Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Sadati - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Hassan Kermanshahi - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Mohammad Hadi sekhavati - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Ali Javadmanesh - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

In ovo injection of camel lactoferrin (cLF۳۶) as an antimicrobial peptide was applied in Ross ۳۰۸ fertile eggs and tested in ۳۲۰ post-hatched chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (Cp). In ۸ treatments and five replicates of ۸ birds each, performance, jejunum morphometry and ileal microbial counts of chickens were assayed. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the chickens affected by treatments. Together with the positive control group under the Cp (۱۰ ۸ cfu/g) challenge and the negative control group under the antibiotic (AB) challenge, the highest villi length was observed. The highest crypt depth was related to the treatment with the Cp challenge and the lowest value was related to the in ovo injection of cLF۳۶ group and combined Cp and AB challenges. The number of Clostridium spp. in the ileal contents increased in the chickens challenged with Cp (P < ۰.۰۵). The greatest change was observed in the treatment with injection of cLF۳۶ during the embryonic period and challenge with Cp and the lowest value was related to negative control treatment. In addition, the difference between treatments with cLF۳۶ in ovo injection during the embryonic period and challenge with or without Cp challenge was significantly increased. In the groups under the Cp challenge, the population of E. coli was numerically increased. Based on the obtained results, cLF۳۶, derived from camel milk, could change some of the indices in performance. It caused morphological changes in the villi of ilium and caused a decrease the microbial counts of Clostridium spp., similar to the AB group in the chickens challenged with Cp. Our research attempts to create a new window for in ovo administration of cLF۳۶, according to its beneficial effects in the present study, can be introduced as a candidate for growth-promoting antibiotics.

cLF۳۶, In ovo Injection, Antimicrobial peptide, Clostridium perfringens