Impacts of increasing challenge with Eimeria maxima on the growth performance and gene expression of biomarkers associated with intestinal integrity and nutrient transporters

Table 2 Effects of graded E. maxima infection on growth performance and mortality of broiler chickens from 0 to 6-dpi

Items^a	Control	Low	Medium	High	Linear^bP value	Quadratic^b P value
BW (g)	832 ± 8^c	637 ± 5	565 ± 10	524 ± 6	< 0.0001	< 0.0001
BWG (g)	415 ± 8	203 ± 5	139 ± 9	132 ± 6	< 0.0001	< 0.0001
FI (g)	579 ± 9	435 ± 17	414 ± 17	410 ± 16	< 0.0001	< 0.0001
FCR	1.40 ± 0.02	2.15 ± 0.07	3.04 ± 0.15	3.14 ± 0.12	< 0.0001	< 0.0001
Mortality (%)	1.04 ± 1.04	4.17 ± 1.57	19.79 ± 1.04	23.96 ± 1.04	< 0.0001	0.0713

The study evaluated the effects of graded challenge of E. maxima on growth performance and gastrointestinal biomarkers in the broiler chickens. Birds were challenged with E. maxima on day 14.
^aLow, 12 500 oocysts of E. maxima; Medium, 25 000 oocysts of E. maxima; High, 50 000 oocysts of E. maxima; BW body weight, BWG body weight gain, FI feed intake, FCR feed conversion rate.
^bThe P values indicate whether the analyzed parameters linearly or quadratically responded to the graded challenge doses of E. maxima.
^cMean ± SD.

ISSN: 1297-9716