How to find effective coccidiosis poultry treatment options

There are a variety of treatment approaches, including coccidia vaccines, ionophores and chemical coccidiostats, in place to help poultry producers control coccidiosis.

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Mariohagen | Dreamstime.com
Mariohagen | Dreamstime.com

Coccidiosis is caused by protozoan parasites called coccidia that belong to the Eimeria genus. The disease occurs when birds ingest infected feed, water, litter or soil. There are a variety of treatment approaches, including coccidia vaccines, ionophores and chemical coccidiostats, in place to help poultry producers control coccidiosis.

Spread of coccidiosis through a poultry flock occurs quickly, typically in less than a week. Coccidiosis primarily affects young chickens and can affect bird performance, including egg production.

Coccidia is one of the most common causes of intestinal wall damage in poultry. As the parasite goes through its normal lifecycle, it infects and infiltrates cells in the gastrointestinal tract of the host. The parasite causes a weakened immune system, looser droppings, poor nutrient absorption, reduced performance and sometimes death. 

Surviving birds typically underperform and are more susceptible to necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens and Salmonella.

Coccidiosis and poultry operations

Coccidiosis has become more challenging to manage in layer barns in recent years due to growing interest in cage-free housing, where the birds have a greater exposure to feces than in cage housing. In the layer industry, coccidiosis can cause a drop in egg production, impaired growth rates, poor pigments in the eggs and lack of uniformity in addition to control costs. 

Coccidiosis is endemic in almost all poultry operations, although they can remain in the dormant form in the environment for quite a while before they begin to spread throughout poultry flocks. Because of this, the challenge for poultry farmers is managing the spread as opposed to preventing the disease.

Here are some of the most effective management approaches for controlling coccidiosis:

Coccidiostats

Nutritional support like coccidiostats or feed additives can also help birds recover quicker from the disease. 

There are two types of coccidiostats: chemical and ionophores. The first has no antibacterial activity, while ionophores do, which means it cannot be used at “no antibiotics ever” production facilities. The reduction or elimination of antibiotics in poultry feeding programs has resulted in increased incidents of coccidiosis in recent years.

One disadvantage to coccidiostats is that some strains of Eimeria have developed resistance to the in-feed treatment, rendering it ineffective against the disease. 

Feed additives designed to combat coccidiosis deliver a monoclonal single-domain antibody called Interleukin 10 (IL-10) could also help protect and improve performance of Eimeria-challenged birds if they are commercialized.

Vaccination

Vaccination against coccidiosis began to regain popularity with broiler producers in the 2010s in response to growing resistance to both chemical and ionophore coccidiostats. A growing demand for organic and antibiotic-free poultry products has also driven use of vaccines, as organic and some antibiotic-free production methods do not allow treatment with coccidiostats.

The coccidiosis vaccine exposes birds to drug-sensitive strains of live coccidia and is administered by water-based spray, gel spray or gel drop, typically at hatch. This timing gives birds a coccidiosis challenge earlier in their life, rather than later in the poultry house, which is less costly in terms of lost performance.

Effects of vaccination are long-lasting, however because vaccines are strain specific, birds are still susceptible to other strains of Eimeria.

Vaccination can have additional benefits. Research shows that vaccines against coccidiosis can also reduce cecal Salmonella load.

Litter management

Litter management is one of the easiest ways to control coccidiosis. 

The parasite begins as an oocyst – a life stage like an egg – in poultry litter and can only mature or sporulate if the litter is hot and humid. Growers that ensure that poultry litter stays as dry as possible through drinker and ventilation management can interrupt the coccidia life cycle, preventing the spread of disease.

Many broiler producers in the U.S. prefer utilizing built up litter over a total house cleanout each flock. Total house cleanout for turkey brooder houses is recommended globally and total house cleanouts each flock are common for broiler houses outside the U.S.

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