Antiprotozoal Effects of Aloe vera Leaves Extract against Experimentally Induced Coccidiosis in Broiler Chickens

The anti-coccidian properties of Aloe vera were investigated and its therapeutic effect was compared with that of conventional drugs (amprolium powder) on broiler chickens. The broiler was divided into four groups of 15 birds each. Group A served as control and were not infected while B, C, and D were infected with 0.2 ml of coccidian oocyte each orally at 4 weeks old. After the manifestation of the clinical signs of coccidiosis, on day 5 post-infection, the birds in group B were treated with 1.2 g/kg feed with crude extract of Aloe vera, while, group C with amprolium hydrochloride at 3.25 g/liter drinking water; and group D was not treated and served as infected control. All treatments were done once daily for seven days. The oocyte count obtained from faeces of group B and C broiler reduced significantly (P<0.05) from 120 oocytes at 5 days post-infection to 18. There was no reduction of oocyte count in-group D. The result showed that Aloe vera was able to reduce significantly (P<0.05) the number of the oocyte, in comparison to amprolium in broiler chickens infected with coccidiosis.