Starting broiler flocks on used litter, coupled with effective coccidiosis control and the use of trace minerals, can help minimize necrotic enteritis (NE) in broiler flocks raised without antibiotics, Steve Davis, DVM, told Poultry Health Today.
Poultry companies with “no antibiotics ever” (NAE) production schemes often use copper and zinc to boost the immune system and lower the incidence of enteric disease. Administration of these minerals isn’t new, but NAE producers are feeding them at higher levels in starter and grower feeds, said Davis, president and CEO of Colorado Quality Research.
