Abstract

The anticoccidial effects of hydromethanol extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera leaf on broiler chickens infected with Eimeria tenella oocysts was investigated in this study. The leaves of Tetrapleura tetraptera were sourced, identified, washed, air dried, ground and extracted using hydromethanol. A total of 60, two weeks old Cobb 500 broiler chicks used for the study were divided into six experimental groups of ten birds each. Group 1 was the normal control (uninfected/untreated), Group 2 was the negative control (infected/untreated), Group 3 received amprolium (125 mg/L) and Groups 4, 5 and 6 received Tetrapleura tetraptera leaf extract (TTLE) at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L of drinking water, respectively. There was significantly (p < 0.05) lower faecal oocyst count of TTLE (5566.67±898.77 – 2400.00±378.55 for TTLE at 250 mg/L) and amprolium (3400.00±550.71 – 1060.00±70.24) treated broilers when compared with the faecal oocyst count of the infected/untreated (9333.33±145.57 – 10000.00±115.47) group from days 13 to 18 post infection. The TTLE and amprolium treated groups showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the haemoglobin (Hb) levels of the treated broiler groups (12.53±0.70, 12.80±0.20, 13.07±0.60 and 13.13±0.29 g/dl, respectively) and packed cell volume (PCV) (27.67±3.28, 29.67±0.90, 30.67±3.28 and 31.67±1.45%, respectively). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly improved in TTLE, 250 mg/L (1.90±0.03) and TTLE, 1000 mg/L (1.58±0.02) over the infected/untreated (2.06±0.02). This study suggests that TTLE is a promising natural alternative to synthetic anticoccidial drugs.

Key words: Anticoccidial activity, Broiler chicken, Coccidiosis, Hydromethanol, Tetrapleura tetraptera