Assessment of Brovitacoccid efficacy against Eimeria spp. in naturally infected broiler chickens

Abstract

Chicken coccidiosis remains one of the most prevalent and economically significant parasitic diseases in industrial poultry production, linked to impaired productivity, metabolic disturbances, intestinal damage, and substantial economic losses. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy of the veterinary medicinal product “Brovitacoccid” (Brovafarma LLC) in broiler chickens naturally infected with Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, and Eimeria maxima. The aim was to determine the anticoccidial efficacy of this product based on clinical, parasitological, pathological, haematological, and biochemical parameters, and to justify its use for the prevention and treatment of chicken coccidiosis. The investigation was conducted in 2025 on 48 broiler chickens aged 14–16 days, naturally infected with Eimeria spp., under the production conditions of “U Farming Group” LLC (Zhytomyr region, Ukraine). The disease was characterised by pronounced clinical signs, anaemia, disturbances in protein metabolism, and severe pathological lesions in the intestine. Administration of the product at a dosage of 2 g/L of drinking water for seven consecutive days resulted in a statistically significant reduction in infection intensity: by day 14, the oocyst count had decreased to 7.3±0.9 thousand/g of faeces, and by day 28, the reduction in oocyst shedding reached 83.8 % compared to the control group. The prevalence of infection in the treated group dropped to 4.3 %, whereas it remained high in untreated birds. Treatment with “Brovitacoccid” was associated with marked clinical improvement, including reduced diarrhoea, enhanced appetite, and increased activity of the birds. The treated group showed lower mortality (4.2 % vs. 20.8 % in the control group), higher flock survival (95.8 % vs. 79.2 %), and significantly higher body weight gain. Hematological and biochemical analyses revealed a marked normalization of parameters on day 28 of the experiment: red blood cell count (2.7±0.15 ×10¹²/L, p<0.05), white blood cell count (19.3±0.9 ×10⁹/L, p<0.05), hemoglobin content (106.2±3.1 g/L, p<0.05), total protein level (38.4±1.1 g/L, p<0.05), and alkaline phosphatase activity (135.6±8.4 U/L, p<0.05). These findings indicate restoration of homeostasis and attenuation of the inflammatory response. Pathological examination confirmed less severe intestinal lesions in treated chickens. These findings demonstrate the high therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of “Brovitacoccid”, confirm its safety for poultry, and support its use in industrial poultry farming and support its use in industrial poultry farming, offering a cost-effective strategy for coccidiosis control.