Assessing the impact of phytogenic products on the performance, gut health, and Campylobacter jejuni load in experimentally infected broiler chicks

Authors: Konstantinos Kiskinis, Tilemachos Mantzios, Georgios A. Papadopoulos, Vangelis Economou, Evanthia Petridou, Panagiotis Sakkas, Ilias Giannenas, Dimitrios Galamatis,...

Ger. J. Vet. Res 2025. vol. 5, Iss. 4 pp:100-117
Doi: https://doi.org/10.51585/gjvr.2025.4.0166

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Abstract:

Globally, foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis is primarily caused by Campylobacter (C.) spp. Phytogenic products have demonstrated promising in vitro antibacterial effects and have gained increasing attention for their beneficial effects on animal health and productivity. Thus, this study evaluated the impact of three commercial water phytogenic products on performance parameters, intestinal health, and C. jejuni colonization in experimentally infected broilers. The broilers were orally infected with C. jejuni strain MB 4185 KC 40 on day 18 of age. 192 day-old Ross 308® broilers were randomly assigned into six treatment groups with four replicates according to the following experimental design: group A, birds were not subjected to any challenges and were provided with untreated drinking water; group B, birds were challenged and received untreated drinking water; group C, birds were challenged and received drinking water treated with enrofloxacin; groups D, E and F, birds were challenged and each group received drinking water treated with different phytogenic product. The total duration of the experiment was 39 days. The continuous administration of phytogenic products resulted in growth retardation only on day 9. On day 15, the commercial product significantly increased the pH of the duodenal contents in chickens kept in group F compared to the control group. Instead, on both 15 and 39 days, the product of group E significantly decreased the pH of the intestinal content in the ceca compared to the control group. On day 25, the C. jejuni counts were significantly lower in the ceca of the birds in the experimental groups D and E. At slaughter age, the C. jejuni counts were significantly lower in the ceca of the birds in group E. Therefore, commercial phytogenic products may be essential for animal and public health by minimizing antibiotic use, although the combination of active ingredients and dosage schemes requires further investigation.

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https://doi.org/10.51585/gjvr.2025.4.0166

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