The effect of heated floor on the outcome coccidiosis in broilers

Abstract

Coccidiosis is the most common protozoan disease in poultry farms around the world and causes serious economic losses. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect floor heating on the outcome Eimeria maxima infection in broilers. A total 80 broilers were grown for 4 weeks. All birds were fed with identical granular food without anticoccidial drugs and antibiotics. Broilers were divided into 2 equal groups of 40 heads each. The first group (experimental) was placed on heated plates with a small wood shavings layer; the second group (control) was placed on wood shavings without floor heating. All 7-day old broilers were experimentally infected with E. maxima 300 oocyst/bird culture orally. The extensity and intensity of infection in the feces was determined every 3 days, after infection. Than 10 broilers at the age of 38 days were spontaneously selected from each group for blood sampling and for clinical and biochemical blood analysis. These broilers were sacrificed to detect pathological changes in the intestine. The extensity and intensity of coccidiosis was high in broilers, grown on a heated floor. Extensity was 100%, intensity—52,500 oocysts/g at the age of 26-days-broilers. Broilers became more resistant to E. maxima infection on the heated floor. Despite the high intensity of infection, acute coccidiosis and death were not detected. In addition, lesions in the intestine and changes in blood of broilers from experimental group differed slightly from the control group. The results showed that heated floor had a positive effect on the organism of broilers infected with E. maxima.