Effect of Carbohydrate Rich Diet on Experimental Pathology of Necrotic Enteritis in Broilers

The present research work was designed to know the effect of carbohydrate rich diet on the experimental pathology of necrotic enteritis in broilers. For experimental purpose, 15 birds of 14 days of age were grouped into 3 (A, B and C). Birds of group A were fed with 400gm maize/kg (40% increase) and group B were fed with 200gm maize/kg (20% increase) of normal feed from day 14 to day 27 and challenged from day 21 to 25 days with 1x10 8 CFU/3ml of inoculums of Cl. perfringens consecutive 5 days. Group C was kept in control without additional maize. Birds of all groups were observed up to 27 days of age. The clinical signs diarrhea, ruffled feather were common in both group A and B, and less feed intake in group A than group B. There was no mortality in any groups. Birds of all groups were sacrificed at the day 28. Necrosis and hemorrhage in intestine, enlarged liver, and hemorrhage in the base of heart were found in group A (+++). In impression smear of intestines, the average 10-12 bacteria were found in group A and 8-10 bacteria were found in group B in higher magnification (100X). In histopathology, severe infiltration of inflammatory cells including heterophils and lymphocytes and sloughing off mucosal epithelium that changed by pink color cytoplasm with pyknotic nuclei were observed in group A (+++) while group B showed infiltration of inflammatory cells and sloughing off mucosal epithelium (++). The birds of group C were normal in all respects. Anaerobic bacteria counted from intestinal content of group A was 2.8x10 7 CFU/ml, group B was 2.2x10 7 CFU/ml and group C was 1.0x10 7 CFU/ml. From the findings, it may be said that carbohydrate rich diet is a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis in broilers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v12i1.20459 Bangl. J. Vet. Med . (2014). 12 (1): 17-26