The use of garlic as a treatment against helminth
infections is increasing in organic layer farms in several European countries. Its efficacy against these parasites, however, has not been demonstrated thus far. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine the efficacy of a commercially available garlic product consisting of a high concentration of
allicin (i.e., the main active component of garlic) against experimentally induced Ascaridia galli
infection in chickens. In total, 450 Lohmann LSL-Classic cockerels were used. Group 1, the uninfected, untreated group, consisted of 50 chickens. Groups 2 to 5, each consisting of approximately 100 chickens, were inoculated with 300 embryonated A. galli eggs/chicken at 6 wk of age. Group 2 was not treated, whereas groups 3 through 5 were given daily individual oral treatments from 13 wk of age onward. Group 3 received the recommended dose of
allicin for 2 wk, whereas group 4 received a 10-fold dose of
allicin. Group 5 was given 10 mg of
flubendazole/kg of BW for 1 wk. Necropsy of 20 birds of all groups was performed weekly between 13 and 16 wk of age to determine adult worm loads. Group 1 remained free of A. galli. The experimental
infection in the other groups resulted in a mean adult worm load of approximately 16 worms/bird. No significant differences were observed in worm counts of the
allicin-treated groups (groups 3 and 4) compared with the infected, untreated group (group 2) at any week (P > 0.05). In contrast, no worms were found in chickens after
flubendazole treatment (group 5). It was concluded that
allicin does not represent an alternative to
flubendazole for the treatment of A. galli
infections in chickens.