BLOGS > SUPPORT POULTRY GUT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE
SUPPORT POULTRY GUT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE
It is well-known that feed costs are the major portion of production costs for broiler. To get a maximum benefit from the feed, it is imperative to have good intestinal health. Any disturbance in gut health leads to poor digestion and absorption of nutrients, ultimately resulting in reduced production performance and profitability.
Intestinal infections
Coccidiosis, necrotic enteritis, and dysbacteriosis
There are a few challenges that cause pathological changes in the gut, the most important being coccidiosis, necrotic enteritis (NE) and dysbacteriosis. These intestinal problems are interlinked, although Eimeria infections are often the initial cause. Following a coccidiosis infection, Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen, causing necrotic enteritis as a secondary infection. Dysbacteriosis is an imbalance in the gut microbiota caused by intestinal disruptions and results in intestinal inflammation and leaky gut problems.
Economic losses in broiler farms
(Sub)clinical coccidiosis was identified as an important cause of direct and indirect production losses in broiler farms. Problems are aggravated by secondary bacterial infections. Losses occurred as mortalities, culling, treatment costs, wet litter problems, reduced weight gains, and reduced market value of affected birds. Estimated annual costs of coccidiosis for the global broiler industry are over $13 billion. This financial damage can be further increased by effects of secondary intestinal bacterial infections.
Challenges & threats
Despite advances in vaccination, broiler genetics and housing, prophylactic chemotherapy with anticoccidial drugs is still widely used to control coccidiosis and intestinal health.
Unfortunately, coccidia readily develop resistance to these chemicals, limiting their effectiveness in preventing this disease, especially when rotation and shuttle programs are not well-respected. Similarly, the bacteria causing necrotic enteritis and dysbacteriosis develop resistance to the antibiotics used to treat intestinal bacterial infections.
Signs of coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis
How to control coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis?
Apart from the use of coccidiostats, botanical extracts can be used to reduce the risk of clinical coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis/dysbacteriosis. Botanical actives are safe to use, and to our knowledge no signs of resistance development have been reported. Olus®Cox liquid is one such solution that has the ability to control coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis in their clinical forms. Olus®Cox liquid, developed and produced by Olus Plus, is a carefully selected combination of high concentrations of essential oils, dextrose and electrolytes. This feed additive is a unique thee-in-one formula. The essential oils, due to their unique modes of action, have the ability to reduce Eimeria and clostridia virulence, thus reducing their impact on the flock’s production performance. Electrolytes are needed to reduce dehydration during diarrhoea, whereas dextrose provides readily available energy to the enterocytes. On top of that, the essential oils in Olus®Cox liquid reduce toxin production by clostridia. In two separate field trials in South Asian countries, our feed solution Olus®Cox liquid reduced the effects of coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis without the use of antibiotics.
Recommendations
Use Olus®Cox liquid in broilers, layers, and breeders to control the impact of coccidiosis necrotic enteritis and dysbacteriosis.
How and when to use Olus®Cox liquid in broilers:
- Add 250 mL of Olus®Cox liquid per 1000L of drinking water to prevent enteritis at when feed is changed from the floor to the feeders andwhen the size of crumbs/pellets is changed.
- As soon as feed and water intakes are stalling, i.e. not increasing according to age.
- General recommendations are to use Olus®Cox liquid daily from 21 days till at least 28 days of age to reduce incidence of enteritis and coccidiosis.
- Olus®Cox liquid can be used following viral challenges like New Castle Disease, Gumboro and Infectious Bronchitis to avoid secondary bacterial infections.
How and when to use Olus®Cox liquid in breeders:
- For laying birds, Olus®Cox liquid is recommended at a dose of 250 mL per 1000 L of drinking water for at least one week, once peak production is realised.
- To be followed by usage of 250 mL Olus®Cox liquid per 1000 L of drinking water every third week for a period of seven days.
Treatment and control:
- For clinical cases of enteritis and coccidiosis, Olus®Cox liquid is recommended at 500 mL per 1000 L.
Conclusion
The ingredients in Olus®Cox liquid naturally improve the chicken’s immune system, which is essential to prevent coccidiosis, necrotic enteritis and dysbacteriosis. Healthier chickens show improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) and higher average daily weight gain (ADWG). Adding Olus®Cox liquid to feed or drinking water significantly improves production performance and your profitability.
About the author
Muhammad Suleman – Regional Manager South East Asia and Middle East
Muhammad Suleman, Regional Manager for Southeast Asia and the Middle East, has joined the Olus team since 2023. His involvement with Olus brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for the poultry industry. With years of experience and extensive knowledge of the complexities of poultry farming, Muhammad has a deep understanding of the market.
Within Olus, he is actively involved in developing new feed additives and exploring nutritional strategies to improve gut health and performance in a sustainable way.
For more information about the benefits of our additive Olus®Cox liquid or if you have any questions about our products, please contact us. We are here to help you!