Evaluation of ethanolic extract from Myrciaria cauliflora as a feed additive in broiler chickens infected with Salmonella Heidelberg

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementation with the ethanolic extract of Myrciaria cauliflora peels and seeds on the performance and intestinal health of broilers inoculated with Salmonella Heidelberg and reared until 28 days old. Three hundred thirty-six one-day-old male broiler chickens were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replications each: NC - negative control, which received a 0.85% sterilized saline solution in the crop; EJ - group that received the plant extract in the feed; SH - group that received the bacterial inoculum in the crop; and SH + EJ - group that received the bacterial inoculum in the crop and was fed the herbal extract in the diet. Supplementation with the herbal extract did not influence performance and increased Salmonella excretion in inoculated broiler chickens at 11 and 28 days old. Salmonella reduced jejunal villi height at 28 days, suggesting that the herbal extract caused a dysbiosis that favored the colonization and multiplication of Salmonella. The increased pathogen excretion may rise the transmission rate and the risk of foodborne illness. The use of the ethanolic extract of jabuticaba does not affect weight gain, feed conversion, average weight, histomorphometry, or intestinal biometry, but it increases Salmonella Heidelberg excretion.