Efficacy of Acacia nilotica bark extract as an alternative to antibiotics in broilers challenged with Escherishia coli from 15 to 28 days

The present experiment was conducted to compare the effect of Acacia nilotica bark extract and antibiotic on different biological parameters in broilers challenged with E. coli. Five hundred 2-week-old broiler chicks were divided into five treatments (Cont, NC, PC, AN-BE3, AN-BE5) ten replicates per treatment (10 replicate), extended over 2 weeks. All chicks, except that Cont coli (10$^{7}$ CFU/bird). Cont: basal diet only; NC: coli; PC: NC + Zinc Bacitracin 50 mg/kg diet; AN-BE3: A. supplementation 0.3%; AN-BE5: 0.5%. At end experiment, one bird replicate selected randomly slaughtered for sampling regarding blood biochemistry, intestinal morphology cecal digesta. Weight gains Cont, AN-BE5 statistically similar but higher than NC. Similarly, feed conversion ratios better highest (p < 0.05) levels glucose observed (278.06 mg/dL) lowest (225.70 mg/dL). Concentrations ALT AST significantly reduced PC supplemented groups other groups. Antioxidant status birds comparable those treatments. Villus heights (1063.25 μm) (1061.63 (1026.50 (1014.75 μm). In addition, counts Coliform C. perfringens could be an alternative antibiotics boilers