Some aspects on poultry coccidiosis in the area of Coatzacoalcos in the state of Veracruz in Mexico

Abstract

THE PRESENT STUDY WAS AIMED AT FINDING OUT ABOUT THE AGE OF MAXIMUM OOCYST ELIMINATION, AND THE RELATION ON QUANTITY AVERAGE ELIMINATION RELATIVE TO ENVIRONMENTAL HUMIDITY, AS WELL AS TO DETERMINE THE SPECIES OF EIMERIA, AND THEIR FREQUENCY DURING EIGHT PRODUCTIVE CYCLES ON BROILER CHICKEN HOUSES IN COMMERCIAL FARMS UNDER NORMAL HANDLING CONDITIONS AND ANTICOCCIDIAL USE AT THE POULTRY AREA OF COATZACOALCOS IN THE STATE OF VERACRUZ IN MEXICO. SAMPLES OF FRESH DROPPINGS OF REPRESENTATIVE CHICKEN HOUSES FROM SEVEN FARMS OF THE AREA WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY STUDIED FROM THE SECOND TO THE SEVENTH WEEK OF AGE. POSITIVE SAMPLES WERE QUANTIFIED AND IDENTIFIED BY FLOTATION AND MCMASTER METHODS. RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE MEAN AGE OF MAXIMUM OOCYST ELIMINATION IN THE CHICKEN WAS OF 28 DAYS. OOCYST AVERAGE SHOWED A DIRECT RELATION WITH A RELATIVE HUMIDITY PRESENT IN THE PRODUCTIVE CYCLES. SPECIES IDENTIFIED AND THEIR MEAN AVERAGE FREQUENCY WERE: E. TENELLA, 57%; E. ACERVULINA, 17%; E. BRUNETTI, 13%; AND E. MAXIMA, 13%. E. TENELLA WAS THE MOST COMMON SPECIES IN ALL STUDIED FARMS, E. ACERVULINA CAME IN SECOND PLACE IN FOUR FARMS, E. BRUNETTI IN TWO, AND E. MAXIMA IN ONE.