Comparative Efficacy Of Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract Versus Enrofloxacin Against Salmonella Pullorum In Chickens

Abstract

Poultry meat and eggs serves as major sources of protein and income worldwide. Poultry diseases and drug resistant disease organisms are major constraints to successful poultry production. This study aims to consider the effectiveness of Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extracts over Enrofloxacin drug on pullorum disease effects caused by Salmonella Pullorum in chicken. Sixty white Cockerel chicks purchased one day old was brooded for two weeks and vaccinated accordingly at Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Sabo-Oke, University of Ilorin. The chickens were randomly grouped into 4 groups (A, B, C and D). Birds in groups A, B and C were artificially infected orally with 0.5 ml of 10⁸ CFU of Salmonella Pullorum isolates. Birds in group A and B each, were treated orally with 200 mg/kg of Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extract and enrofloxacin drug for 7 days, respectively. Birds in group C were infected but not treated as positive control. Birds in group D were uninfected and untreated as negative control. It was observed that Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extract showed a higher significant effect in the amelioration of the clinical signs (General weakness was observed in birds in groups A (10 %) and B (20 %) only, while birds in group C died before day 7 of treatment, birds in group D did not record any signs of weakness. Anorexia was 20% and 40% in groups A and B, respectively). At day 7 of treatment, chickens in groups A and B recorded mortality of 10% and 20%, respectively, while chickens in the uninfected untreated group D had no mortality. Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extract with lower percentage mortality as recorded in (Table 2 &3) in groups A 10%, B 20% and 10%, 16%, respectively, showed it has the potentials of reducing clinical signs effects as well as an efficient antimicrobial agent on infected and treated chickens than enrofloxacin drug.