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COCCIDIOSIS
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- A UNIQUE WAY TO GET AROUND IT by Growell, India
occidiosis continues to be a major challenge across the globe for the Poultry industry, costing over $10 billion annually in terms of lost performance and cumulative costs of ionophore anticoccidials. Why is it a disease discovered in 1910 has not yet been effectively controlled? Infected birds have oocysts in their stool. When another bird passes over the location where the feces were deposited, they may pick up the oocysts, which they then might ingest when grooming themselves. This is the main reason for the disease spreading. No system has yet been found wherein this contact has been efficiently contained. Thus, to prevent it from spreading further, various chemical agents have been used.
Understanding the life cycle
Lets understand the life cycle of coccidia. Once an oocyst is inside the host, it breaks and releases eight sporozites. Each one finds a home in an intestinal cell and starts the process of reproduction. As the infection continues, thousands of intestinal cells may become infected. When they break open, they cause bloody, watery diarrhea, which can be fatal. Now, if we can somehow stop the sporulation of the oocysts, it will bring a complete stop to the coccidia life cycle. Existing anticoccidials can not identify and isolate the protozoal parasite. When they do spot the parasite, they are able to kill it. But the parasite hides inside the cell, which is impenetrable by the existing anticoccidials. Thus all ionophore anticoccidials can only recognise the parasite at this first or second level after the ingestion of the oocysts. But by that time, the parasite has multiplied and made a base inside the intestine, and done damage to the bird in the form of depressed weight gain and poor Feed conversion ratio.
Eliminating the parasite
The most efficient way is to eliminate the parasite BEFORE it can cause any damage - before the sporulation. This is where Coxynil proves most effective. Coxynil has anticoccidial action at all stages of coccidia by simultaneously increasing the host immunity and penetrating & eliminating the parasite in the cell directly. So, the oocyst will be there but that oocyst will have no life. So, this oocyst, even when ingested, will not sporulate and will not further the parasite reproduction. 76 | October 2017 - Milling and Grain