EVALUATION OF ALLIUM SATIVUM (GARLIC) EXTRACT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ANTIBIOTICS AGAINST ESCHERICHIA COLI IN BROILER BIRDS

Abstract

Colibacillosis, a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in broiler poultry, is primarily induced by Escherichia coli. The overreliance on conventional antibiotics to manage this infection has contributed to the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance. This study evaluates the in vivo antibacterial efficacy of Allium sativum (garlic) aqueous extract as a natural alternative to conventional antibiotics in broiler chickens experimentally infected with E. coli. Bacterial isolates were obtained from naturally infected birds and biochemically confirmed as E. coli. A total of 20 broiler chickens were divided into four groups: a negative control (uninfected), a positive control (infected but untreated), and two experimental groups treated respectively with garlic extract and Moxifloxacin following E. coli inoculation. Results showed that all chickens treated with either A. sativum or Moxifloxacin recovered fully, while the untreated infected group exhibited high morbidity and mortality. Post-mortem examinations confirmed the absence of internal lesions in treated groups, validating the therapeutic effect of A. sativum. These findings suggest that garlic extract holds promise as a cost-effective, natural antimicrobial agent for managing colibacillosis in poultry, warranting further investigation for its integration into commercial poultry health practices.