Applied research note: Effects of Macleaya cordata extract on broilers vaccinated for coccidiosis

Effects of a commercially available Macleaya cordata extract (MC) were investigated with broiler chickens vaccinated for coccidiosis. Properties of MC extract have been anciently recognized by indigenous people and have more recently proven antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, which are due to the so called sanguinarine-like alkaloids. The present study had a placement of 528 slow feathering female Cobb 500 chicks in 24 floor pens, 22 in each, 8 replicates per treatment. The experimental treatments were: 1 - negative control (NC), not vaccinated for coccidiosis and without MC, 2 - coccidiosis vaccinated at hatch without MC (CV), and 3 – coccidiosis vaccinated and having 60 g/ton MC in the feed (CV-MC). Live performance was evaluated at 7, 21, 35, and 42 days. The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) was analyzed in blood samples at 14, 21, and 42 days whereas intestinal integrity was evaluated at the same ages using fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FITC-Dextran). Birds on CV-MC treatment showed improvements in feed conversion rate (FCR) corrected for the dead weights at 21 days. Additionally, lower (TNF-α) levels were observed for CV-MC at 14 and 42 days (p < 0.05) indicating a reduced inflammatory response. Overall responses of the dietary supplementation with MC indicate benefits when broilers are vaccinated for coccidiosis since the reduction in performance observed when coccidiosis vaccination was performed was partially attenuated