Abstract

The poultry industry is facing major challenge of necrotic enteritis (NE) as severe disease leading to high mortality and unacceptable growth without antibiotic treatment. The current study aims at using natural product of Nigella sativa (black cumin) in poultry feed to prevent or lessen NE in broilers. In vitro study was conducted to identify a black cumin seed oil (BSCO) product with highest anti-Clostridium perfringens (Cp) activity. In vivo study consisted of broiler chickens distributed randomly among treatments and compared different levels (1, 2 and 5 ml/kg) of BCSO in feed as the treatments for chickens challenged with Cp strain Cp#6. Broiler growth performance and disease outcomes were measured for the animal trial. BCSO levels of 2 and 5 ml/kg were effective in reducing NE lesion scores and mortality with no significant impact on broiler performance. Further, cecal samples showed a decline in the number of Cp vegetative cells and spores with increasing concentrations of BCSO treatments at the end of animal trial. In conclusion, Nigella sativa can be an alternative to commonly used antibiotic treatment in mitigating C. perfringens infection and mortality.