Effect of cimenol ring in broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens:
Gut microbiological, histopathological and morphometrical analyses

Introduction

Clostridium perfringens is the causal agent of necrotic enteritis and produces lesions in the gut mucosa by affecting the microvilli. It leads to the loss of tissue integrity, impairs feed efficiency and growth rates, and can cause diarrhea.

Cimenol ring is a plant-based molecule with bactericidal and fungicidal activities effective to maintain productive performance in broilers challenged with C. perfringens. In this publication we describe the findings in the digestive tract in experimentally-infected broilers that receive cimenol ring.

Aim of the trial

This trial was conducted at the facilities of Universidad Científica del Sur (Lima, Perú) to evaluate cimenol ring’s bactericidal efficacy against C. perfringens in challenged broilers through the microbiological, histological and morphometrical study of the gut.

Materials and methods

504 one-day-old broilers (Cobb 500) were distributed into 4 treatments (126 animals/group) using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each group had 7 replicates, with a total of 28 experimental units and 18 chickens in each unit. The trial lasted for 42 days (from day 1 to slaughter).

Groups

• (T1) Negative control: healthy birds fed a standard basal diet (SBD)
• (T2) Infected control: challenged birds fed a SBD.
• (T3) Cimenol prevention: challenged birds fed a SBD with cimenol ring and citric acid at 0.5 kg/t continuously in the feed during all the trial.
• (T4) Cimenol treatment: challenged birds fed a SBD. Inclusion of cimenol ring and citric acid at 1 ml/l in the drinking water for 7 days after the onset of the disease.

Challenge

The challenge was administered to birds in groups T2, T3 and T4 on days 19, 20 and 21 of age and consisted of 10⁸ CFU/bird of C. perfringens in the drinking water.

Samples

Samples for microbiological and microscopic analyses were obtained from fourteen birds/group on days 18 (preinfection), 24 and 28.

Results

Microbiological counts increased post-infection (day 24) in the infected control and cimenol treatment groups. Despite this, on day 28 counts decreased in the treated group. Besides, cimenol as a preventative obtained much lower counts during all the trial, despite birds received the challenge (charts 1 and 2).

For the histopathological studies samples of duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and ceca were evaluated, as well as the number of affected tissues (villi, crypts, mucosa, submucosa, muscular layer, serosa).

All portions showed the same pattern: the infected control had more lesions, and these were more severe (atrophy, necrosis of the mucosa). On the contrary, groups supplemented with cimenol had milder lesions (presence of mucus and mild atrophy) and were present in fewer layers.

The challenge affected the structure of the gut mucosa, causing a decrease of its total length in the different portions of gut of the infected control. Cimenol ring could prevent the damage, particularly when used as a preventative, since it obtained greater total length of the mucosa than the negative control.

Conclusions

Microbiological and histological analyses show that the challenge with C. perfringens affected gut integrity and welfare, impairing digestion and nutrient absorption and facilitating the entrance of toxic and pathogenic agents to the organism.

The cimenol ring, whether as preventative or treatment, is capable to avoid the multiplication of Clostridium in the gut and the presence of severe lesions in the mucosa.

Cimenol’s efficacy as a preventative is greater than as treatment, since it completely prevents Clostridium proliferation and obtains better performance parameters than those of the negative control.

More information about this trial (microbiology, histopathology, and gut morphometry) here: Effect of cimenol ring in broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens: Analysis of productive performance

The combination cimenol ring with citric acid is available in the market as Alquermold Natural, by Biovet S.A.