Experimental ascaridiasis: the influence of Ascaridia gall on weight gain and nitrogen retention In chicken

Abstract

An experimental study was carried out to determine the influence of Ascaridia galli infection in domestic fowls on weight gain and nitrogen retention. Twenty four Shaver Star-bro-broiler type hybrid ,chicks were used, They were divided into three groups of eight; one group received 100 embryonated ova of A. galli,the other 500 ova and the third remained uninfected as a control. They were infected at the age of )2 days and fed on the same experimental feed for six weeks. The feed consumption, weight gain and nitrogen retention in all the groups was measured for six weeks after infection. The surprisingly low recovery of worms at autopsy signified low infectivity and retarded worm growth. No statistically significant differences between the test and control groups in weight gain and nitrogen retention were observed, probably due to the failure to establish sufficiently heavy infection rates. The possible reasons Cor the low infectivity of A. galli in the chicks are discussed.