Combined effect of black cumin seeds and bacteriophage in mitigating necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens

AIMS: The poultry industry is greatly impacted due to the restrictions on antibiotic use, which has led to an increase in coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE). This study evaluated the crushed black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds (CBCS) and anti-Clostridium bacteriophages as antibiotic alternatives for broiler chickens. METHODS AND RESULTS: In our animal trial, three-hundred and eighty four Cobb 500 male broilers were treated with 5% CBCS in feed, bacteriophage (Clostridium phage CU1) administered in drinking water at a 1:15 dilution (phage:water) from 19-26 days post-inoculation, and a combination of the two treatments. Birds were challenged with coccidia, Eimeria maxima, and Clostridium perfringens (Cp) strain Cp#4. CBCS, bacteriophage, and the combination had no adverse effects on broiler live performance. NE scores for CBCS and combination groups were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the positive control and were similar to antibiotic control. All treatments under investigation reduced NE mortality compared to a 12.5% mortality rate observed in the positive control. Notably, the combination of CBCS and phage treatment had a 0% mortality rate (P<0.05), comparable to the negative control. Cp spores and vegetative cells decreased across treatments, with the combination treatment showing the most effective reduction, confirmed by qPCR and plating results. CONCLUSION: CBCS and phage effectively reduced Cp infection and mortality without affecting broiler growth, with a combination of the two treatments being the most effective.