Anticoccodial protection and development of immunity to Turkey coccidiosis while using monensin

Abstract

SUMMARYMonensin at 60, 80 or 100 ppm provided sufficient early protection against coccidiosis in floor-pens seeded with a mixture of Eimeria adenoeides, E. gallopavonis and E. meleagrimitis oocysts to prevent mortality due to coccidiosis and permit satisfactory weight gains. Unmedicated poults suffered 7% mortality and significantly (P 0.05) reduced weight gains compared with medicated birds. No mortality occurred after medication was withdrawn at 10 weeks of age.In poults fed monensin at concentrations of 60, 80 and 100 ppm immunity development was sufficient to prevent mortality and weight loss in challenged poults. Some delay in development of immunity in birds medicated at 80 or 100 ppm was indicated by comparing lesion scores with those of unmedicated poults.Greater immunity occurred in all floor-pen reared groups (medicated or unmedicated) when compared with battery-reared, susceptible controls of the same age. Development of immunity, measured by lesion scores, occurred less rapidly in the caecal regions than in the upper intestine suggesting that E. meleagrimitis (upper intestine) may be more immunogenic than the other two species which largely parasitise the caecum.

Effect of the anticoccidial agents halofuginone and monensin when given with growth promoting antibiotics upon the control of coccidiosis in the turkey

“…There have been several studies to investigate whether turkeys given MON or HAL develop immunity to Eimeria species. Immunity development was not prevented by these drugs, although at concentrations of 3 ppm HAL and 99 ppm MON immunity was not considered complete (Reid et al, 1978;Waibel et al, 1987;Mathis, 1993).…”

Coccidiosis in the turkey

“…Immunity could therefore have been acquired because of exposure to oocysts following cessation of medication (Horton- Smith & Long, 1961;Ball & Warren, 1963a,b;Mitrovic, 1968). Ionophores (maduramicin, monensin, and lasalocid) and amprolium did not interfere with the development of immunity (Reid et al, 1978;Wang & Ingle, 1992;Mathis, 1993;Mathis et al, 1997). Some interference was found, however, with halofuginone at the maximum approved use concentration of 3 parts/10 6 (Mathis, 1993).…”