Comparative evaluation of single or combined anticoccidials on performance, antioxidant status, immune response and intestinal architecture of broiler chickens challenged with mixed Eimeria species

ABSTRACT Poultry production faces several threats and challenges, one of the most important of which is avian coccidiosis which causes annual losses exceeding US$ 3 billion. Discovering new drugs or combinations of existing anticoccidials has become inevitable to overcome the emergence of coccidiosis resistance. This study evaluated a new combination of maduramicin and diclazuril in comparison to the well-known product MaxibanTM72 which consisted of narasin and nicarbazin, and the single effect of monensin as treatments for avian coccidiosis. A total of 750 one-day-old Indian River (IR) broiler chicks were allocated equally into five experimental groups with six replicates each as follows: 1) negative unchallenged control group (NC) fed the basal diet; 2) positive control group (PC) received the basal diet and inoculated with Eimeria; 3) PC + 100 mg monensin sodium (Atomonsin®)/kg diet (MS); 4) PC + 5 mg maduramicin ammonium (Madramycin®) + 2.5 mg diclazuril (Atozuril®)/kg diet (MMD); and 5) PC + 40 mg narasin + 40 mg nicarbazin (MaxibanTM72)/kg diet (NN). Anticoccidials improved (P