Virgin coconut oil: potential immune system booster for chickens

With the recent preferences of consumers for meat or organically raised animals, many poultry raisers are increasing production of organic chickens. These are free-ranged birds that are fed organically produced feeds. As these free-range birds are exposed to natural elements, they are more vulnerable to diseases. However, these are not given antibiotics and growth promotants and are treated with herbal medicines when sick. Thus, there is a need to boost the immune system of these birds for them to withstand the disease challenge while on the range.

To test the effect of virgin coconut oil (VCO) on the immune-competence of native chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), Campato (ESSU) quantified the gamma globulin concentration (lgG) in the blood of native chickens given VCO. LgG is one of the indicators of the presence of antibodies needed to fight infectious diseases. The researcher likewise determined the chickens’ bleeding and clotting time, which are also indicators of good health. These procedures were premised on the framework that since VCO contains lauric acid, which is the most important essential fatty acid in building and maintaining the immune system, it can boost the chickens’ immune system.

Findings

• Chickens given VCO had higher total serum protein (5.59 + 0.7 g/dl) than those without VCO (4.53 + 0.69 g/dl), which was reflective of the gammaglobulin fractions that contain antibodies. This meant that the chickens with VCO had higher antibody titers against infectious diseases. This was attributed to the VCO’s ability to remove the lipid coat of viruses and expose them to macrophages that destroy them.
• Bleeding and clotting time (48 min. and 52.86 min., respectively) were faster in VCO-fed chickens than in chickens without VCO supplementation (66.5 min and 60.86 min). This meant that VCO-fed chickens have healthier circulatory system. These findings suggested that VCO could improve the overall health of chickens, as healthier animals have faster bleeding anf clotting time.

VCO is therefore effective not only in improving the immune system of chickens, and making them resistant to infectious diseases, but also in improving the overall health condition of the chickens.

However, VCO supplementation does not lead to higher weight gain or to better feed conversion ratio. This may be because the synthesis of lgG requires amino acids from feeds that are otherwise sued for growth.

There is a need to conduct another experiment to test the varying nutrient densities to be able to see if the synthesis f more lgG as a result of VCO is competing with the basic nutrients (protein and energy) required for growth.

If the positive effects of VCO is further established in succeeding trials, this can enhance the value of native chicken production as well as the local production of VCO, which can redound to better income for raisers from acceptance of their organic produce.

Source: PCARRD, 2006. Highlights 2005, Los Banos, Laguna

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©2006