Development of a Clostridium Perfringens Challenge Model in Broiler Chickens to Evaluate the Effects of Feed Additives

TL;DR

This study developed a reliable model to test feed additives against necrotic enteritis in chickens, a disease linked to Clostridium perfringens.

Contribution

A reproducible challenge model was established to evaluate feed additives for controlling necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

Findings

Clinical signs were absent in the negative control and antibiotic-treated groups.

The positive control group showed the most severe symptoms and gut lesions.

The model successfully differentiated the effects of feed additives and antibiotics.

Abstract

Necrotic enteritis, caused by Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is a disease present worldwide and causes major economic losses. The re-emergence of the disease, in recent years, is mainly due to the ban of the usage of antibiotics as growth promoters in the EU. The aim of this study was to establish a reliable, robust challenge model. Ross hybrid broilers were divided into randomized groups: a positive and a negative control group, a group receiving antibiotic treatment and three groups fed with assorted feed supplements, all receiving the same basal diet. The birds in the treatment groups were vaccinated twice using a 10-times dose of an Infectious Bursitis live vaccine and the animals were challenged four times with a NetB toxin producing C. perfringens strain. The presence of clinical signs and body weight gain were monitored. At the end of the study necropsy was performed and the gut lesions were scored. During the experiment, clinical signs were absent in the negative control group and in the antibiotic treated group. The other animals displayed diarrhea and feather loss. These symptoms were the most pronounced in the positive control group. The gut lesion scores showed significant differences between the negative and positive control groups, with the former scoring the lowest. Based on these results, the challenge model establishment was successful and in this setup the assessment of the potency of feed additives is also possible.

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