Introduction
Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a disease of young chickens, with a high economic impact in commercial production, caused by Clostridium perfringens (CP), a normal inhabitant of the intestines. Frequently, the sub-clinical form of the disease is undetected and flocks are not treated. For the last decade it has become more prevalent worldwide and the annual cost is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The objective of the study described below was to evaluate the anticlostridial efficacy of Citrex, an organic complex composed of ascorbic, lactic and citric acids combined with glycerin, when administered in the drinking water or feed in comparison to Virginiamycin in the feed.
Experimental Design
Three hundred and ninety two 12 day-old Cobb males were housed in battery cages and distributed in 7 treatments with 7 replicates of 8 birds each in a randomized block design. Water and the un-medicated corn-soy starter diet were always available. At 22 and 28 days of age performance was evaluated. At 22 days of age, 3 birds/cage were examined for NE lesion score(0 = normal, 3 = most severe).
Medication: The medicated groups were treated with 200 and 300 ppm of Citrex Liquid in the drinking water, 400 and 600 g/mt of Citrex Powder, and 22 g/mt Virginiamycin. All medications were provided from 12 to 28 days of age.
Challenge: At 14 days of age the birds in all treatments were orally inoculated with Eimeria maxima. At 19, 20 and 21 days of age all treatments, except the non medicated/ non infected, were challenged with approximately 107-8 cfu/ml of CP.
Results & Conclusion
The results showed a significant improvement in performance at both weight periods for all treatments compared to the non-medicated, cocci-clostridium challenged treatment birds. The average NE lesion core and the NE mortality (0-3.6% vs 12.5%) were significantly reduced in all Citrex and Virginiamycin medicated treatments in comparison to the non-medicated treatment. In conclusion, Citrex Powder (400 g/mt of feed) and Citrex Liquid (200 ppm in the drinking water) can be used for treatment of NE in broiler chickens.
Citrex effect on performance, NE lesions, and NE mortality of broilers after challenge with coccidia and CP
a, b Values within one column with different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05)
CP = Clostridium perfringens. NE = Necrotic enteritis.
BWG = Body weight gain in grams. FCR = Feed conversion ratio.
Reference: Mathis¹, G.F, C. Hofacre², and M. Contreras³ "Comparative efficacy of Citrex Liquid or Citrex powder for the control of necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens in broiler chickens". Southern Poultry Research, Inc., Athens, GA¹, University of Georgia, Athens, GA², Citrex, Inc., Miami, FL³.International Poultry Scientific Forum, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 2009