Environmental augmentation with bacteriophage prevents colibacillosis in broiler chickens

Bacteriophages are viruses that kill bacteria. They are plentiful in nature; are safe, having no known activity to human or animal cells; and are an attractive alternative to antibiotics. The objectives of this research were to establish an experimental model of colibacillosis induced by indirect exposure to Escherichia coli and to determine if bacteriophage could protect the birds from developing colibacillosis. In study 1 there were 6 treatments with 2 replicate pens of 25 birds. The treatments were control warm brooded; control cold stressed; litter inoculated with E. coli, warm brooded; litter inoculated with E. coli, cold stressed; seeder birds (5 per pen) challenged with E. coli, warm brooded; and seeder birds (5 per pen), cold stressed. The study concluded when the birds were 3 wk of age. Body weights at 1, 2, and 3 wk of age were significantly decreased (P ≤ 0.05) by cold stress, decreased at 1 and 2 wk of age by both the litter and seeder bird treatments compared with the control treatment and by the seeder bird treatment at 3 wk of age. Study 2 consisted of 8 treatments with 2 replicate pens of 20 birds per treatment. The treatments were control, warm brooded; control, cold stressed; litter inoculated with E. coli, cold stressed; and seeder birds (5/pen) challenged with E. coli, cold stressed with and without bacteriophage treatment. In the bacteriophage treatments the bacteriophages were sprayed on the litter. The study was concluded at 3 wk of age. Body weights at 1 wk of age were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased from the control treatment by the seeder bird treatment and were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in all the bacteriophage treatments compared with their matched untreated treatments, except in the control cold stressed treatment. Mortality was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased by bacteriophage in the litter challenged treatment. These data suggest that augmentation of the environment with bacteriophage is a practical and efficacious way to prevent colibacillosis in broiler chickens.