝 500 雄性肉鸡雏鸡，分别以随机完全区组实验设计进行试验 1 和 2。第一项试验比较了 3 种浓度（1、2 和 5 mL/kg）的黑种草籽油（BCSO），第二项试验比较了 2 种浓度（2 和 5 mL/kg）BCSO，分别用 Eimeria maxima 和 Clostridium perfringens（Cp）菌株 Cp#6 和 Cp#4 对鸡进行攻毒。对两项试验均测量了肉鸡的生产性能、NE 疾病结果和 Cp 种群。选择一种市售的 BCSO 油产品进行体内研究，该产品在初步的体外研究中被确定具有最高的抗 Cp 活性。气相色谱-质谱分析表明，p-伞花烃、百里醌、香芹酚和百里酚是 BCSO 中的主要生物活性化合物。在使用 Cp#6 菌株的试验 1 中，2 和 5 mL/kg 的 BCSO 浓度可将 NE 病变评分和死亡率降低至 1.6%，而阳性对照组为 7.8%，对生产性能没有不利影响。在使用 Cp#4 菌株的试验 2 中，BCSO 可将 NE 病变评分和死亡率降低至 35.9%，阳性对照组为 51.6%，并且在肉鸡感染 Cp 时还可以提高体重增加。本研究比较了用 2 种不同的 Cp 菌株攻毒的肉鸡的 NE，这 2 种菌株产生不同水平的 NE。在感染 Cp 后，试验 2 中所有处理组的盲肠内容物中 Cp 的营养细胞和孢子的种群都减少了。总之，2 和 5 mL/kg 的 BCSO 浓度可提高肉鸡的生产性能，减轻 NE，作为一种天然、非药物抗菌营养补充剂，具有作为鸡饲料添加剂的潜力。
