Correlation Between Clostridium perfringens Alpha- and NetB-Toxin and Chick Mortality in Commercial Broiler Farms During Different Anticoccidial Control Programs

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a correlation existed between chick mortality and the presence of Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin and NetB-toxin genes (cpa and netB) in C. perfringens recovered from litter in commercial broiler houses. Because coccidiosis predisposes chickens to necrotic enteritis, the concentration of Eimeria oocysts in these samples was measured, and the numbers were used in similar correlation...