OREGANO (Origanum vulgare) SYRUP FOR TREATING RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN BROILERS

Abstract

The study was conducted to address the excessive use of antibiotics as a remedy to avert the negative effect of poultry diseases particularly the respiratory related disease of broilers (Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Coryza and others) among farmers who raise broilers in their backyard for their consumption and additional source of income. It has been observed that due to irregular weather condition brought by climate change broilers are more vulnerable to respiratory diseases. In order to cure/treat and prevent broilers from diseases without excessively using antibiotics the use of (IMP) Indigenous Medicinal Plants particularly the oregano as an alternative medicine appears promising. This study aimed to determine the effect of oregano syrup compared to antibiotics, determine the best dosage of oregano syrup for the control of respiratory related diseases in broilers and to determine the length of effectivity of oregano syrup in controlling respiratory related diseases in broilers compared to antibiotics. A total of seventy-five (75) broilers per trial for the 1st to 3rd trials and sixty (60) broilers per trial for 4th and 5th trials were used in the study. The experimental birds were distributed into five (5) treatments for 1st to 3rd trials and two (2) treatments for 4th and 5th trials and replicated three (3) times having five (5) sample birds for 1st to 3rd trials and ten (10) sample birds per experimental cage for 4th to 5th trials. The treatments used were: T1- Antibiotics (Control) (follow the recommended dosage) ½ teaspoon/ 1 liter of water, T2 - 10 ml Oregano Syrup per 1 Liter of Pure Drinking Water, T3 - 20 ml Oregano Syrup per 1 Liter of Pure Drinking Water, T4- 30 ml Oregano Syrup per 1 Liter of Pure Drinking Water and T5 - no Medication (Pure water). The parameters recorded are the count of broilers observed to be sneezing, coughing and having nasal discharge, rales, swollen head and tear eye on the ante mortem observations and the gross appearance of air sac and lungs on the post-mortem observations. The results showed that oregano syrup medication can treat respiratory ailment in broilers, both antibiotics and oregano syrup cured the morbid broilers for duration of 7 days of medication. The use of 10ml oregano syrup and antibiotics per 1 liter of drinking water is not significantly different from each other. Therefore, use of oregano syrup in treating respiratory related disease in broilers is recommended and similar study must be conducted to other animals.