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NUMBER 9

SPAH-PBU-367

NEW STRATEGIES FOR COCCIDIOSIS MANAGEMENT

COCCIDIOSIS VACCINATION GIVES SPAIN’S AVILESA MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH BROILER MANAGEMENT

COCCIDIOSIS VACCINATION GIVES SPAIN’S AVILESA MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH BROILER MANAGEMENT

FEED FOR THOUGHT

PLUSLAYER PULLETS TAKE THE FLOOR

COCCI FAQS: ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

A BETTER IDEA

PLUSLAYER PULLETS TAKE THE FLOOR

INTESTINAL FORTITUDE

COCCI FAQS: ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

A BETTER IDEA

FEED FOR THOUGHT

New ad to come

As the effectiveness of in-feed drugs has eroded due to resistance, the industry needs a NEW approach for birds that

depend on immunity for intestinal health and performance.

SPAH-PBU-362Paracox and Coccivac are registered trademarks of Schering-Plough Veterinary Corporation.Copyright 2005, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation. All rights reserved.

As the effectiveness of in-feed drugs has eroded due to resistance, the industry needs a NEW approach for birds that

depend on immunity for intestinal health and performance.

TheIDEAProgram–

A novel nutritional

and management

concept for birds

vaccinated with

Paracox®-5 or

Coccivac®-B.

®

FEATURES

NUMBER 9

2 COCCI PROFILE FEED FOR THOUGHTCoccidiosis vaccination gives Spain’s AVILESA more flexibility with broiler management

6 NUTRITION NOTEBOOKIDEA — Changing paradigms in poultry nutrition and performance

9 COCCI FAQSSchering-Plough’s tech service team answers questions aboutmanaging coccidiosis in broilers

10 LAYER PULLETS TAKE THE FLOORCage ban in EU is expected to increase coccidiosis pressure

13 UNDER SCRUTINYDo phytotherapy products have anticoccidial activity or adverse effects on coccidiosis vaccination?

15 INTESTINAL FORTITUDEUnderstanding the real cause of intussusception in broiler breeders leads the way to effective control

17 TECHNICALLY SPEAKING A BETTER IDEAManaging intestinal health without in-feed antibiotics — a practical approach

21 COCCI NEWSProduct updates and industry events

25 COCCI VIEWSBlending nutrition into coccidiosis management

PAGE 2

PAGE 6

PAGE 17

Coccivac and Paracox are registered trademarks and SprayCox is a trademark of Schering-Plough Veterinary Corporation.

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Cover: Dr. Juan Pablo Perez (left) of AVILESA checks feed before it’s shippedto one of the company’s broiler farms. When vaccinating for coccidiosis,AVILESA can be more flexible and efficient with its nutritional programbecause it does not have to worry about withdrawal times of in-feed anti-coccidials. Our cover story begins on page 2.

Photo by Joseph Feeks.

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AVILESA had several good rea-sons to make vaccination partof its coccidiosis management

program in standard broilers. TheSpanish poultry producer’s most imme-diate goal, however, was to stop thecontinuous use of in-feed anticoccidialsand reverse what management felt wasa growing resistance problem.

“Some anticoccidials simply werenot working as well as they used to,”says Dr. Juan Pablo Perez, a veterinari-an in charge of nutrition and anti-coccidial programs at AVILESA, orAvicola Levantina, S.A., based inMurcia, Spain, about 230 kilometers(143 miles) south of Valencia near thesoutheastern coast.

“Even though we used them in care-fully planned shuttle programs, I wasconcerned that more pathogenic strainsof Eimeria were developing and thatthe disease would become more diffi-

cult and costly to control. I know thatin flocks with subclinical coccidiosis,average daily gain and feed conversioncan be just awful. We needed to makesome changes before any major set-backs occurred.”

After conducting a few trials, AVILE-SA decided to vaccinate standard broil-ers with Paracox-5 for at least two cycles to give traditional anticoc-cidials a much-needed rest. He thenplanned to go back to using in-feedanticoccidials.

Today, some 3 years later, coccidio-sis vaccination has become an essentialpart of the coccidiosis managementprogram at AVILESA, which processessome 12 million birds a year. The vac-cine is administered in the hatchery today-old birds. A specially designedSprayCox spray cabinet ensures uni-form distribution and development of attenuated oocysts, which stimulatenatural immunity in the birds and pro-vide lifetime protection.

Kicking the drug habitFor AVILESA, vaccinating for coccidio-sis is also helping the company reduce drug usage without compromis-ing the health or the performance ofthe birds.

“Consumers today take a lot ofinterest in how their food is raised,”says Dr. Juan Martinez, a field veteri-narian working at AVILESA’s four com-pany-owned farms, which are spreadover 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) in Jumillain the shadow of the Sierra del Molar.

“Whether their concerns have scien-tific merit or if they are just respondingto a story they read in a newspaper, weknow they are worried about drugs inanimal feed.”

COCCI PROFILE

FEED FOR THOUGHTCoccidiosis vaccination gives Spain’s AVILESA more flexibility with broiler management

Dr. Juan Pablo Perez. ‘I was concerned that more pathogenic strains of Eimeriawere developing.’

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Perez agrees. “As a company, weneed to be sensitive to consumers’demands. Vaccinating for coccidiosis ishelping us produce healthy broilerswhile reducing drug usage.”

So far the decision to vaccinateappears to be meeting AVILESA’s needsas well. In terms of feed conversionand average daily gain, performance ofvaccinated birds is as good as that ofbirds on medicated feed, Martinez says,noting that average daily gain is about56 grams (0.123 pound) in mixed-sexhouses.

“More importantly, we found thattraditional anticoccidials perform betterwhen used in a rotation with a coc-cidiosis vaccine,” he says.

Filling a voidThe boost in anticoccidial performancehas been especially helpful followingthe EU’s ban of nicarbazin in May 2002,adds Perez.

“Nicarbazin was routinely used inshuttle programs and helped the in-feed anticoccidials work better,” heexplains. “Without this additive, weneed to be more careful with the anti-coccidials that are still available to us.Using a vaccine in our program helpskeep the anticoccidials working. Wedon’t have subclinical coccidiosis prob-lems. And when you don’t have coc-cidiosis, your birds will perform betterin all areas.”

Throughout the world, coccidiosisvaccination is expected to play an evenbigger role in the future as more poul-try companies see how the practice canadd flexibility to nutritional programs.Because vaccinated birds are free fromthe constraints imposed by drug with-drawal times, companies can build feedprograms around the nutritional needsof the birds, not the withdrawal timesof in-feed anticoccidials.

For example, instead of feeding awithdrawal or finisher feed to the birdsfor the last 5 to 6 days, AVILESA is con-sidering using this lower cost feed ear-

lier in the flock’s life — possibly at 30days — to reduce costs without riskinga late coccidiosis outbreak.

“Extending the withdrawal feed issomething we definitely want to lookat,” Perez says. “We want to produce avery high quality carcass. Our slaughterhouse therefore wants us to use a fixedamount of fat in the carcass, and thatfat is given to the birds in the fourthfeed for a fixed period of time. Wewould need to make adjustments to

Vaccinated broilers at AVILESA’s company-owned farm.

Field veterinarian Dr. Juan Martinez (left) and farm manager Miguel AngelCano.

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that if we extended the length of thewithdrawal feed.

“At this time,” he continues, “wealso want to keep the antibiotic growthpromoter in the feed while it is stillavailable to us. But certainly, we haveseen the latest research in this area ofbroiler nutrition. Extending the time forthe low-cost withdrawal feed is anexciting, cost-saving option we’ll con-sider for the future.” (See article onpage 5.)

Making adjustmentsFrom a management standpoint, switch-ing to coccidiosis vaccination did notrequire any major changes at the farms,but Perez acknowledges that removingin-feed anticoccidials may open thedoor to more enteric pathogens. He isnot worried, however, because his feedmill can compensate by making adjust-ments to the nutritional programs ofvaccinated birds.

After making coccidiosis vaccinationpart of its program, AVILESA discov-ered one more significant benefit:greater marketing flexibility.

For example, at its four company-owned farms, which have a capacityfor 700,000 birds, the company growsstandard broilers of 2.8 to 3.0 kilograms(6.2 to 6.6 pounds) in 48 to 50 days.However, at 36 days, AVILESA thins outthe flock and markets some birdsweighing 1.9 kilograms (4.2 pounds)for small roasters.

“When birds are vaccinated for coc-cidiosis, the farm manager doesn’t haveto worry about withdrawing medica-tion from the feed and leaving birdsunprotected,” Martinez explains.

“Now we can put all of the broilerson the same feed and market lighterbirds whenever they are in demand,”adds farm manager Miguel Angel Cano.“They’re much easier to manage.”

Cano says this added flexibility isparticularly beneficial to AVILESA’s feedmill because the company uses onlyone feed truck and driver for each farmfor added biosecurity. When broilersare on medicated feed for coccidiosis,he says, the mill has to ship separatefeeds for the birds that will be market-ed early.

Looking aheadAdding a vaccine to AVILESA’s coc-cidiosis-management program has alsohelped the company develop a morestrategic, long-term strategy for control-ling the costly disease.

“Rather than select treatments as wego along, we already know what our

Dr. Cesar Carnicer (left) of Schering-Plough Animal Health discusses coccidiosis-control strategies with AVILESA’s field veterinarian Dr. Juan Martinez and farmmanager Miguel Angel Cano.

AVILESA’s four company-owned farms are located in the shadow of Sierra delMolar for optimum biosecurity.

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coccidiosis program will be 12 to 18months from now,” Perez says. “Weknow how the different feed productswork. We know how the vaccineworks. We can create a program thatemploys the strengths of each product.”

For example, Perez says, in lateautumn and early winter, Eimeriaorganisms tend to grow and multiplymuch faster than in the hot, dry monthsof summer. AVILESA therefore rotatesto the vaccine in the fall to introduce acontrolled dose of attenuated oocyststhat stimulate the natural immunity tococcidiosis.

“If we are going to have rapidgrowth of Eimeria oocysts, we wantthem to be from the vaccine, not fromthe wild oocysts in the field that canlead to resistance,” he says.

Coccidiosis vaccine is also used inall of the company’s free-range birds,which are grown to 3.5 to 3.7 kilograms(7.7 to 8 pounds) over 100 to 110 days.Because their life span is more than

twice that of standard broilers, all free-range chickens, or “camperos,” are vac-cinated for coccidiosis throughout theyear. Continuous use of the vaccinealso allows AVILESA to market thesebirds as being raised without medicinalfeed additives.

“We see a lot of benefits from coc-cidiosis vaccination,” Perez concludes.“It’s helping us control the disease inour standard broilers and specialty mar-ket birds. At the same time, it is creat-ing opportunities for us to improve theperformance and efficiency in otherareas of our operation. We are verypleased with the results of this pro-gram.”

Schering-Plough Animal Health and IRTAhave worked together to develop a newprogram called IDEA for managing thenutritional needs of birds vaccinated forcoccidiosis. For more information, see Dr.Joaquim Brufau’s article on page 6.

Reduce Costs, Maintain Production With Extended Withdrawal FeedSeveral studies in Spain have shown that birds vaccinatedfor coccidiosis and grown to 2.2 kilograms (4.85 pounds) ormore can be fed low-cost withdrawal or finisher feedsbeginning at Day 30 with no adverse effects on bodyweight, carcass quality or the percentage of premiumparts, according to Dr. Cesar Carnicer, a veterinarian forSchering-Plough Animal Health in Spain.

The company has worked extensively with IRTA to developnutritional guidelines for birds vaccinated with coccidiosis.While more trials are under way worldwide, Dr. Carnicersays a few patterns and conclusions have emerged.

“We know that starter diets must have proper amino acidbalance,” he says. “Factors such as vitamin levels andoligo elements also need to be considered.”

“From an economical and nutritional perspective, the only

concern left by extending the finishing feed might be anincreased risk for coccidiosis,” he continues. “But in coc-cidiosis-vaccinated birds, that risk is zero.”

When selecting digestible nutrients for early growthstages when enzymatic systems are developing, considerthe chick’s intestinal condition, Dr. Carnicer advises. Usingcorn instead of white cereals such as wheat and barley,vegetable oil and limiting feed energy or the total proteinlevel (with synthetic amino acids) helps achieve appropri-ate intestinal development and adequate bacterial flora.

“The strategy is to focus on using a good pre-starter dietand follow with a very digestible feed to achieve an appro-priate weight of birds at 25 to 30 days,” he says. “Becauseyou have already focused on digestibility during the mostchallenging and conflict-filled period of the bird’s life, youhave achieved good intestinal health, and you can takesteps in the later stages to focus on final body weight andprofitability.”

The success of a broiler opera-tion, particularly its profitability,is very dependent on how well

the bird’s intestinal tract is functioning.Traditionally, intestinal health has beenhighly dependent on drugs, but today’semphasis on raising birds with fewerdrugs and the increased use of coc-cidiosis vaccination has changed the situation.

The focus now must be on estab-lishing immunity early to help birdsexpress their maximum potential forgrowth and feed efficiency. In modernbroilers, attention to the first weeks oflife is critical for optimal performancelater. During this time, high qualitynutrients are needed to ensure thedevelopment of immunity and propertissue building in the intestinal tract. Inthe third and fourth weeks of life, birdsare continuing to develop immunityagainst intestinal disease and stillrequire good nutrition. The relativegrowth period remains good andshould be maximized. Fortunately, thisneed for special attention to nutritioncomes at a time when the volume offeed consumed is relatively small.

After the fourth week of life, the rel-ative growth potential is lower, but feedconsumption is higher. If immunity is

not completely established, feed effi-ciency is not maximized. Figure 1demonstrates the objective of an effi-cient management program for intestin-al health that is based on early devel-opment of immunity and enabling birdsto express optimal growth and feedefficiency.

IDEA Program objectivesTo help producers maximize nutritionand performance in broilers vaccinatedwith Paracox-5, Schering-PloughAnimal Health Corporation has devel-oped the IDEA Program (See page 17.)It is based on the physiology of the birdand the development of immunity tointestinal pathogens. Its objectives fol-low:

I – Impulse. During the first 2weeks of life, the goals are to preparebirds for immunity development, opti-mize development of the intestinal tractand immunity, provide nutrition thatguarantees good development of bonesand muscles, and take advantage of thehigh growth potential.

D — Digestibility. During the thirdand fourth weeks of life, the goals areto maintain intestinal mucosa integrity,reduce exposure to harmful bacteriaand guarantee good immune systemfunction.

E – Economic. This part of theIDEA Program is intended to capitalizeon compensatory gain and reap theeconomic advantages that are possibleas a result of strong immunity and max-imum growth potential.

A — Advance. The IDEA Programhelps poultry businesses operate moreefficiently at time when resistance totraditional anticoccidials has developedand there are limitations or bans on theuse of in-feed growth promoting antibi-otics. IDEA provides producers with a

CHANGING PARADIGMS Trials show benefits of IDEA concept in vaccinated birds

0

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0

WeightRelative Growth

5

15

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1 8 15 22 29 36 43 50

Age (days)

Digestibility EconomicImpulse

Wei

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gram

s)

Rela

tive

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wth

(%)

Immunity

Figure 1. Growth curve, relativegrowth and timing to maximizeefficiency of the immunityprocess.

NUTRITIONAL NOTEBOOK

Dr. Joaquim Brufau IRTA Research Institute, Spain

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model that is not dependent on the useof drugs to maintain good intestinalhealth.

To demonstrate the importance ofthe IDEA concept, Schering-PloughAnimal Health initiated a series of trials,which are detailed below.

Trial 1 This trial was initiated in partnershipwith the IRTA Research Institute, Spain,to assess the IDEA Program in Paracox-5 vaccinated birds and traditional nutri-tion in anticoccidial-treated birds.Figure 2 shows the trial protocol. Figure3 shows details of the diets provided tobirds in the trial.

Trial 1 resultsThe results, shown in Figures 4, 5 and6, demonstrate that vaccinated chickensthat received a more digestible diet alsodesigned to improve development ofthe intestinal tract and immune systemduring the first 4 weeks of life — theImpulse and Digestive phases of theIDEA Program — had the best growthand feed conversion compared to othergroups in the trial.

By the end of the trial, all groupshad similar performance. The resultsmay not be the same on farms withhigh density and sanitary and environ-mental challenges, but an improvementin performance should still be achievedfrom the Impulse/Digestive phase (0 to28 days).

Trial 2 A second trial performed at IRTA inpartnership with SPAH assessed the

IDEA concept in birds grown to ayounger age. Traditionally, coccidiosisvaccination has been considered unfea-sible in birds grown to a younger agebecause they would not have as muchtime after development of immunity toattain maximum growth and feed effi-ciency. The Trial 2 protocol is shown inFigure 7 and the feed formulation andcomposition in Figure 8.

Trial 2 resultsAs Figures 9 and 10 show, vaccinatedchickens demonstrated better perform-ance than drug-treated chickens untilday 28 (the Impulse and Digestivephase of the IDEA Program). Finalweight and performance in the trialwere similar in all groups. Rememberthat vaccinated birds in the trial had

Treatments Anticoccidial DietsProgram Program

T-1 Drugs* 3 standard diets

T-2 Paracox-5 3 standard diets

T-3 Paracox-5 3 special diets

T-4 Paracox-5 4 special diets

*diclazuril + monensin

Figure 2. Dietary experimental treatments.

Figure 3. Feed formulation and composition for birds in Trial 1.

3 Standard Diets

0 – 21 days 22 – 42 days 43 – 45 days

EM 3050 3130 3175

CP 22,0 21,0 19,0

Lys 1,204 1,100 0,928

Met 0,550 0,480 0,415

Na 0,14 0,13 0,13

3 Special Diets

0 – 10 days 11 – 30 days 31 – 45 days

EM 2950 3080 3175

CP 22,4 21,9 19,0

Lys 1,406 1,170 0,928

Met 0,638 0,505 0,415

Na 0,23 0,14 0,13

4 Special Diets

0 – 10 days 11 – 30 days 26 – 37 days 38 – 45 days

EM 2950 3080 3120 3175

CP 22,4 21,9 20,6 19

Lys 1,406 1,170 1,034 0,928

Met 0,638 0,505 0,465 0,415

Na 0,23 0,14 0,13 0,13

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better performance during the initialperiod of growth.

Trial 3 A third trial assessed the effects of fourrations with different combinations ofnutritional concentrations during days15 to 28. Its purpose was to determineif it is possible to have a compensatoryresponse in the final phase of the feed-ing program.

All chickens in the trial were vacci-nated with Paracox-5. One of therations included a highly digestible pro-

tein source. Traditionally, it has beenthought that protein levels should bereduced to reduce exposure to harmfulbacteria.

Trial 3 resultsThe details of Trial 3, which are avail-able from Schering-Plough AnimalHealth, showed that reducing crudeprotein levels during the third andfourth weeks of life — the digestibilityphase — has a negative impact on per-formance and that compensatory gainwas not seen until 36 days. On the

continued on page 20

Treatments Body Weight Daily Weight Daily Feed Feed to Mortality (%)at Day 28 (g) Gain (g/day) Intake (g/day) Gain Ratio

T-1: Drugs – 3 standard diets 1505a 52,2a 76,1b 1,458a 1,7

T-2: Paracox-5 – 3 standard diets 1512a 52,5a 76,1b 1,450a 2,5

T-3: Paracox-5 – 3 special diets 1576b 54,7b 76,6ab 1,400c 1,1

T-4: Paracox-5 – 4 special diets 1565b 54,3b 77,6a 1,429b 1,1

Note: Mean values within a column with different letters (a,b) were significantly different. Values are means of 7 replicates of 48 chickensper treatment.

Figure 4: Performance from 0 to 28 days.


T-1: Drugs – 3 standard diets 2307 61,2 101,1 1,653 2,0

T-2: Paracox-5 – 3 standard diets 2313 61,3 101,5 1,655 3,7

T-3: Paracox-5 – 3 special diets 2338 62,0 101,8 1,641 1,4


Values are means of 7 replicates of 48 chickens per treatment.



T-1: Drugs – 3 standard diets 3098 67,9 122,5 1,804 3,4

T-2: Paracox-5 – 3 standard diets 3076 67,4 121,8 1,808 4,4





COCCI FAQs

Q. I HEARD THAT BY USINGPARACOX®-5 IN MY FLOCKS, I CAN SAVEMONEY BY REDUCING THE USE OFSTARTER AND GROWER FEEDS WHILEINCREASING THE USE OF LESS EXPEN-SIVE WITHDRAWAL FEED. WHY WOULDTHIS WORK FOR PARACOX-5 AND NOTFOR MY REGULAR IN-FEED ANTI-COCCIDIAL CONTROL PROGRAM?

A. Since their introduction in the1960s, anticoccidials and growth pro-motants have largely determined theduration and design of current poultryrations. There have been refinements inrations to reduce overall feed cost andimprove feed efficiency, but the basicprinciples of starter/grower/withdrawalduration and formulation are still basedon maximizing the efficacy of the in-feed medications.

Some of these 40-year-old rationprinciples have been challenged in thepast decade with programs using sali-nomycin in early feeds paired with along withdrawal time. Such programsrely on the development of immunityto coccidiosis but, too often, immunityis still developing when high-yieldbreeds are reaching maximum growthpotential. These programs risk a long-term performance loss as field anti-coccidial resistance increases. In somecases, full-scale coccidiosis outbreakshave occurred.

Regardless of whether a classicstarter/grower/withdrawal ration or a4-week salinomycin/withdrawal pro-gram is used, rations must still be for-mulated to maximize the efficacy of the

in-feed anticoccidial. These 40-year-oldration concepts were not designed forthe high-yield breeds of the twenty-firstcentury.

Paracox-5 stimulates predictableimmunity during the early part of thebroiler growth curve, before the maxi-mum growth rate occurs. Rations canbe formulated more specifically to thephysiological needs of today’s high-yield breeds. During the first 14 days,rations can be designed to maximizedevelopment of the intestine, thyroidand immune system. Birds then “coast”during the immunity-building phasefrom 14 to 21 days, and the growthcurve after immunity is developed canbe maximized. These modern-dayrations are not restricted by the efficacyrequirements of in-feed medications.

Q. WHICH TECHNOLOGY DOESSCHERING-PLOUGH RECOMMEND TOHELP ENSURE EFFICIENT, UNIFORMAPPLICATION AND SUCCESSFUL COC-CIDIOSIS CONTROL?

A. The best method of applyingParacox-5 has evolved as knowledgeand technology have permitted.Initially, the water application methodwas used, then the spray-on-feedmethod, and now, hatchery spray isrecommended.

The SprayCox II machine with thedual nozzle system for application onchicks has improved vaccination cover-age by utilizing a more efficient spraypattern, which increases the amount ofvaccine applied directly to the chicks.

SCHERING-PLOUGH’S TECH SERVICE TEAM ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT MANAGING COCCIDIOSIS IN BROILERS

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Delair Bolis, DVM

Charles Broussard, DVM

Steve Fitz-Coy, PhD

Dr. Luciano Gobbi, DVM

John McCarty, DVM

Linnea Newman, DVM

Rick Phillips, DVM

John Radu, DVM

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Layer producers in Europe, particu-larly in Germany, are getting aglimpse of the future — and it’s

showing a lot more risk for coccidiosisinfection.

While an estimated 85% of layers inEurope are still reared in cages — anenvironment where coccidiosis is tradi-tionally not a big threat — more andmore layers are being moved to open

floors and other alternative systems toget ready for new production guide-lines approved by the European Unionin 1999.

In fact, new regulations have pro-

hibited the installation of any conven-tional wire layer cages in the EU since1 January, 2003. Producers must stopusing them altogether by 1 January,2012 — a short 7 years away.

The deadline looms even larger in Germany, where the GermanBundesrat — the country’s upper houseof parliament — passed the Order forLaying Hen Husbandry banning con-ventional wire cages on 1 January,2007.

By 2012, Germany will also phaseout “enriched” cages, which are slightlybigger and taller than battery cages andcontain some “furniture,” such as ashared perch and nest box plus litter,dust bath and a claw-shortening device.

No turning backSeeing a competitive disadvantage for

LAYER PULLETS TAKE THE FLOORCage ban in EU expected to increase coccidiosis pressure

SPECIAL REPORT

Layer producer Erwin Brautmeier (center) with technicians Dietmar Fulhorst and BrunoFecke. ‘This is the way of the future.’

Fulhorst spays coccidiosis vaccine on layer feed. ‘That approach has led to moreaccurate dosing and, of course, more uniform protection.’

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German producers, a majority of thestate representatives voted in Sept-ember 2003 to modify the directive forlaying hens. They also called for all lay-ing hen husbandry forms to be evaluat-ed for animal welfare and sought per-mission to extend the use of conven-tional cages for another 2 years. In addition, they proposed permittingthe continuous use of available hus-bandry systems for laying hens afterhaving them tested by an independentinstitution.

Germany’s secretary of consumerprotection, nutrition and agriculturewould not sign this decision becauseshe said it conflicted with a decision ofthe Bundesverfassungsgericht, theGerman supreme court, which had pre-viously decided that the old Germandirective for laying hen husbandry didnot meet the standards of animal wel-fare and demanded that a new guide-lines would have to include severalminimal standards with respect totrough length, the ability to move andrest, and so on.

It therefore appears that all eyes willbe on Germany to see how producersthere cope with these new regulationsand how these changes in husbandrypractices will impact bird health.

Coccidiosis, a ubiquitous protozoandisease common in standard broilersand other floor-raised birds, is routine-ly spread when infected birds shedoocysts of Eimeria pathogens in theirdroppings, which contaminate feed,dust, water, litter and soil.

Fresh oocysts are not infective untilthey sporulate, usually in 1 to 2 daysunder optimal conditions — 21-32°C(70-90°F) with adequate moisture andoxygen. Oocysts are resistant to mostdisinfectants commonly used aroundlivestock. They have also shown resist-ance to in-feed anticoccidials whenthose medications are used for extend-ed periods.

More coccidiosis expected“There are a lot of diseases that you

hardly ever see in battery cages thatsuddenly come when you put the birdsonto the floor. Coccidiosis is the first ofthem,” says Bruno Fecke, a technicianat Praxis Dr. Pöppel, a major poultryveterinary practice in Delbrück,Germany — about 15 km (9 miles)west of Paderborn in North Rhine-Westphalia — that specializes in laying

hens.“In floor-reared layers, there are

also a lot of bacterial diseases, likecholera and E. coli, as well as worms,”he adds. “You will have many morechallenges to cope with from the dis-ease point of view.”

Even so, Fecke thinks having birdson floors is preferable to the free-rangeoption. “The more birds are inside, theless problems you are going to have,”he says. “When they are outside, theyhave more contact with wild birds thatcan transmit diseases.”

From an animal welfare standpoint,the veterinary practice has also beenrecommending floor-raised layers. “It’san expensive process to make the con-version, but that is the way the industryis going,” Fecke says. “Germany is avery ‘green’ market. Consumers want tobuy eggs from the floor.”

He estimates that 20% of their cus-tomers now have layers on the floor,but that number is growing significant-

Fulhorst and Brautmeier prepare to vaccinate layers. ‘Unlike a feed medication, avaccine provides lifetime protection.’

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ly as the regulatory deadline nears.

Vaccination is best optionDietmar Fulhorst, a technician at theclinic, recommends vaccinating to pro-tect floor-raised layer pullets from coc-cidiosis. “Unlike a feed medication, thevaccine provides lifetime protection,”he says. “It also provides an opportuni-ty to reduce antibiotic use.”

One obvious benefit is that manyEuropean consumers want their foodraised without feed medications. On amore practical note, Fulhorst has foundthat vaccinated birds grow faster andmore uniformly, which pays dividendswhen the birds are sold at 18 to 20weeks of age.

“There are two types of productionin this area,” adds Fecke. “One of themis production on a very small scale,where producers sell only a couple ofhens to each person. In this case, everysingle hen is important and has to lookgood. It has to have good legs andcolor. When they are vaccinated, birdsusually look better.”

On larger farms, he says it is impor-tant to have good uniformity whilebirds adjust to a new environment andproduction system. “Very small birds donot adjust well and will never lay eggs,”he explains.

Laying hens also need to stayhealthy to remain productive. Fulhorstsays the beginning of laying is “a bigstress for the birds, so they can get coc-

cidiosis. And if they get it in that time,you have no treatment available anymore.”

Spray on feedThe veterinary practice vaccinates layerpullets with Paracox®-8 between 5 and9 days of age. Many customers’ water-ing systems do not allow them to get asufficient concentration of the vaccineto provide the recommended dose, soFulhorst recommends spraying the vac-cine on a tray of supplemental feed.

“That approach has led to moreaccurate dosing and, of course, moreuniform protection,” he says.

One of their large customers, ErwinBrautmeier, raises up to 150,000 layerpullets a year — a very large producerfor this area.

“We’re not having problems withcoccidiosis anymore,” the producerreports. “More importantly, the produc-ers we sell to are not having any prob-lems with the disease either. Our cus-tomers are getting healthier, more uni-form birds, and that makes them muchhappier.”

Brautmeier acknowledges that vac-cinating for coccidiosis initially costsmore than adding medication to thefeed. “But we see it as an investment inthe future,” he says. “When you con-sider that the vaccine provides lifelongprotection and you don’t have to worryabout withdrawal times, there are manygood advantages. This is the way of the

Layer chicks are vaccinated for coccidiosis between 5 and 9 days.

In recent years, the animal healthindustry has witnessed a huge risein the number of phytotherapy

products available. Understandably,there are questions about the efficacyof the products and whether they inter-fere with coccidiosis vaccination.

Phytotherapy products are mainlymarketed as nutritional supplements orappetizers. This has two consequences.First, there are virtually no regulationsgoverning these products; for example,no residue studies are required.Secondly, the makers cannot makemedical claims. Nevertheless, productnames including “cox” imply anti-coccidial activity.

Efficacy trial against coccidia To learn if phytotherapy products haveanticoccidial activity, Schering-PloughAnimal Health Corporation initiatedtesting of three liquid products by INRATours, a French independent researchcenter. Except for oregano and chestnuttannin, product components could notbe identified. Two of the three productshad names that included “cox.”

There were four groups of birds inTrial 1 (Table 1). Three groups receiveda phytotherapy product and one groupserved as a control. All birds were fol-lowed until Day 34 and were evaluatedfor mortality, lesion score, oocyst excre-tion and weight gain. The pertinentresults follow:• None of the products were effective

against coccidia.• Some of the products resulted in a

performance reduction when com-pared to untreated controls.

• Only one of the products providedan improvement in weight gain 10days after initiating its administration.Since no action on coccidial multipli-cation was observed, this effect couldbe explained by nonspecific immunesystem stimulation.

Phytotherapy and Paracox®-5 vaccination Trial 2 was also initiated by Schering-Plough Animal Health and conducted atINRA Tours to see if phytotherapy hadany adverse effect on Paracox-5 vacci-nation (Table 2). On Day 1, phytother-apy products were mixed into the feed,then birds were vaccinated on Day 3.The results follow:• The vaccinal response (oocysts per

gram or OPG and lesion score afterchallenge) were not affected by thephytotherapy products.

• In Group F, mortality reached 10%,primarily because birds refused feedcontaining the phytotherapy productthe first 10 days of the trial; weightamong surviving birds in this groupwas significantly less than amongbirds in other groups, showing thatthe use of some phytotherapy prod-ucts is not innocuous.

Table1. Protocol for Trial 1.

Group Challenge Phytotherapy(100,000 Oocysts E. acervulina, Day 17 to 2210,000 Oocysts E. tenella) per Manufacturer’s Direction

A Day 13 Product A

B Day 13 Product B

C Day 13 Product C

D (control) Day 13 —

13

UNDER SCRUTINYDo phytotherapy products have anticoccidial activity or adverse effects oncoccidiosis vaccination?Dr. Isabelle Guillot, Schering-Plough Animal Health, Germany

Dr. Yannick Frémont, France

Dr. Isabelle Guillot

14

Impact of oregano on vaccinationTrial 3 was initiated by Schering-PloughAnimal Health and conducted at TGDBayern, an independent Germanresearch and diagnostic laboratory,where the impact of oregano on vacci-nation was studied (Table 3). Birdswere vaccinated by gavage. Oreganowas administered in feed according tomanufacturer recommendations, andoocyst excretion was recorded daily.

After the end of vaccine excretionon Day 38, birds were each challengedwith 10 doses of Paracox-5. This non-virulent coccidiosis vaccine was usedbecause the trial site was not isolated.The trials showed that:

Vaccine response was similar in allthree vaccinated groups. In otherwords, oregano did not interfere withcoccidiosis vaccination. In fact, the vac-cinated group that received oregano instarter feed excreted more oocysts atDay 10 than other groups.

Oocyst excretion after challengewas low in all vaccinated groups due to

developed immunity. Coccidial excre-tion was higher only in the group thatreceived oregano, which shows thatoregano has no impact on coccidialmultiplication.

ConclusionBased on the phytotherapy productstested in these trials, it appears thatphytotherapy products have no anti-coccidial activity nor do they affect vac-cination with Paracox-5.

It is possible that some phytothera-py products that were not tested inthese trials might have benefits such asnatural growth promotion or regulationof gut flora. If this is the case and poul-try producers choose to use a phytotherapy product, it appears thatthey can do so without fear that theproduct will interfere with coccidiosisvaccination.

1. Detailed results for all trials in this arti-cle are on file at Schering-Plough AnimalHealth Corporation.

Table 3. Protocol for Trial 3.

Group Vaccination Oregano, Oregano, ChallengeStarter Feed Grower Feed

1 Day 0 No No Day 38

2 Day 0 Yes Yes Day 38

3 Day 0 No Yes Day 38

4 — Yes Yes Day 38

Table 2. Protocol for Trial 2.

Group Challenge Vaccination Phytotherapy(100,000 Oocysts (Paracox-5) Day 1 to 38E. acervulina, 10,000 Oocysts E. tenella)

E Day 24 Day 3 Product E

F Day 24 Day 3 Product F

G (control) Day 24 — —

H (control) Day 24 Day 3 —

It isn’t pretty. Birds develop aninflamed gut that folds over itself.There can be a high incidence of

prolapse (the gut protrudes out of thevent ) and associated cannibalism.

The term for this intestinal conditionis intussusception. It tends to occur inthe thin-walled lower intestine whenmild enteritis causes the muscle of theintestinal wall to lose tone and spasm.Intussusception can affect birds of anyage, but is usually seen in 7 to 10week-olds.

“We see the condition in laying hensand replacement pullets, but not oftenin broilers,” says Dr. Luciano Gobbi, apoultry veterinarian and consultant inItaly.

Dr. John McCarty, a consulting poul-try veterinarian based in Florida, saysthat while no one really knows theactual incidence of intussusception, it’sbelieved to be on the increase.

“I recently spoke with one live pro-duction manager who said that about25% of his flocks have problems withintussusception, which affects about2% of birds within those flocks,” hesays.

In severely affected birds, intussus-ception usually leads to death. Mildercases cause poor performance and lackof uniformity in the flock, he says.

A variety of factors contribute tointussusception, says Gobbi. One is theovergrowth of disease-causing bacteria,such as Escherichia coli, Clostridium andcampylobacter. Worms can also lead tointussusception and so can parasitessuch as coccidia, particularly when dueto Eimeria necatrix.

McCarty adds, “We usually seeintussusception in flocks with a highparasite load. A hyperactive gut is alsothought to be a cause.”

Targets feed restrictionThe real root of the problem in birdswith intussusception, however, is man-agement practices that set the stage forbacteria or parasites to build up, caus-ing the enteritis that leads to intussus-ception, the veterinarians agree.

Dr. Rick Phillips, technical servicesdirector for Schering-Plough AnimalHealth Corporation, has had extensiveexperience with intussusception andsays, “Feed restriction is the drivingforce behind intussusception.”

The increased inci-dence of intussuscep-tion is in direct linewith increases in feedrestriction that havebeen implemented bybreeding companiesover the past decade.In replacement pul-lets, most cases ofintussusception areseen 7 to 10 days aftera period of foodrestriction, he says.

Geneticists have,u n d e r s t a n d a b l y ,strived to improve thegrowth rate of birds.“But a fast-growingparent usually turnsinto a fat one that doesn’t lay well, sowe’ve tightened the screws on feedingprograms to keep hens on their idealweight curve,” he explains.

Consider that in 1982, a 7-week-oldbroiler breeder had the genetic poten-tial to reach 4.0 pounds, but was heldto a weight of 2.25 pounds. Today, a 7-week old broiler breeder has thepotential to grow up to 6.5 pounds, butis held to a weight of 1.4 to 1.8pounds,1 says Phillips.

INTESTINAL FORTITUDE Understanding the real cause of intussusception in broiler breeders leads the way to effective control

15

Photo shows gaseous distension of the small intes-tine loops. Enlarged veins are clearly visible onred, inflammed serosa. Intestinal contents appearas liquid, undigested feed mixed with fecal materi-al and necrotic debris.

“The chicken’s intestine wasdesigned to house a steady state of fillwith feed material. If the intestinesempty, the intestinal villi — vascularstructures on the intestinal wall that areessential for good intestinal health —begin to die. The result is an over-growth of bacteria and possibly otherharmful microorganisms,” he says.

Feed restriction also forces pulletsto forage in litter, which can furthercompromise intestinal health. Littermaterial is rough and can damage theintestinal mucosa.

“Further complicating the situationis the absence of antibiotics in feed,”Phillips says. “Growth-promoting anti-biotics are often left out of replacementbreeder feeds to help restrict birdgrowth, but without them, bacterialgrowth goes unchecked, leading toenteritis.”

Role of coccidiosisMcCarty says that some producers mis-takenly believe that the mild reaction tococcidiosis vaccination, which is neces-sary to establish immunity, is the causeof enteritis.

“But that’s not the case. The peakreaction to live coccidiosis vaccinationoccurs at 3 weeks of age, and intussus-ception doesn’t usually occur until 7 to10 weeks,” he says.

When coccidiosis is the cause ofenteritis and intussusception in coc-cidiosis-vaccinated birds, the more like-ly culprit is inadequate vaccination,McCarty says.

If the vaccine is diluted, providingonly a partial dose, or the vaccine isnot applied correctly, birds do notdevelop adequate immunity andbecome susceptible to field challengebetween 6 and 10 weeks of age, hesays.

Another cause of inadequate immu-nity in birds vaccinated for coccidiosisis the inappropriate use of amprolium,

which can disrupt proper cycling of thevaccine, he adds.

Managing intussusceptionFor acute intussusception, the underly-ing enteritis has to be treated withantibiotics such as sulfas or bacitracinfed either in water or feed.

Repeated problems can be alleviat-ed by using bacitracin methylene disal-icylate or virginiamycin in the pulletfeed, if permitted, during the time thatintussusception is a problem.

“The coccidiosis-control programand its contribution to intussusceptionshould be evaluated,” Gobbi advises. Ifbirds are receiving a partial dose ofcoccidiosis vaccine or amprolium treat-ment before 3 weeks of age, they willnot have adequate immunity againstcoccidia.

He also suggests that producersevaluate pullet feed allotments. NormalAviagen or Cobb pullets should cleanup feed in 1.5 to 2 hours. Short clean-up indicates that the feed allotment isinsufficient.

“Look at your feed pans or tracks tosee if birds at the end of the line aregetting sufficient feed. If not, you couldhave a problem with the speed thatfeed is being disbursed,” he says.

It may be necessary to increase theallotment, adjust the way it is adminis-tered, or change the formulation. “Forinstance, pullet diets can be reformulat-ed to a lower calorie feed, allowingbirds to eat more bulk while remainingwithin the calories allotted by week,”Gobbi says.

“Last but not least, don’t forget thewater. Consumption must be about 3pounds of water per pound of feedconsumed (or 3 gallons of water forevery 8 pounds of feed) to take advan-tage of the full caloric content of feed.”

1. Broiler Industry, August 1996.

16

17

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Dr. Luciano Gobbi

Dr. Delair Bolis

Controlling intestinal disease with-out drugs is a growing trendamong poultry companies

around the world due to public con-cern about drug residues in food aswell as the high level of resistance tosome of the in-feed drugs that are stillavailable. In North America andWestern Europe, for instance, morethan 10% of poultry production today isachieved without in-feed anticoccidials.The goal is to produce meat withoutfeed additives while maintaining com-petitive production costs.

On page 6 in this issue, NutritionNotebook focuses on dietary approach-

es under the IDEA Program that helpensure intestinal health in birds raisedwithout anticoccidials. The IDEA con-cept has been successfully used in sev-eral countries. It was designed bySchering-Plough Animal Health Corp-oration to make the most of nutritionand performance in coccidiosis-vacci-nated birds. It seeks to enhance immu-nity development and reduce intestinalchallenges by coccidia and bacteriawithout the use of drugs. Althoughnutrition is key to IDEA, so are feedingmanagement and environmental con-siderations, which are the focus of thisarticle.

Coccidiosis vaccination earlyin life is vital to the success of drug-free production. Itimproves coccidiosis control

and provides performance compara-ble to that achieved with in-feedanticoccidials. It reduces concernabout drug residues in meat, increas-es feed and slaughter flexibility andrevitalizes anticoccidial sensitivity.

Uniform coccidiosis vaccineadministration and effective uptakeby the bird are essential because theylead to primary immunization of theflock and oocyst recycling, whichprovide a booster effect. All birds in aflock must start the oocyst cyclingprocess together on day 1 or up to 3days of age. Birds should also be vac-cinated as needed for other diseasessuch as Marek’s and Newcastle.

Feeding managementNewly hatched chickens need imme-diate access to solid feed and water toset the stage for good performancelater. Birds need to achieve maximumduodenum villi development in thefirst week and maximom jejunum andileum villi development during thesecond week of life after hatching. Ifthey do not, they will probably haveless than optimal digestion andabsorption throughout life, evidencedby feed in feces and a high feed con-version.

Feed availability, particularly whenchickens are less than 10 to 14 daysof age, is crucial. During brooding,maintain normal feeding plates sochickens can easily find and reachfeed. This is very important for smallchickens, such as those that are theprogeny of layers 30 weeks of life oryounger.

continued on page 18

Is for Impulse

I

A BETTER IDEAManagement and environmental techniques that boost intestinal health in birds raised without in-feed additives — a practical approachDr. Delair Bolis, Schering-Plough Animal Health, Portugal

Dr. Luciano Gobbi, Schering-Plough Animal Health, Italy

18

Chickens less than 10 to 12 daysold should have access to supple-mental feed dispensers or paper laneswhere crumbled feed is distributeddaily. This minimizes litter-picking,which results in ingestion of exces-sive bacteria, viruses and coccidialoocysts. Premature removal of extrafeed sources must be gradual andbased on the general condition ofbirds upon their arrival at the farm.The “eye and hand” of the poultryattendant can make the differencebetween success and failure, sincecareful consideration must be givento issues such as when to removesupplemental feeder pans, give birdsmore space or move them to the fullhouse.

Generally, chicks from mothers 30weeks or younger must have supple-mentary feeders and drinkers for alonger time than broilers from olderhens.

Environmental managementTo grow well, brooders require theproper temperature, humidity, venti-lation, lighting and litter management.

• Temperature. Until 14 days of age,

chickens need either heating lamps orhot air fans/conveyors positionedwithin the poultry house.

• Humidity. During the first 3 to 4days after placement, relative humidi-ty in the house must be about 60% to70%.

• Ventilation. Very low air flowexchanges may be adequate duringthe first days on the farm — say,0.003 cubic meters/bird/minute —but must be gradually increased aschickens grow. The ventilation rateshould be increased immediately ifammonia becomes a problem.

• Lighting. Chickens less than 2weeks old need bright light (i.e., 18 to20 lux), which increases bird activity,helps them locate feed and, above all,the “invisible” water supply (nippledrinkers!).

• Litter management. Generally, lit-ter quality is more important than itsvegetal origin. For instance, littershould be free of dust, molds and anytoxins. Wood shavings, hull rice oreven a mixture of the two to makethe litter layer more friable are thebest choice if available.

Between 3 and 4 weeksof life, birds are chal-lenged by bacteria and

coccidia, but their immunity is stillnot completely developed. Under theIDEA concept, this is the time thatproducers need to focus on feedingand environmental management thatimproves digestibility.

Feeding managementGut mucosa at 3 and 4 weeks is sub-ject to lesions due to histamine and

in-feed biogenic amines or toxicingredients. Intestinal irritation canopen the door to second invaders,mainly bacteria. The result can beintestinal dysbacteriosis or intestinaldisturbance as well as subclinicalnecrotic enteritis. Clostridial perfrin-gens types A and C play a major role,but other bacteria can be involved.

Cereals should allow for properdigestibility. High quality feed and anoptimal enzyme dosage should beprovided. Dietary fat should be ofhigh quality and easily digestible.

Protein levels should be adjustedas needed since excess undigestedprotein encourages growth of unde-sirable bacteria.

Is for DigestabilityD

19

Soybean meal should not be usedas the only protein source; it can leadto excess potassium and reduceddigestibility. Synthetic amino acids arepreferable. AGP alternatives, such asprobiotics, prebiotics, organic acids,betaine, tanines, essential oils andothers, can be used.

Environmental management

• Lighting. After 10 to 14 days of life,light levels must be gradually reducedin intensity (approximately 5 to 7 luxin darkest on-floor areas). Low light-ing keeps birds calm, and reducedactivity results in better weight and

low feed conversions. Do not dropthe level of light suddenly so thatbirds cannot find feed or water.

• Litter management. Wet litter canresult in poor digestion and malab-sorption. There is a quantitative cor-relation between litter moisture andnecrotic enteritis.

• Other considerations. If afford-able, consider using a competitiveexclusion product to foster a goodbalance of intestinal microflora andreduce the likelihood of clostridiumovergrowth and emergence of condi-tions such as necrotic enteritis.

Producers who have usedthe management approach-es outlined above should

have chickens that reach 30 days ofage with good intestinal health.Immunity is developed and it’s nowtime to take advantage of the com-pensatory gain by moving on to awithdrawal diet sooner than usual.

Is for EconomyE

The “A” in IDEA repre-sents the overall programgoal of maximizing per-

formance in birds that depend ongood immunity for optimal gut func-tion. It also reflects advances made inthe areas of intestinal disease man-agement and profitability.

Is for AdvanceA

other hand, increasing crude proteinlevels during this time, since the ingre-dient has high digestibility, improvesperformance without increasing expo-sure to harmful bacteria. Increasing thedigestibility of the protein fed was high-ly beneficial, even when the total pro-tein fed was lower.

The trial also showed that a goodconcentration of nutrients during the

first 4 weeks of life is very important formaintaining the integrity of intestinalmucosa. It appears to be more usefulthan increasing energy levels later in anattempt to take advantage of the com-pensatory gain.

General conclusionsTrials have demonstrated that the IDEAProgram helps develop and maintainthe integrity of intestinal mucosa. TheIDEA approach promotes improvednutrition early in life and yields per-formance just as good as the perform-ance of unvaccinated birds receivingtraditional anticoccidial treatment. IDEAcan enable poultry producers to get themost from Paracox-5 vaccinated birds.

Trial 3 shows that performance isenhanced if the digestibility of the pro-tein fed is improved during the timethat immunity is developing. It hasbeen shown to be more important thanaltering levels of crude protein.

Schering-Plough Animal Health iscommitted to working with the poultryindustry toward the goal of findingadditional opportunities for furtherimprovement in cost-effective nutritionfor broilers.

continued from page 8


T-1: Drug (maxiban - monensin) 1310b 45,4b 65,6b 1,444 2,9

T-2: Paracox-5 1360a 47,2a 68,8a 1,458 2,5

T-3: Paracox-5 + intestinal integrity 1361a 47,2a 68,8a 1,456 1,7agent

Note: Mean values within a column with different letters (a,b) were significantly different. Values are means of 7 replicates of 48 chickensper treatment.

Figure 9: Performance in Trial 2 birds from 0 to 28 days.

Treatments Body Weight Daily Weight Daily Feed Feed to Mortality (%) Europeanat Day 36 (g) Gain (g/day) Intake (g/day) Gain Ratio Production Index

T-1: Drug (maxiban - monensin) 2124 57,9 90,5 1,562 3,4 358

T-2: Paracox-5 2148 58,6 92,6 1,580 3,1 359

T-3: Paracox-5 + intestinal integrity 2164 59,0 93,2 1,580 2,2 365agent


Figure 10: Performance in Trial 2 birds from 0 to 36 days.

Figure 7: Protocol for Trial 2.Treatments Anticoccidial Feed

Program Additive

T-1 Drugs* None

T-2 Paracox-5 None

T-3 Paracox-5 Agent to improveintestinal integrity

Figure 8: Feed formulation and composition for birds in Trial 2.

0 – 15 days 16 – 28 days 29 – 36 days

EM 2950 3040 3120

CP 22,0 21,3 20,6

Lys 1,406 1,207 1,034

Met 0,638 0,553 0,465

* Narasin + nicarbazin from 1 to 15 days and monensin from 16 to 36 days.

20

COCCI NEWS

Got a Story Idea for CocciForum?The editors of CocciForum welcome news tips and story ideas from its readers around the world. If there’s a

particular subject you’d like to see covered in a future issue — perhaps a specific area of coccidiosis management —

please let us know. Write to [email protected] or call 508-627-6949 (US). We want to hear from you.

The logistics of producing feed with and without anticoccidials is sometimesviewed as a stumbling block to initiation of coccidiosis vaccination, but it need

not be a problem, says Dr. José Ignacio Barragan, poultry veterinarian an independ-ent nutritional consultant in Spain.

Let’s say a producer wants to start vaccinating against coccidiosis on January 1.On December 30, the feed mill stops making the F1 or starter feed with the anti-coccidial.

Meanwhile, birds prior to that have had the feed with the anticoccidial for 21days. By January 20, those birds are 20 days or older.

On January 19, the feed mill produces 1.5 kg (3.31 pounds) of F2 or grower feedfor each bird under anticoccidial control. “This means a minimum of an additional12 days of consumption. The worst case scenario would be if the feed mill is able toproduce only 1 kg (2.2 pounds) per bird, which would be additional 8 days of con-sumption,” he says.

On January 20, the feed mill produces F2 without anticoccidial for all the birdsthat received coccidiosis vaccination.

All birds in the anticoccidial program will have medicated feed for up to a mini-mum of 33 days and it’s unlikely there would be a problem with coccidiosis. As aprecaution, the birds could be given amprolium at 35 days — but it probably

wouldn’t be necessary, Barragan says.

Feed Mill Logistics Aren’t a Problem When Initiating Coccidiosis Vaccination

The volume of antibiotics used in the mammoth US animalhealth market, including in-feed anticoccidials, dropped

nearly 8% in 2003 compared to 2002, according to a survey ofanimal health companies.

In 2003, 8,644,638 pounds of ionophores/arsenicals wereused, compared to 9,050,957 pounds in 2002. However, in 2001,only 7,758,492 pounds of these products were used, accordingto the survey, conducted by the Washington-based AnimalHealth Association (AHA).

Antibiotics that also were on the decline from 2002 to 2003included cephalosporins, macrolides, lincosamides and other“minor” classes of antibiotics, as well as aminoglycosides, sul-fonamides and penicillins.

The use of fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines increased dur-ing the same time period, according to AHA, which says thestudy included antibiotics used in both farm and companionanimals.

Steve Collins, vice president, worldwide poultry for Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation, says that the study in partreflects public concern about the use of antibiotics in food ani-mals and comes as no surprise considering the dramaticincrease in the use of non-antibiotic methods of disease control,such as vaccination for coccidiosis in poultry.

“Seven of the top 10 poultry companies in the United Stateshave used vaccination as part of a long-term, integrated strategyto control coccidiosis in broilers,” he notes. “That’s a tremen-dous leap from only a few years ago.”

Nevertheless, antibiotics are and will remain an importantpart of animal health care, he says. “The trend is toward morethoughtful, judicious use of antibiotics in food animals, andthat’s a positive development.”

Antibiotic Use in Animals On the Decline, Study Shows

Dr. José Ignacio Barragan

21

COCCI NEWS

Vaccinating against coccidiosis with the SprayCox spray cab-inet will be even easier with the addition of new AirMix

technology. AirMix is a simple air pump that keeps the vaccine’s oocysts

suspended during mixing, says PaulTownsend, the tech engineer atSchering-Plough Animal Health whodeveloped the original SprayCox andits latest improvement.

Currently, Coccivac and Paracoxvaccines are mixed in a 10-liter carboy — a large container — that is connected to the SprayCox unitwith tubing. A magnetic spin barwithin the carboy mixes the vaccinesolution and is powered by an elec-tric motor that spins a magnetic barunderneath the carboy.

However, if the spin bar is thrown off center from the mag-netic stirrer, spinning stops and ooysts fall to the bottom of thecarboy. “This is not detectable except by looking inside the

carboy, which is only done when refilling,” Townsendexplains.

To solve the problem, he came up with the idea of using asmall air pump and flexible air diffuser within the carboy. It’s

the same device used in aquariumsand emits fine air bubbles that keepthe oocysts suspended, he says.

Testing has indicated that use of theair pump will provide a much morereliable method of mixing the vaccinesolution, Townsend says.

This latest improvement comes onthe heels of SprayCox II, an updatedversion of the spray cabinet that fea-tures better placement of nozzles.Vaccine spray stays in the box andthere is virtually no overspray on themachine or on the floor.

For more information about the new SprayCox design or toupgrade existing equipment, contact your local Schering-Plough Animal Health representative.

SprayCox AirMix Technology Simplifies Mixing of Oocysts

22

Schering-Plough Animal Health has secured regulatoryapproval to sell its coccidiosis vaccine for broilers,

Paracox-5, in Denmark.Even though Paracox-5 has been registered throughout the

EU since 2000 and despite significant sales in many of the mar-kets, the vaccine could not be sold inDenmark because of testing requirements andproblems unique to that country, explainsRod Watson, regional senior director forEurope and the Middle East, Schering-PloughAnimal Health

Denmark has a national screening anderadication program for Newcastle diseasevirus (NDV) that involves in vivo testing forextraneous agents. The test, however, takesseveral months to complete, beyond the shelflife of Paracox-5.

Even though all Paracox vaccines are pro-duced in disease-free birds in a GMP plant inan NDV-free country, and even though every single batch istested for extraneous agents, Danish authorities wanted toabide by the rules of their own program, says Watson.

In addition, if testing according to the Danish programturned up a false positive, then supplies of Paracox-5 couldhave been delayed throughout Europe, he says.

Alternative test To solve the problem, Schering-Plough Animal Health’s regula-tory affairs department consulted with the Danish MedicinesAgency and concluded that an alternative in vitro test, such asa PCR, could be used in place of the current in vivo test. The

company’s Research and Development team then came upwith a suitable test.

Headed by Dr. Mike Francis, the team started by consultingwith scientists from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, UK,which is the European reference laboratory for NDV. They

developed a plan for an in vitro RP-PCRtest that could detect small amounts ofNDV genetic material within the vaccine.They also designed bird studies to provethat this level of antigen could not possiblylead to seroconversion — or activeNewcastle disease in birds vaccinated withParacox-5.

After more consultations, the test wasincluded in the company’s standard manu-facturing quality control procedures forParacox-5, with a plan to use it as soon asthe Danish authorities accepted themethodology, he says.

After that, Schering-Plough Animal Health had to validatethe suitability of the test, which required more rounds of test-ing.

One bonus finding was that the sterilization treatment usedto make Paracox-5 would destroy NDV, eliminating the risk ofa bird contacting NDV from the Paracox-5 vaccine, Francissays.

All the work that was accomplished was compiled into anaudited report and sent with supporting documentation toDanish regulatory authorities. Within a week after its receipt,the authorities granted permission to sell Paracox-5 inDenmark, he says.

Danish Authorities OK Paracox-5 After Rigorous Testing

Dr. Mike Francis

COCCI VIEWS

23

CocciForum is published by the Worldwide Poultry Business Unit ofSchering-Plough Animal Health Corporation, Union, NJ. The editors welcome your ideas and suggestions for news articles concerning coccidiosis management. Send correspondence to CocciForum,Feeks Communications, PMB 239, Edgartown, MA 02539-9000, USA. Efax 928-569-2491, E-mail [email protected].

© Copyright 2005, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation. Articlesmay be reprinted for educational purposes with written permission from the publisher.

Executive Editors: Stephen Collins Fabio Paganini

Managing Editor: Joseph Feeks

Associate Editor: Diana Delmar

Technical Editor: Rick Phillips, DVM

Design & Production: Deborah Sottile

A few years ago, when we startedCocciForum magazine, we didn’trealize how quickly nutritionwould become part of our editori-al planning. This latest issue is agood example of that trend.

On the cover, for instance,you’ll see a veterinarian and feed

mill worker in Spain examining a random sample of feedbefore it’s shipped to a broiler farm. And on page 6, you’llfind a new feature we’re introducing called NutritionNotebook, where leading specialists in the field will sharetheir latest ideas for maximizing performance. In this issue,even our Technically Speaking column — one normallyreserves for health topics — has a nutrition angle.

Why the heavy editorial emphasis on nutrition? Two reasons.

First, our readers have been requesting it viaCocciForum reply cards or through direct communicationwith the editor. They recognize that our magazine’s focus iscoccidiosis, but they’ve also learned that nutrition can playa big role in successful and profitable control programs.They want to learn even more.

Second, over the years most mainstream poultry compa-nies have turned to vaccination for at least a part of theircoccidiosis-management program. In the US, for example,seven of the top 10 broiler companies have taken this route.Similar trends are being seen in other major poultry marketsin Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Initially, most of these companies switched to coccidio-sis vaccination to “break up the cycle” of traditional in-feedanticoccidials, many of which were losing effectiveness aftercontinuous use. Others saw vaccination as a good way tomeet growing and regulatory demand to use fewer drugs inanimal feeds.

Today, poultry companies like AVILESA (page 2) areexperiencing even more benefits from coccidiosis vaccina-tion. For example, they’ve learned that it allows them to bemore flexible with their marketing. In addition, they’ve dis-covered that feed programs can be more profitable if theydon’t have to work around prescribed treatment regimensand withdrawal times associated with traditional in-feedanticoccidials. In other words, broiler feed programs can beadjusted to meet the needs of the birds, not the require-ments of the drug.

Nutrition and poultry health specialists are also teamingup to develop innovative programs such as IDEA, whichprovides a roadmap for maximizing the performance andprofitability or broilers (see articles beginning on pages 6and 17).

As the recognized leader in coccidiosis management andan ally of the world poultry industry for nearly a century,this publication’s sponsor, Schering-Plough Animal Health,feels an obligation to “surround” coccidiosis managementand bring you all sides of this rapidly evolving story.Nutrition is one good example. In future issues, we’ll con-tinue to report on even more developments in technologythat will help you manage this costly, prevalent disease.

Our readers tell us they learn a lot from our magazine —and for that we’re grateful. We also learn a lot from our cus-tomers and other experts in the industry. It is our privilegeto share their ideas with you in CocciForum.

Stephen P. CollinsVice President, Worldwide PoultrySchering-Plough Animal Health Corporation

Blending Nutrition into Coccidiosis Management

P.S. Please take a moment to complete the accompanying reply card or send an email to the editor at [email protected]. We want your feedback on the magazine.

SPAH-PBU-363Paracox is a registered trademark of Schering-Plough Veterinary Corporation.Copyright 2005, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation. All rights reserved.

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feed for thought - sirv€¦ · 01/01/2003 · withdrawal feed. “at this time,” he continues,...

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