Evaluation of essential oils in the treatment of B roilers co-infected with multiple respiratory etiologic agents

This study evaluated the use of Mentofin, ® a natural Eucalyptus/Peppermint essential oil-based preparation, in treatment of broilers with multiple viral and bacterial infections in their respiratory system, a condition that is prevalent in poultry industry of most parts of the world. Eighty day-old broiler chicks were divided into four treatments (two replicate pens/treatment with 10 birds/pen). Birds of the four treatments were all vaccinated with live Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) (intra-esophageally) and with live Newcastle disease virus (intra-occularly), at 10 and 18 days of age. Each bird in treatments 1 and 2 was challenged intra-tracheally at 7 days of age, with 1. 6x 104cfu/50μl/bird of viable Mycoplasma gallsepticum organism.