Vol. 9, Issue 10, Part E (2025)

The present study was carried out to determine the comparative efficacy of certain herbal formulations against Ascaridiosis in naturally infected backyard poultry reared in U.S. Nagar district of Uttarakhand. The efficacy trial was of 28 days. Efficacy trial was conducted on 75 backyard chickens, randomly divided into 5 groups, each group comprising of 15 birds naturally infected with ascaridiosis. Group I was kept as control and untreated. Group II birds were treated with Piperazine @ 80 mg/kg body wt orally, Group III was treated with a combination of Neem, Papaya, Vaividang and Bathua powder (25% each) @ 2 gm/kg body wt. Group IV was treated with a combination of Bathua and Vaividang powder (50% each) @ 2 gm/kg body wt and Group V was treated with Bathua powder 2 gm/kg body wt. All the treatments were given for 3 consecutive days. Body weight and eggs per gram (EPG) was recorded at 0^th, 7^th, 14^th, 21^st and 28^th days post treatment (DPT). Results revealed that Ascaridia galli infection caused significant decrease in the body weights of chickens. Group II was found to be most effective in which weight gain was increased 9.79% compared to 0 DPT body weight. This was followed by group III, IV and V with an increase in body weight gain of 7.41, 6.51 and 6.02% compared to 0 DPT body weight. However, EPG count were found significantly decreased (p<0.05) in all treated groups and significantly (p<0.05) increased in control group at the end of experiment i.e. 28^th DPT. At 28^th DPT, Group II was found to be most effective (100%) followed by groups V, IV and III, respectively with a percent reduction in EPG of 83.04, 82.11 and 77.89, respectively. Group I had a negative reduction of 14.10 in the EPG. It is concluded from the present study that herbs in combinations and individually, had a moderate anthelminthic activity against Ascaridia galli parasites in backyard poultry and can be used as an alternative of chemical drugs in controlling ascaridiosis in poultry.