Abstract

ABSTRACT: Necrotic enteritis causes significant economic losses to the poultry industry which is always increased in chickens exposed to feed contaminated with aflatoxins. So we had done this study to investigate the effect of C. perfringens on broiler chickens alone and in combination with aflatoxins compared with control negative group. A total of 106 samples (43 liver and 63 intestinal samples) collected from 38 flocks of diseased broiler chickens suffering from diarrhea were examined for C. perfringens isolation and revealed the presence of C. perfringens with percentage of 51.1 % and 80.9% in liver and intestine respectively with total percentage 66%. Aflatoxin was prepared at concentration 250 ppbkg ration. During the experiment we examined 100 commercial broiler chickens which were divided to four groups: control group (A), group (B), infected with C. Perfringens type A via oral gavages by inoculation of 1ml of 6x108cfu daily for 3 consecutive days [16th-17th –and 18th days of age], group fed aflatoxins at dose 250 ppb from the first day till 28 days old (C) and group both infected with C.perfringens and aflatoxin fed with the same doses mentioned before (D). Aflatoxin decreased gain and feed intake and resulted in increased mortality, higher lesion scores and increased liver and kidney functions. Inducing necrotic enteritis concurred with aflatoxicosis increased lesion scores and decreased feed intake and gain more than aflatoxin alone. The great intervals proved the severe negative impact of aflatoxin on broiler performance which increased a lot when complicated with clostridial infection.

Key words: Key words: Clostridium perfringens, Aflatoxins, broiler chickens.