The Effect of Oral Administration of Levamisole on Performance and Related Parameters with Immune System in Broiler Chickens

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of levamisole at different rearing ages on performance, some internal organ weights, white blood cells and phagocytic activity in Cobb 500 strain male broilers. The experiment was a completely randomized design, with 300 male broiler chickens in four treatments with five replicates and 15 chicks in each group. The experimental groups consisted of: 1) basal diet (without levamisole), 2) basal diet containing 3 mg levamisole in the first week; 3) basal diet containing 3 mg levamisole in the second week, and 4) basal diet containing 3 mg per kg live body weight of levamisole in the third week. Test duration was 6 weeks. Parameters examined include performance and related parameters with immune system such as number of monocytes, lymphocytes, heterophils, total protein, albumin, phagocytic activity test, antibody titers against Newcastle, influenza and Gambro disease and organs weight involved in immune system. Results showed that performance of chickens treated with levamisole at different rearing ages compared to the control group was not significant. Adding of levamisole in broiler diets increased the number of lymphocytes and heterophils at different ages of rearing (P