Nature’s support to control coccidiosis in poultry



Coccidiosis is one of the major concerns for poultry worldwide due to its effects on enteric health and overall flock performance. It is mainly caused by a protozoan parasite Eimeria. Major species of Eimeria that are found to be infectious in poultry are E. acervulina, E. brunetti, E. maxima, E. mitis, E. necatrix, E. praecox, and E. tenella. It causes an increased rate of morbidity and mortality in poultry, which results in major economic losses.

Common signs and symptoms of infection include: (Image)

·Bloody droppings

·Yellowish, foamy diarrhoea

·Ruffled feathers

·Poor appetite

·Weight loss due to inability to absorb nutrients in food

·Increased mortality

Modes of Transmission of Eimeria

Eimeria is a host-specific infection, where different species of Eimeria infect different portions of the intestine in poultry.

1. Infected birds shed the infective oocysts (small egg-like bodies) in their feces.

2. These oocysts quickly multiply and flourish in favorable conditions.

3. Birds ingest these oocysts from contaminated food, water, litter, and become infected.

4. After being swallowed, the parasites establish themselves on the mucosa, developing and reproducing in large numbers, causing severe damage. Coccidia can complete their life cycle in approximately 4–7 days and multiply rapidly.

5. It damages the intestinal epithelial lining and reduces its ability to absorb nutrients essential for the growth of poultry. 

Programs to Control Coccidiosis in Poultry (image)

1. Straight program: It uses one product in the feed from start to finish.

2. Shuttle program: It involves alternating the use of different drugs (drug rotation) or classes (class alteration) of anticoccidial drugs. If a shuttle program is unsuccessful, it can lead to necrotic enteritis. Necrotic enteritis occurs when the clostridia in the gut produce a toxin that breaks down the gut barrier.

3. Bioshuttle program: It combines a vaccine with a product in the feed. The vaccine should keep the oocyst count low in the first two weeks, and then an anticoccidial product in the feed will control oocyst counts in the later stages.

4. Vaccine-only program: In this program, birds are vaccinated after hatch, and cocci are allowed to cycle in the flock. But instead of introducing an anticoccidial product in the feed in the later stages, the birds are allowed to build up their own immunity.

Key challenges of using anti-coccidial drugs in poultry

·Using drugs from the same class and the same mode of action one after another for a long period increases the risk of resistance being developed toward the class.

·It leads to the accumulation of chemical residues in poultry.

·It not only reduces the rate of poultry production but also causes major economic losses in poultry farming.

Therefore, anticoccidials are banned as feed additives due to consumers' concerns about residues in poultry products. The natural plant-based solution is an effective alternative to mitigate the side effects of chemical-based products.

How can the natural solution be an effective alternative for coccidiosis control in poultry?

·Phytochemicals present in plants reduce mucosal inflammation and lesions and effectively reduce the spread of disease by decreasing oocyst excretion.

·Naturally improves the beneficial microbial population.

·It can be used in combination with vaccines, ionophores, and chemicals as part of the shuttle or rotation program.

·Fulfils public demand for residue-free poultry but also provides sustainable and effective poultry production.

Biococcin: Natural Alternative to Coccidiosis in Poultry

BIOCOCCIN

BIOCOCCIN is a phytochemical mixture derived from various ethnoveterinary herbs, which has diverse mechanisms of action against multiple species of Eimeria. It provides a long-term benefit. The active constituents in BIOCOCCIN suppress the developmental stages in the lifecycle of Eimeria and help control coccidiosis. It is a sustainable solution, providing poultry farmers with a safe, efficient, and environmentally conscious alternative.

 Benefits of Biococcin (Image)

·Reduces the number of coccidia and keeps the infection in check till immunity is established

·Reduces oocysts shedding

·Decreases intestinal inflammation 

·Enhances immunity and antioxidant status

·Improves recovery rate in poultry

·Reduces mortality rate in poultry



*References on request