Effects of Crude Ileal and Caecal Flora Mix on Necrotic Enteritis

Abstract

We investigated the effect of a cloacal administration of crude caecal or ileal contents from previous necrotic enteritis (NE) resistant birds to young broilers to determine whether this practice would provide protection against NE. A 2 x 3 factorial design with birds challenged with or without NE, and given via the cloaca a crude caecal flora extract, a crude ileal flora extract, or sterile broth. Each treatment had six replicates of 13 birds each. A total of 468 male day-old Ross 308 birds were raised on floor pens for five weeks with feed and water provided 'ad libitum'. All treatments received diets meeting the standard Ross 308 broiler nutrition specifications (starter diet d 0 to 13, grower diet d 13 to d 23 and finisher diet d 23 to d 35). Crude flora from the ileum and cecum were obtained from a previous NE challenge survivor birds (5 days post NE challenge). Crude flora was stored in anaerobic broth at -20ºC with 20% glycerol until a cloacal administration to birds at d 6. NE challenge was conducted 'per os Eimeria' spp. challenge on d 9 followed by C. perfringens on d 14 and 15 as previously reported (Rodgers et al., 2015).