Evaluation of live oocyst vaccination or salinomycin for control of field-strain Eimeria challenge in broilers on two different feeding programs

Abstract

SUMMARYLive oocyst vaccination as a method for coccidiosis control in broiler production is currently receiving heightened interest from producers and integrators, who have historically relied heavily on anticoccidial use to control infection. Reasons for this elevated level of interest include increased emergence of drug-resistant field strains of Eimeria, bans in the European Union on the use of continuously fed antimicrobials, and consumer pressure within the United States to remove antimicrobial feed additives from poultry diets. This pen study was designed to compare the live oocyst coccidiosis vaccine Coccivac-B with the ionophore salinomycin (BioCox) for controlling field-strain Eimeria in broilers reared on 2 different dietary rations varying mostly in protein concentration. Broilers were reared to 50 d on a 4-phase feeding program. Both experimental diets evaluated in this study were formulated to simulate the diets of a local commercial integrator by season. The dietary protein profile for diet A was 21.5% (starter), 20% (grower), 16.5% (finisher), and 15.75% (withdrawal), whereas diet B had a profile of 22% (starter), 19.6% (grower), 17.8% (finisher), and 17.5% (withdrawal). On d 14 of grow out, fieldstrain Eimeria oocysts collected from commercial broiler farms in Texas were spray-applied to the litter in all pens. Significant differences in final BW were not observed with regard to diet or anticoccidial control method. Broilers fed diet B had improved (P < 0.05) mortality-corrected FCR during the starter and finisher phases of rearing. Broilers fed salinomycin had lower (P < 0.05) mortality-corrected FCR for the starter and grower phases, whereas vaccinated broilers had lower (P < 0.05) mortality-corrected FCR during the withdrawal period. Cumulative FCR for the entire grow-out period were similar (P > 0.05) for all groups. These results suggest that feeding an appropriately formulated diet while vaccinating broilers as an alternative to the use of an ionophore can result in at least equivalent performance in the presence of a field-strain Eimeria challenge during grow out.

Concurrent supplementation of arginine and antioxidant vitamins E and C reduces oxidative stress in broiler chickens after a challenge withEimeriaspp.

“…At 100 ) the normal dose of Advent coccidiosis-vaccine, we targeted a dose of 450 000 viable oocysts. This dose of oocyst is higher than the one used in previous work [Perez-Carbajal et al (2010), 200 000 oocysts], but lower than the one used by Lee et al [(2009), 1 200 000 oocysts), to elicit an acute inflammation response, but at the same time avoid widespread clinical lesions. The coccidiosis-vaccine contained viable oocysts of E. acervulina (strain VND-A10), E. maxima (strain VND-M27), and E. tenella (strain VND-T49) (Novus International Inc. St. Louis, MO).…”

“…Long-term use of these drugs has resulted in the appearance of strains resistant to these products (Peek and Landman 2003;Chapman 2014). The administration of coccidiosis vaccines has reduced the dependence on anticoccidial drugs to control Eimeria infections (Peek and Landman 2003;Lee et al 2009). Coccidial infections are associated with extensive tissue damage and oxidative stress, because of the invasion of epithelial intestinal cells by sporozoites (Conway and McKenzie 2007), and by the production of nitric oxide (NO) as the strong immune response against the Eimeria invasion.…”

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genomes of five Eimeria species from domestic chickens

“…Eimeria spp. can cause serious damage to the digestive tract of the host, resulting in malabsorption of nutrients and diarrhea, which causes decreased bodyweight gain, and possibly lead to death (Abbas et al, 2008;Ding et al, 2008;Lee et al, 2009). Currently, the control of coccidiosis is mainly relied on the use of chemoprophylaxis agents, and, to a certain extent, live vaccines (Dalloul and Lillehoj, 2006).…”

Use of live vaccines for coccidiosis control in replacement layer pullets

“…To find a commercialized poultry flock not infected with coccidia is atypical and, in modern commercial rearing, subclinical coccidiosis continues to be a persistent problem, whereas clinical coccidiosis is rare [14,30].…”