The parasitic blackhead disease causes considerable economic damage in poultry farming due to loss of performance and animal losses. Unfortunately, oregano oil alone is not a miracle cure for blackhead disease, but it can be used as a supplementary feeding measure to support the health of the animals.
Devastating consequences of black head disease
Blackhead disease, also known as histomonosis, is caused by the single-celled parasite Histomonas meleagridis. Infection usually occurs via intermediate hosts such as nematodes or earthworms. Free-range animals are particularly at risk due to the high infection pressure. If animals ingest Histomonas pathogens, they settle in the intestine and appendix and spread from there to the liver. This leads to massive inflammation of these organs. The consequences are devastating:
- Poorer feed conversion
- Diarrhea
- Emaciation
- Drop in performance
- In severe cases death
Oregano oil: natural and effective support
Oregano oil has shown in various trials that it can bring about improvements in gastrointestinal function.
In an in vitro experiment with oregano oil and Histomonas meleagridis in 2019, the Department of Poultry Science at North Carolina State University found that a concentration of 0.02 % oregano oil reduced the number of histomonads by around
95 %. (Fig. 1)
Francisca Veinat, Product Manager at feed manufacturer DOSTOFARM, reports: “Oregano oil is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, among other things. In the case of histomonas infection, data and studies show that the use of oregano oil reduces liver and appendix lesions (Fig. 2).
Less intestinal inflammation also means that the body can better absorb and utilize the nutrients from the food (Fig. 3).
The combination of anti-inflammatory properties and improved feed conversion, also due to the appetizing effect of oregano oil, can contribute to an overall stronger immune system and an associated lower mortality rate” (Fig. 4).
Specialist vet and author Dr Erwin Sieverding from Lohne recommends the use of purely natural oregano oil in his article “A torture for animals and humans”, DGS Magazine 5/2016, and not only for health reasons: “Giving oreganum-containing products in drinking water or using them preventively in the feed are generally very helpful measures to minimize economic damage.”
Conclusion:
Oregano oil alone is not a miracle cure for blackhead disease, but can be used as a supplementary measure to stabilize feed intake and thus support animal health. It therefore also contributes to sustainable and economical production.
About DOSTOFARM
With 25 years of experience, DOSTOFARM GmbH is an expert in the development, production and worldwide distribution of innovative solutions in animal nutrition based on natural active ingredients. With highly motivated specialists at three locations and distribution partners in over 60 countries worldwide, DOSTOFARM supplies farmers, compound feed manufacturers and veterinarians and works with them to develop the best natural solutions for healthier animals.
Sources
Fig. 2 to 4: Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, 2022, experiment with Histomonas meleagridis infected turkeys, duration from day 0 to 28. The animals were infected with Histomonas on day 14 of life. Non-infected animals were compared with infected turkeys and with infected turkeys that received either 45 g, 75 g or 300 g oregano oil per ton of feed. The following feeding trial results were recorded:
