Effects of Original XPC™ in broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens

Necrotic enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium perfringens (CP) infection has been a major cause of losses in broiler production worldwide.

Two trials to test the effect of Diamond V Original XPC™ against CP challenge in broiler chickens were conducted at Southern Poultry Research in Athens, GA with co-authors Charles L. Hofacre, DVM, MAM, Ph.D. (Poultry Diagnostic & Research Center, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA) and Greg Mathis, Ph.D. (Southern Poultry Research, Athens, GA).

In both trials Cobb chicks were challenged with CP on days 19, 20, and 21 with a culture containing 108 CFU/ml and intestinal lesions were scored on day 21.

Birds of Trial 1 were housed in battery cages (8 birds each) and each treatment was replicated 8 times. Seven treatment groups included Negative Control (NC), Positive Control (PC), Original XPC at 2.5 lb/ton (XPC), virginiamycin at 20 g/ton (VM), bacitracin methylene disalicylate at 50 g/t (BMD) plus the combinations of VM+XPC and BMD+XPC.

Chickens in Trial 2 were housed in floor pens and grown to 42 days. Fifty birds were started per pen and each treatment was replicated 9 times. Five treatments included NC, PC, XPC (2.5 lb/ton), VM (20 g/ton) and the combination (VM+XPC).

Results of this study included body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality, and NE lesion scores. Results were reported during the annual meeting of the American Association of Avian Pathologists (AAAP) in Boston, MA July 11-14, 2015.