SPECIAL STORY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2021 49 EIMERIA SPP. CHALLENGE: PHYTOGENIC VS. AGP A challenge trial with broiler chicks was performed to evaluate the effect of a phytogenic additive (Anta®Phyt MO, Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition GmbH & Co. KG). For this, the impact of the phytogenic additive was compared to a negative control (NC) and a positive control (PC) with an AGP programme during the induced dysbiosis with Eimeria spp. A total of 1,020 one-day old broiler chicks (ROSS 308) were randomly divided into three dietary treatment groups. Each group comprised 34 birds with 10 repetitions. All birds were fed in two nutritional phases (starter: 1–21 d and grower: 22–40 d) with a maize-soybean-meal-based diet in mash form. No additive was included in the NC while AGPs with coccidiostats were included in the PC group’s diet. The third group received a phytogenic feed additive (NC + 300 g/t Anta®Phyt MO, Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition GmbH & Co. KG). On day 14, all birds were infected with a vaccinal strain of Eimeria spp. The pathogens were administered orally in the drinking water. The infections and intestinal immune response were assessed in terms of performance (21 d and 40 d) and the intestinal length as gut health factor (21 d). PHYTOGENIC ADDITIVE: POSITIVE EFFECTS The daily weight gain in the phytogenic group was significantly higher than that in the PC group over the 40-day trial. Additionally, a better FCR was observed and the mortality was lower in comparison to the NC and PC groups (Fig. 1). These improvements result in an enhanced European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) in the group receiving Anta®Phyt MO (458) compared to the NC (445) and PC (438) groups. In terms of intestinal health, birds receiving the phytogenic additive had numerically longer intestines compared to the NC and PC groups (Fig. 2). INTO AN AGP-FREE FUTURE In modern animal husbandry it is possible to achieve high health and performance without the addition of AGPs. Anta®Phyt MO increases broiler performance during Eimeria spp. infection. The phytogenic feed additive shows better effects than an AGP programme in terms of weight gain, FCR, mortality and gut health. Consequently, the phytogenic feed additive Anta®- Phyt MO appears to be a beneficial and more sustainable alternative to the AGP programme investigated in the trial. The phytogenic feed additive thus allows for a reduction of antibiotics and a higher performance at the same time – an issue of great significance when it comes to the future of human health and society. Fig. 1: Daily weight gain, FCR and mortality in the NC (no additive), PC (AGP) and Anta®Phyt MO (*p < 0.05) groups Fig. 2: Intestinal length of broilers in the NC (no additive), PC (AGP) and Anta®Phyt MO groups.
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