Combating Coccidiosis
We all know that coccidiosis is a common and significant disease of commercial poultry farms all around the world. This disease causes impaired feed efficiency and reduced weight gain, mortality, and increased susceptibility to other diseases including necrotic enteritis.
We also know that elimination of this parasitic disease by common management practices is very difficult, if not impossible. Anti-coccidial drugs have been used for many years in the poultry industry in order to deal with this disease. Development of resistance to drugs and also recent moves toward restricting use of drugs in poultry diets has put pressure on the industry to look for alternatives.
Vaccination is currently an option available to the poultry industry. What do you think of using vaccines to prevent coccidiosis? Do you think that the industry should only use vaccines and terminate use of anti-coccidial drugs? What about a combination of vaccines and drugs?
Reference: McDougald, L. R. 2003. Coccidiosis. In Diseases of poultry. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IW.
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