EVALUATION OF THE ANTICOCCIDIAL EFFICACY OF HERBAL ANTICOCCIDIAL, COCCI-00® IN BROILER BIRDS EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH EIMERIA TENELLA

Amaechi Onyeabor, Oliver Ogbodo, *Chukwunonso Francis Obi and Okoche Divine Okoche

ABSTRACT

Coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria spp., is a major constraint to broiler production worldwide, with Eimeria tenella inducing severe caecal damage, weight loss, and high mortality. Rising drug resistance and consumer demand for residue-free poultry products have spurred interest in herbal anticoccidials. This study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of Cocci-00®, a commercial herbal formulation containing extracts of Aegle marmelos, Holarrhena antidysenterica, and Azadirachta indica plus vitamins A and K and prebiotics, in broiler chickens experimentally infected with E. tenella. Ninety broiler birds aged two weeks old were randomly assigned to six groups (n=15): Group I, uninfected control; Group II, infected-untreated control; Group III, infected and treated with Embazine Forte® (30 g/50 L water); Groups IV–VI, infected and treated with low (1 mL/2 L), medium (2 mL/L), and high (3 mL/L) dosages of Cocci-00®, respectively. Birds in Groups II–VI were orally challenged with 2 × 104 sporulated E. tenella oocysts. Treatments were administered via drinking water following manufacturers’ guidelines. Parameters monitored included clinical signs, mortality and survival time, oocyst output, lesion scoring, growth performance (body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio), haematology, and serum protein profiles. The infected-untreated group exhibited 40% mortality, markedly elevated oocyst counts and lesion scores, and impaired weight gain and haematological indices. Embazine Forte® and Cocci-00® treatments significantly reduced mortality. Medium- and high-dose Cocci-00® (Groups V and VI) achieved oocyst counts, lesion scores, and growth performance comparable to Embazine Forte® and uninfected controls (p > 0.05). Haematological and serum protein parameters in these groups were restored to near-normal levels. These findings demonstrate Cocci-00® as a potent herbal alternative, effectively mitigating E. tenella pathogenesis while enhancing growth and metabolic recovery in a dose-dependent manner. Its multicomponent formulation offers a sustainable solution for coccidiosis control in resource-limited settings, aligning with organic farming demands and addressing antimicrobial resistance challenges.

Keywords: Herbal anticoccidial; Eimeria tenella; Broiler chickens; Oocyst counts; Growth performance.