Clinical evaluation of Gastro-Herb oral solution in control of microbial infections in a broiler flock

Gastro-Herb oral solution is a gastrointestinal and hepatic activity regulator prepared from Zataria multiflora and Aloe vera. In this study, two houses in a broiler farm in Mazandaran province, with a capacity of ۹۳۰۰ (house ۱) and ۹۷۰۰ (house ۲) broiler chickens were chosen for this experiment. Management and nutritional conditions and all health and vaccination programs were the same in both houses. At the age of ۱۲ days, the flock showed gastrointestinal disorders. Neomycin sulphate was used in both houses for ۴ days. In house ۱, in addition to neomycin sulphate, the Gastro-Herb oral solution was used at a dose of ۲ litres/ ۱۰۰۰ litres of poultry drinking water (۸ hours a day) until ۲۸ days of age continuously. Chickens in both houses demonstrated a mild Newcastle disease infection. One hundred chicks from each house were weighed from ۷-۴۲ days old at a weekly interval. The amount of food consumption and the final conversion coefficient were calculated at the end of the production period in both houses. The percentage of various diseases and complications and the resulting mortalities were recorded in both houses. The results of each of the aforementioned parameters in two houses were compared and analysed with appropriate statistical methods. In house ۱, Gastro-Herb was used continuously until ۲۸ days, and in the clinical observations compared to house ۲, it was found that the use of Gastro-Herb oral solution can improve feed consumption, overall flock health and reduce total flock mortalities, although its effects as growth promoter and weight gaining are not clinically very noticeable. During occurring gastrointestinal disorder and simultaneous treatment with neomycin, the condition in house ۱ that used Gastro-Herb was better. At the end of experiment (۴۲ days), the total number and percentages of mortalities (۷۸۳ chickens; ۸.۴۱%) in house ۱ (Gastro-Herb) was less than the total number and percentages of mortalities (۱۱۳۸ chickens; ۱۱.۷۳%) in house ۲ (control). The average weight of chickens in two houses in each age group using Statistics software ver. ۲۵ IBM SPSS and Independent sample T Test statistical method were compared with each other and the analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the average weight of the chickens of the two houses in any of the age groups. The conversion rate was not different in the two houses during the entire period. According to the obtained results, it appears that Gastro-Herb oral solution is a useful compound and did not cause any negative side effects in the flock, and it had a positive impact on the healing process of the flock as an adjunctive treatment during gastrointestinal disorder.

Keywords:

Gastro-Herb , Broiler chicken , Clinical evaluation , Zataria multiflora , Aloe vera.