Coccidiosis

The disease that causes the most losses in fattening farms in the world

If you had to choose one disease that really “sucks money” out of feedlots around the world, the finger would most likely point to

Coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease of the digestive system that is considered the largest cause of economic losses in the global poultry industry. Although it is a well-known and “old” disease, it continues to cause enormous damage – mainly because of the difficulty of completely controlling it.

Estimates speak of losses of billions of dollars per year worldwide.

The cause of the disease

The disease is caused by single-celled parasites of the genus Eimeria.

Their problematic characteristics:

   •   Very fast life cycle

   •   Multiplication is enormous in the intestine

   •   High resistance in the environment (especially in moist substrate)

That is – once it enters the coop, it is very difficult to stop it.

How is infection transmitted

Birds become infected when they ingest eggs (oocysts) from the litter.

The main problem:

   •   The secretions of an infected bird infect the entire coop

   •   Conditions such as humidity and heat accelerate infection

   •   Within days – the entire flock can be infected

This makes the disease almost inevitable in intensive coops.

What happens inside the chicken's body

The parasite penetrates the intestinal cells and causes:

   •   Destruction of the intestinal wall

   •   Bleeding (in some strains)

   •   Impaired food absorption

The direct result:

The chicken eats – but doesn't really utilize the food

Clinical signs in fattening hens

In mild cases:

   •   Decreased growth rate

   •   Impaired feed conversion ratio (FCR)

   •   Low uniformity in the flock

In severe cases:

   •  Diarrhea (sometimes bloody)

   •   Weakness

   •   Mortality

But note the important point

Most of the damage is generally hidden and not dramatic

Why is it the most expensive disease in the world

FCR impairment

Even a small deterioration of 0.1–0.2 in the conversion ratio is worth a lot of money in a large coop.

Growth slowdown

A few days delay to marketing = feed, labor and operating costs.

Low uniformity

It is difficult to market an uneven flock → price impact.

Mortality (in severe cases)

Prevention costs

   •   Drugs (coccidiostats)

   •   Vaccination

   •   Litter management

That is, even when there is no outbreak – you still pay for it

Why is it difficult to control the disease

   •   The parasite is very resistant to the environment

   •   Develops resistance to drugs

   •   Very dependent on the management of the coop (humidity, crowding, etc.)

   •   There are several different species with different damage to the intestine

This is a disease of management, not just of treatment.

Ways to deal

Using coccidiostats

Feed additives that suppress the parasite

(but ​​there is a problem of long-term resistance)

Vaccination

   •   More common today

   •   Allows the creation of natural immunity

   •   Requires very precise management

Bed management

   •   Dryness = critical

   •   Proper ventilation

   •   Preventing the accumulation of feces

Biosecurity

Less significant than viral diseases, but still important

A super important point for breeders

Coccidiosis is not a “yes or no”

It is always there at some level

The real question is:

How much is it costing you without you noticing

Summary

Coccidiosis is the most important economic disease in broiler chickens worldwide, not because of high mortality – but because of the silent but persistent impact on performance.

Successful control of the disease depends on a combination of:

   •   strict litter management

   •   a proper medication/vaccination program

   •   ongoing performance monitoring

In the modern poultry industry, whoever controls coccidiosis – controls profitability.

*It is always advisable to consult a qualified veterinarian.