INTRODUCTION

In a trial carried out in Cartagena, in the Atlantic coast of Colombia, the efficacy of Alquernat Zycox intestinal optimizer pronutrients to prevent coccidiosis was evaluated, especially during the third week, maintaining the anticoccidial chemical treatment on top.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The trial was conducted between the months of November and December 2016, using 1,460,000 broilers to test the intestinal optimizer pronutrients for 13 days, specifically from the eighth to the twenty-first day of the cycle. The dose of pronutrients used was 0.5 kg per ton of feed, and the chemical coccidiostats of the program were not replaced.

EVALUATED PARAMETERS

The following productive parameters were evaluated:

• Average weight
• Feed conversion rate
• Efficiency index
• Mortality

RESULTS

pronutrients group Control group

Average weight

The average weight per bird was significantly better in the batch of animals treated with pronutrients.

Feed conversion rate

An improvement in the feed conversion rate of the batch treated with pronutrients in comparison to the control batch is also observed.

Mortality

A very important reduction of mortality is observed in the batch treated with pronutrients compared to the control batch.

Efficiency index

Finally, and as global data, the efficiency index is improved by 9 points in the batch treated with pronutrients compared to the control.

Histopathology

Histopathological lesions were observed weekly on days 14, 21 and 28 of the productive cycle, obtaining the following results:

• Day 14

In the intestinal fragments evaluated no microscopic lesions were observed that reflect any pathological condition.

• Day 21

In the intestinal fragments evaluated no microscopic lesions were observed that reflect any pathological condition.

• Day 28

In some segments of the duodenum, there is a mild protozoan parasitical enteritis, characterized by cellular death and detachment of the enterocytes from the duodenal microvellosities, together with inflammatory mix-type cells with a predominance of lymphoplasmocytes in the mucosa’s lamina propria, presence of protozoan forms in the lamina propria and inside the enterocytes. At the same time, there are generative hyperplasic changes in the intestinal crypts.

CONCLUSIONS AT THE END OF THE TRIAL

Intestinal optimizer pronutrients:

• Favor the improvement of zootechnical parameters:
  •  Mortality: Reduction of 5,97%
  •  Average weight: 9,7% higher (190 g/bird)
  •  Feed conversion rate: 4% lower (-0,07)
  •  Efficiency index: 4% higher (9 points)
• Prevent the presentation of coccidia. Histopathology tests with negative results.
• The problems of coccidiosis in broiler chickens, even with the normal anticoccidial medication (chemicals and/or ionophores), are a great opportunity to establish programs with intestinal optimizer pronutrients.

This product based on intestinal optimizer pronutrients is commercially available under the name Alquernat Zycox, manufactured by Biovet.