Incidence of Caecal Coccidiosis in Adult Layer Chicken

Abstract

Coccidiosis one of the most economically important parasitic diseases in poultry in modern poultry production especially in litters. Coccidiosis is caused by species of intracellular protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Eimeria (Phylum Apicomplexa) (Shirley, 1995). It causes high mortality in young chicks between the age of 3 and 18 weeks (Nematollahi et al, 2009). Despite of advances made in the field of diagnosis in prevention, treatment and control through managemental and nutritional practices, avian coccidiosis remains one of the major diseases in chicken (Sawale el al., 2018). Economic losses to the poultry industry is due to high morbidity and mortality. Infection is transmitted through horizontal course by ingestion of coccidial oocyst contaminated feed and water. Bad management (such as wet litter that encourages oocyst sporulation, contaminated drinkers and feeders, bad ventilation, and high stocking density) can exacerbate the clinical signs (Ruff, 1993).The short, direct life cycle and high reproductive potential of coccidial organisms in poultry often leads to severe outbreaks of the disease International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 09 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com