Research Note: Bovine lactoferrin in chickens: an investigation into its viability as an antibiotic alternative

Finding effective antibiotic alternatives is crucial to managing the re-emerging health risk of Clostridium perfringens (CP) type A/G-induced avian necrotic enteritis (NE), a disease that has regained prominence in the wake of governmental restrictions on antibiotic use in poultry. Known for its antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects, the use of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) in chickens is yet to be fully explored. In this study, we hypothesized that bLF can accumulate in the small intestines of healthy chickens through gavage and intramuscular supplementation and serves as a potential antibiotic alternative. Immunohistochemistry located bLF in various layers of the small intestines and ELISA testing confirmed its accumulation. Surprisingly, sham-treated chickens also showed the presence of bLF, prompting a western blotting analysis that dismissed the notion of cross-reactivity between bLF and the avian protein ovotransferrin. Although the significance of the route of administration remains inconclusive, this study supports the hypothesis that bLF is a promising and safe antibiotic alternative with demonstrated resistance to the degradative environment of the chicken intestines. Further studies are needed to determine its beneficial pharmacological effects in CP-infected chickens.