CHARTING THE COURSE FOR INTESTINAL HEALTH

NUMBER 10

SPAH-PBU-378

NEW STRATEGIES FOR COCCIDIOSIS MANAGEMENT

CHARTING THE COURSEFOR INTESTINAL HEALTHCHARTING THE COURSEFOR INTESTINAL HEALTH

PLUSSENSITIVITY TRIAL RESULTSFLEXIBILITY AT MARTINI ALIMENTAREDATA CONFIRM VACCINE PERFORMANCECOCCI FAQS: ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

PLUSSENSITIVITY TRIAL RESULTSFLEXIBILITY AT MARTINI ALIMENTAREDATA CONFIRM VACCINE PERFORMANCECOCCI FAQS: ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

FEATURES

NUMBER 10

2 COCCI PROFILE SENSITIVITY TRAININGEuropean study backs earlier work in US showing that coccidiosis vaccination restores Eimeria sensitivity

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

6 COCCI PEOPLE SAFETY NETCoccidiosis vaccination helps Martini Alimentare market birds with confidence and flexibility

8 WITHOUT A DOUBTLatest data confirm that vaccination yields equal or better protection than in-feed anticoccidials

10 SPECIAL REPORT CHARTING THE COURSE FOR INTESTINAL HEALTHSpecialists discuss IDEA concept, address new opportunities for feed management when vaccinating broilers for coccidiosis

28 SOLVING THE E. MIVATI MYSTERYRecent research, testing indicate the once elusive coccidial pathogen is a distinct species

32 COCCI NEWSProduct updates and industry trends

33 COCCI VIEWSIt’s all about food safety

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

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Cover: More than 60 nutritionists from around the globe took to the highseas off Madeira, Portugal, in March to explore the new world of broilernutrition made possible by coccidiosis vaccination. This view from a replicaof Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria provided added inspiration. For thefull story, turn to our special report beginning on page 10.

Photo by Joseph Feeks.

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Coccidiosis vaccination appearsto restore the sensitivity ofEuropean coccidial field isolates

to commercial in-feed anticoccidials,according to the results of a study conducted by a leading animal healthinstitute.

“For poultry producers, restorationof sensitivity would enable better, moreefficient use of anticoccidial drugs andimproved coccidiosis control,” says Dr.W.J. Landman, an investigator in thestudy, conducted by the Animal HealthService Ltd. Poultry Health Centre, theNetherlands, one of the largest and bestequipped animal diagnostic laborato-ries in the world.

In-feed anticoccidials have longbeen the primary method of controllingEimeria, the protozoan coccidial para-site that causes coccidiosis in poultry,but widespread resistance to the drugshas developed after continuous usage,say Landman and his associate in thestudy, H.W. Peek.

The investigators have researchedthe sensitivity of coccidia in poultrysince the late 1980s. In 2003, they pub-lished the results of an extensive surveywith coccidial isolates harvested in theNetherlands from 1996 to 2001 andreported extensive resistance to com-mercial anticoccidials. A paper pub-lished in 2004 showed similar results

COCCI PROFILE

SENSITIVITY TRAININGEuropean study backs earlier work in US showing that coccidiosis vaccination restores Eimeria sensitivity

Landman and Peek: ‘Resistance is a problem of increasing importance.’

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for isolates taken from Spain andGermany. Other researchers have alsodocumented anticoccidial resistance,Landman says.

Resistance impedes efficient coccidiosis control“Resistance is a problem of increasingimportance that is impeding the effi-cient prevention of coccidiosis,”Landman and Peek say.

Because anticoccidial resistance canaffect flocks gradually, some poultryproducers are not aware of the prob-lem or that flock performance is not asgood as it could be; others live with thereduced performance caused by coc-cidiosis, Landman says. “Sometimes,the resistance is not absolute and theinfection is tempered, but it’s there,” headds.

In the United States, it is well docu-mented that coccidial sensitivity to anti-coccidial drugs can be restored withthe use of coccidiosis vaccination,which replaces wild field strains withdrug-sensitive strains. In Europe, how-ever, the recent study by Landman andPeek is believed to be the first of itskind to show that vaccination canrestore anticoccidial sensitivity in thefield.

In their most recent study, theydetermined anticoccidial drug sensitivi-ty for 21 Eimeria field isolates originat-ing from broiler farms in Denmark,Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy,Portugal and Romania. The isolateswere supplied by Schering-PloughAnimal Health Corporation. The in-feedanticoccidials tested were diclazuril(Clinacox) and monensin (Elancoban).

There were four groups of ninechicks that each received the following:

• Group 1: Infected, received diclaz-uril at a dose of 1 mg/kg in feed

• Group 2: Infected, received mon-ensin at a dose of 100 mg/kg in feed

• Group 3: Infected but not treated

with anticoccidials (positive control)

• Group 4: Not infected and not treat-ed (negative control)

At 8 days of age, the investigatorsexposed the first three groups to adefined number of sporulated oocysts(oocysts capable of releasing viablespores) prepared from the Eimeria fieldisolates. The isolates in the study wereE. acervulina, E. tenella and E. maxima,which are all known to cause clinicalcoccidiosis in chickens.

The two treated groups started onmedicated feed 2 days before the chal-lenge and continued until the end ofthe experiment. The researchers con-ducted a chemical analysis of the anti-coccidial products in the feed to assurethat product concentrations were closeto the desired dose.

Table 1. Sensitivity findings of three Eimeria species to diclazuril and monensin.

Diclazuril Monensin

E. acervulina (20) 14 resistant (70%) 11 resistant (55%)

1 reduced sensitivity 5 reduced sensitivity

5 sensitive 4 sensitive

E. tenella (13) 3 resistant (23%) 5 resistant (38%)



E. maxima (17) 7 resistant (41%) 8 resistant (47%)



Table 2. More Eimeria isolates were sensitive to anticoccidials that were from vaccinated flocks.

Anticoccidial E. acervulina E. tenella E. maxima

Diclazuril 4 of 8V 8 of 8V 8 of 9V

1 of 12NV 1 of 5NV 1 of 8NV

Monensin 4 of 8V 4 of 8V 5 of 9V

0 of 12NV 1 of 5NV 2 of 8NV

V = From vaccinated flocksNV = From nonvaccinated flocks

continued on page 26

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

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

The Spraycox 2 machine with thedual nozzle system for application on chicks has improved vaccinationcoverage by utilizing a more efficientspray pattern, which increases theamount of vaccine applied directly tothe chicks. Our new AirMix technology(see page 32) keeps the vaccine’soocysts suspended to ensure optimumperformance.

Q. WHY SHOULD I USE COCCIVAC-BFOR THREE GROW-OUT CYCLESINSTEAD OF TWO?

A. Actually, there is no maximumnumber of Coccivac-B grow-outcycles for any given operation.

Data collected from an industryreporting service in 2003 and 2004show that Coccivac-B programs out-perform standard anticoccidial pro-grams in all major flock performanceparameters, even during the hottestmonths of the year.

More companies are realizing thisadvantage and are considering exten-

sion of their Coccivac-B summer pro-

grams well into winter. A few com-plexes have used Coccivac-B year-round with great success.

Company nutritionists are beginningto realize that they have more opportu-nities to use creative diets once restric-tive, in-feed anticoccidials are removedfrom the formulation equation. Withthe recent paradigm shift from in-feedanticoccidials to Coccivac-B, the possi-bilities for maximizing flock perform-ance are endless, and many of them arealready coming to fruition.

Q. WHAT IS THE MINIMUM TARGETWEIGHT OF BIRDS THAT CAN RECEIVECOCCIVAC-B AND STILL PRODUCE POSI-TIVE ECONOMIC RETURNS?

A. Currently, Coccivac-B is beingsuccessfully used in flocks grown tolive weights greater than 4.5 lbs. Well-managed operations have had successwith Coccivac-B in small bird weightcomplexes.

Vaccine application and flock man-agement tend to be more critical insmall bird weight (<4.5 lbs) operationsbecause of tighter densities and higherlevels of coccidial field challenges.Densities are higher because birds areplaced based on pounds per squarefeet in most poultry operations. But,with respect to oocyst output, the num-ber of birds per square feet is moreimportant because each bird is literallya coccidial, oocyst-producing machine.

In general, the more birds there areper square feet, the more oocysts thereare per square feet; yet, if the coccidialfield challenge is under control andbirds are properly vaccinated and man-aged, small weight flocks tend to dowell on a Coccivac-B program.

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

COCCI FAQs

Charles Broussard, DVM

Steve Fitz-Coy, PhD

John McCarty, DVM

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Q. WOULD THE USE OF ROXARSONE(3-NITRO) IN BROILER FEEDS HAVE ANEGATIVE IMPACT ON IMMUNITY TOCOCCIDIOSIS AFTER COCCIVAC-B VACCI-NATION?

A. No. The use of roxarsone in broil-er feeds has no adverse effect onimmunity to coccidiosis after Coccivac-B vaccination. On the contrary, roxar-sone can be used in feed to enhanceperformance in vaccinated broilers.

In addition, research at ColoradoQuality Research has shown that inCoccivac-B vaccinated birds, roxarsonehas a positive impact on live produc-tion performance parameters such asweight gain and feed conversion ratio.

Q. HOW SHOULD COCCIVAC-VACCINATED FLOCKS BE MONITOREDAFTER VACCINATION?

A. A representative number ofCoccivac vaccinates should be moni-tored by postmortem examinationwhen the first vaccinated flocks reach21 days of age. Vaccinates shoulddemonstrate coccidial lesions withinthe expected vaccination profile. A rep-resentative number of Coccivac vacci-nates should again be monitored bypost-mortem exam when the first vac-cinated flocks reach 28 days of age.Vaccinates should demonstrate resolu-tion of coccidial lesions within theexpected vaccination profile.

Vaccinates 7 through 21 days of ageshould also be observed in the field forsigns of necrotic enteritis or manage-ment practices that are incompatiblewith controlled vaccine cycling.

Thereafter, flocks should be moni-tored by monthly postmortem sessionsincluding representatives from 14 days

of age through slaughter, with anemphasis on ages 21 through 35 days.

Q. CAN THE RATION FORMULATIONIMPROVE RESULTS WITH VACCINATION?

A. Yes. The ration formulation canbe designed to maximize growth inCoccivac vaccinates and it can mini-mize secondary bacterial challengesthat could induce enteritis.

Data suggest that improved levels of total sulfur amino acids in the first 2to 3 weeks is linked to better perform-ance in broilers receiving Coccivac-B.Extra fortification with fat-soluble vita-mins (D and E) during peak vaccinaloocyst cycling may improve perform-ance. Vitamin D supplemented at40,000 to 60,000 IU in the starter feed isrecommended.

The ration must be formulated toenhance growth from day 28 throughslaughter, maximizing compensatorygain. Very low protein diets should beavoided. Pay special attention to thedigestibility of raw materials in thestarter feed.

Subtherapeutic levels of antibioticswith anticlostridium activity (bacitracin,virginiamycin, etc.) or with the abilityto manage intestinal microflora compo-sition (bambermycin) are highly recom-mended during the immunity-buildingphase of vaccination to prevent sec-ondary necrotic enteritis.

If wheat, barley or rye is a signifi-cant ration component, appropriateenzymes should be incorporated tominimize the incidence of necroticenteritis by removing fish meal or ani-mal proteins.

Do not use any drugs with anti-coccidial activity for the first 2 weeksafter vaccination in broilers and for atleast 4 weeks after vaccinating otherlong-life birds, such as broiler breeders.

Rick Phillips, DVM

John Radu, DVM

Linnea Newman, DVM

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For Dr. Corrado Longoni, choosingthe right product for coccidiosismanagement goes beyond dis-

ease control and bird performance.Food safety is his highest priority.

“I have two babies at home,” saysthe poultry veterinarian for MartiniAlimentare, Longiano, Italy, a majorpoultry company located in the north-eastern part of the country, about 100km (62 miles) southeast of Bologna.

“When I go down to our companyslaughterhouse to buy chicken for myfamily, I do it with confidence becauseI know our product is safe and free ofdrug residues. Food safety has to beour first priority — for us, for our cus-tomers and for the image of the poultryindustry.”

It’s hard to argue with Longoni’slogic, but producing and marketingresidue-free poultry hasn’t always been

easy — especially when using medicat-ed feeds to control coccidiosis.

While these treatments areapproved by regulatory authorities,synthetic anticoccidials and ionophores— a group of feed antibiotics used rou-tinely for coccidiosis control — gener-ally have withdrawal times of at least 5days.

In theory, that’s not a big deal for apoultry company marketing entirehouses at the same time. But for a com-pany like Martini, which markets 24million birds a year at various stages inthe growth cycle, the withdrawal timesof in-feed anticoccidials can presentlogistical challenges.

Thinning out broilersIn Europe, many operations start thin-ning out their broiler flocks after 32days, selling the lighter, less efficientfemales at different weights — usually1.7 to 2.4 kg (3.75 to 5.29 pounds) —to meet the demand for smaller birds.They retain the leaner, faster growing,large-breasted males for chicken partsand high-volume commercial sale laterin the production cycle.

Practically speaking, it’s difficult towithdraw feed medication from only aportion of the flock because it wouldleave other females — or, dependingon the number of feed lines, the entirehouse — vulnerable to a costly coc-cidiosis outbreak.

On the other hand, if the birds arekept on medication until flocks arethinned, there’s a greater risk of birdsentering the food chain prior to thedrug’s withdrawal time. That can leadto significant penalties, while damaging

SAFETY NETCoccidiosis vaccination helps Martini Alimentare market birds with confidence and flexibility

COCCI PEOPLE

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the image of the company and thepoultry industry.

Martini keeps males and females inthe same house but in separate areas.Females are typically thinned out at 35,42 and 46 days, while the males areslaughtered at 54 to 56 days, usually at3.5 kg (7.72 pounds).

“Sometimes you need more heavybirds or more lighter birds — itdepends on market conditions,” saysGiorgio Amedei, live production man-ager. “That’s why it’s so important forus to remain flexible.

“If we used an anticoccidial in thefeed, it would mean having two orthree withdrawal periods, which wouldbe very difficult to manage. To play itsafe, we had to pull the anticoccidialfrom the feed at 30 days, which is along time to go without coccidiosisprotection.”

‘Can’t take the risk’Feed mill contamination is another con-cern when using in-feed anticoccidials.Unless the mill’s lines are flushed aftereach usage — a process that saps extratime and labor — it’s possible fordrugs used in one batch to show up infeeds for other birds or other species.

“Like other producers, we need tobe careful because we do not have afeed mill specifically for broiler feeds,”Longoni explains. “Residues from in-feed anticoccidials used in broiler feedscould be toxic to laying hens, breedersor turkeys. We can’t take that risk, nordo we want traces of drugs in our with-drawal feed for broilers.”

Martini was also concerned aboutwearing out the few in-feed anticoc-cidials that were still on the market.“We have only two chemicals and threeor four ionophores we can use, and weare not sure how much longer thoseproducts will be available,” Amedeisays. “And without nicarbazin, theionophores are also less effective.”

Martini, which is also Italy’s secondlargest feed company, has found a

practical solution to all of these feed-related concerns in poultry: coccidiosisvaccination. By vaccinating day-oldbirds in the hatchery with Paracox-5 —some 208,000 chicks per week — thecompany can forgetabout using in-feed anti-coccidials altogether.

The vaccine is admin-istered by a speciallydesigned spray cabinet,which showers up to 100chicks at a time with thevaccine. A red dye in thevaccine provides a quickvisual indicator that allchicks were vaccinated.The dye also encouragespreening among thechicks, which helps toensure even better distri-bution of the vaccine.

“The big difference isthat the vaccine provideslifelong protection,” Longoni says, “andwe no longer have to worry aboutwithdrawal times when we do our thin-nings. The vaccine has given us a lot offlexibility without compromising per-formance or profitability.”

While the vaccine costs more to usethan most feed medications, theincrease is easily offset by reducedlabor in the feed mill andgreater marketing flexibilitythanks to no withdrawaltimes.

“There are a lot of hidden,indirect costs associated withusing an in-feed anti-coccidial,” says Luc Vandi,poultry nutritionist. “Forexample, you’ll have somefeed in the silo with the anti-coccidial that you have totake out and bring to anoth-er farm. So you can’t justcompare the price of the vac-cine to drugs. You have tolook at the big picture.”

Amedi: ‘It’s important for us toremain flexible.’

Longoni: ‘Food safety has to be our firstpriority’.


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Recently released data show thatperformance in broilers vacci-nated for coccidiosis continues

to equal or surpass that of broilers ona traditional program with in-feedanticoccidials.

“The latest results corroboratesome of the findings from last year’sstudy and also show that producers areachieving great performance withCoccivac-B, regardless of bird size,”

says Dr. Linnea Newman, a veterinaryconsultant for Schering-Plough AnimalHealth Corporation.

“Producers can confidently vacci-nate their flocks and expect both pro-tection against coccidiosis and excel-lent performance,” she says.

‘Apples to apples’This is the second year that perform-ance data has been available from anindustry reporting service in the UnitedStates. In 2003, the results in broilersvaccinated with Coccivac-B were good,but birds of all weights were lumpedtogether, leaving it difficult to tell withexact certainty how birds in differentweight classes were faring, Newmanexplains.

The latest data, from 2004, separatesbirds into different weight classes andprovides an “apples-to-apples” com-parison. “It shows that, without adoubt, vaccinated birds did as well asor better than birds receiving in-feedanticoccidials,” she says.

In the study, birds vaccinated withCoccivac-B were compared to birds ofsimilar weight at different complexesthat were on a traditional anticoccidialprogram. Both groups were comparedweekly during the same time, fromweek 29 (July 18) to week 48(December 5).

All together, there were 27 com-plexes — 9 vaccinated, and 18 using atraditional anticoccidial. Processingweight ranged from 5.2 to 6.2 pounds.Key results:

• Mean bird weight of the vaccinatedbirds was 5.79 lbs, compared to 5.59lbs for the anticoccidial group.

WITHOUT A DOUBTLatest data confirm that vaccination yields equal or better performance than in-feed anticoccidials

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Coccivac 5.2-6.0 lbs Standard 5.2-6.0 lbs

Figure 1. 42-day mortality (complexes 5.2 – 6.0 lbs).

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Figure 2. Live bird weight (complexes 5.2 – 6.0 lbs).

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• Vaccinated birds demonstrated bettercaloric conversion and better livabili-ty (Figure 1) in this weight class.

• Vaccinated birds had faster weightgain, averaging 2 days faster to 5 lbscompared to the anticoccidial group(Figure 2).

• The performance index also was bet-ter for vaccinated flocks, which had a0.2 to 0.4 cent advantage comparedto birds in the other group.

In the 36 complexes processingbirds 6 lbs or more — 15 vaccinatedand 21 using traditional anticoccidials— the results were also excellent forcoccidiosis-vaccinated birds:

• Mean bird weight was 7.23 lbs invaccinated birds compared to 7.22lbs in the anticoccidial group.

• The performance index and feedconversion in vaccinated birds close-ly matched that of the anticoccidialgroup.

• Vaccinated birds demonstrated anadvantage in livability (Figure 3)and rate of gain (Figure 4) thattranslated into a slight performanceindex advantage.

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Figure 3. 42-day mortality (complexes >6.0 lbs).

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Figure 4. Days to 5.0 lbs (complexes >6.0 lbs).


For birds under 5 lbs, the results beforeand after transition to Coccivac-B with-in four small bird complexes were com-pared, Newman says.

Performance was followed from week10 through week 48. From weeks 10through 28, a traditional in-feed anti-coccidial program was used and fromweeks 29 through 48, all complexeswere vaccinated with Coccivac-B, she says.

The mean weight among vaccinatedbirds was 4.77 lbs. After transition toCoccivac-B, the complexes demonstrat-ed similar or improved performance onthe performance index, calorie conver-sion and growth rate (Figure 5).

“Coccivac-B is a viable coccidiosiscontrol option for complexes processingflocks under 5 lbs, just as it is for largerbirds,” Newman says.

Coccivac-B Performance in Small BirdsIs Similar or Improved

Vaccinating for coccidiosis has hatched many new ideas

in broiler nutrition as poultry companies break free from

the rigid feeding schemes once mandated by in-feed

anticoccidials.With more progressive companies leaning

toward vaccination as their primary and, in some cases, exclu-

sive means of coccidiosis control, they’re finding they can

build their nutrition programs around the needs of the birds,

not the prescribed regimen or withdrawal time of a coccidiosis

drug.

This trend gave birth to the IDEA concept, a new approach to

managing broiler feeds. IDEA stands for Impulse, Digestibility,

Economic and Advance — all key concepts that make up the

concept’s foundation.

“The IDEA concept seeks to enhance immunity development

and reduce intestinal challenges by coccidia and bacteria with-

out the use of drugs, while also giving poultry companies the

opportunity to better manage nutrition for birds,” says Fabio

Paganini, senior product manager for Schering-Plough Animal

Health Corporation. “It potentially reduces feed costs while

conditioning the gut for better coccidiosis management.”

With these benefits in mind, Schering-Plough Animal Health

recently hosted a symposium, “New Paradigms in Poultry

Nutrition and Management,” in Madeira, Portugal. The event

attracted nutritionists from more than 30 leading poultry

companies worldwide.

Managing editor Joe Feeks, who attended the conference and

then talked with each speaker regarding the take-away mes-

sages from their presentation, filed this report. For a free copy

of the conference proceedings, send your name, address and

phone number to [email protected].

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Charting the Course for Intestinal HealthSpecialists discuss IDEA concept, address new opportunities for feed management when vaccinating broilers for coccidiosis

special reportspecial report

Dr. Rick Phillips

Schering-Plough Animal Health

USA

Phillips reviewed the principles ofIDEA, insisting it was a “con-cept” wide open to customiza-

tion, not a rigid program for all poultrycompanies to follow.

“We’re trying to bring all the pro-duction disciplines such as live produc-tion managers, veterinarians, physiolo-gists, and the nutritionists together totalk about the nutritional needs of thebirds — not just the good aspects, butthose that may have a negative impacton another discipline,” he said.

For example: If managementchanges a lighting program to helpthem manage the bird, that could havean impact on feed intake, which couldhave a negative effect on the bird.

“That might override the positiveeffect they achieved on the manage-ment side,” Phillips said, “so it’s impor-tant to have all the production disci-plines in the room to talk about thetrue needs of the birds. That way, poul-try companies can put all their recom-mendations on the table and make surethere aren’t conflicts. This isn’t a newconcept, but the industry has gottenaway from it over the years. We alsoknow that drugs can also cover up a lotmanagement flaws.”

Phillips reminded the audience thatsubclinical coccidiosis is still the num-ber one cause of performance loss inthe world poultry industry today, eitheras a primary or secondary diseaseagent. Without vaccination or othernew strategies for coccidiosis control,the full genetic potential of the bird willnot be realized, and large amounts of

money will be left “on the table.”The veterinarian stressed that birds

vaccinated for coccidiosis don’t neces-sarily need more management thanthose on medicated feeds, but not hav-ing drugs in the feed can give nutri-tionists more flexibility. This, in turn,can lead to more effective and efficientuse of various feedstuffs.

“For decades producers have beenbuilding their feed program around in-feed anticoccidials, as well as growthpromoters,” he said. “Now that we arepulling these drugs away, we have todo things differently — for the simplereason that we’re using products that

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IDEA: Making nutrition, management and environment part of coccidiosis management

Phillips: …subclinical coccidiosis is still the number

one cause of performance loss in the world poultry

industry today.…

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work differently. We need the variousproduction disciplines to understandhow the vaccine works, how theEimeria pathogens work, and what thehost response is to that parasite. Thenpoultry companies can build a new

program around that new strategy.”Phillips said resistance problems

with overused in-feed anticoccidials,which are generally in the feed from 0to 35 days, have led to “an erosion ofperformance” in the field. Vaccinationgives producers the opportunity to

“gain some of that back,” he added, bybreaking up the continuous use ofthese products and perhaps eliminatingthem altogether. Producers can thenstop worrying about drug residues inthe feed mill and withdrawal times forin-feed anticoccidials, which reducemarketing flexibility.

“As the IDEA concept points out,the first 14 days, 15 to 28 days, andthen 30 days and beyond are key win-dows of time,” Phillips explained.“With IDEA, the nutritionist can look atthat time frame and build nutritionalpackages based on the nutritionalneeds of the bird, instead of the rota-tion schedule of the in-feed medica-tions or the withdrawal times of thedrugs that were in the feed initially.”

Phillips said that with the improvedgenetic potential of today’s birds comesincreased demand on the intestinaltract for maximum digestion andabsorption. A comprehensive under-standing of the intestinal physiology istherefore imperative. “Trials have con-firmed that performance is enhancedwhen digestibility of the protein fed isimproved during the time that immuni-ty is developing,” he added.

The poultry veterinarian thenaddressed the four components of theIDEA concept, which he called a “sim-ple yet innovative approach to feedmanagement” that redefines the birds’nutritional and management needs dur-ing critical phases of grow-out:

Impulse (0-14 days)The main focus here is intestinal andimmune system development. Opti-mum protein and energy levels, as wellas vitamins and trace mineral supple-mentation, should be criticallyreviewed and evaluated in the starter(impulse) feeds, Phillips advised.

“Newly hatched chicks need imme-diate access to solid feed and water toset the stage for good performancelater,” he said. “Birds need to achievemaximum duodenum villi developmentin the first week.”

In the Impulse stage, intestinalmicroflora are getting established, andbones and muscles are formed at max-imum efficiency. This stage also deter-mines the number of enterocytes for the rest of the birds’ life, so it’s crit-ical to guarantee their maximum development.

Phillips: With the improved genetic potential of

today’s birds comes increased demand on the intes-

tinal tract for maximum digestion and absorption.

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Digestibility (15-28 days) Intestinal irritation can open the doorto secondary invaders, especially bacte-ria. Abrasive or less digestible ingredi-ents in the grower feeds thereforeshould be replaced with high quality,highly digestible ones. Dietary changesshould be avoided at 15 to 21 days toprevent intestinal disruption

Phillips suggested providing highquality feed and an optimal enzymedosage, while adjusting protein levelsas needed because excess, undigestedprotein encourages overgrowth ofundesirable bacteria. Dietary fat shouldalso be of high quality and easilydigestible.

Economic (>30 days) Here’s where poultry companies cancash in. Immunity is now establishedand birds have the maximum growthpotential. Feed consumption alsopeaks. The strategy now is to focus onmaximizing feed efficiency and dailygain, while the vaccine provides life-long protection against coccidiosis.

AdvanceThe implementation of the IDEA con-cept represents an advancement in thetraditional thinking with respect tomanipulation of immunization, man-agement and nutrition to help improveoverall flock performance.

IMPULSE: Maximizing the performance of theintestinal tract immune systemDr. Andrea Ribeiro

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil

It might only take 35 to 50 days fora broiler chick to reach marketweight, but its intestinal system

changes markedly in that brief lifetime.‘The anatomy and the physiology of

young chicks are completely differentfrom older birds,” Ribeiro said. “Theyabsorb fewer nutrients, so we have tofeed them in a different way.”

Ribeiro said the chick’s intestinalsystem is not fully developed until 7 to10 days. “All the feed they eat is todevelop the intestinal tract,” sheexplained. “That’s very importantbecause the healthier and bigger theirintestines, the more nutrients they willabsorb in the grow-out period.”

She said broilers achieve maximumrelative weight of digestive organswhen they are between 3 and 8 days ofage, with the highest increase in thevolume of villi of the duodenum occur-ring when broilers are 4 days old.

Development of the jejunum and ileumpeaks at 10 days, while the highestcrypt depth in the duodenum andjejunum occurs at 10 to 12 days.

The passage of feed through thedigestive tract of newly hatched chicksalso promotes the development ofcrypt enterocytes, which graduallyreplace intestinal enterocytes of the

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embryo stage. When this replacementis complete, digestion and nutrientabsorption reach peak levels.

“That’s why we have to feed themquickly when they arrive in the house,”she continued. “They have to see thefood, and the food has to be spreadalong a big area with no other restric-tions. The water has to be clean andfresh, and we need light to stimulatefeed intake.”

Ribeiro cited one published reportshowing how feed efficiency in poultryhas improved 44% since 1978. She alsoreviewed the digestibility and absorp-tion of carbohydrates, lipids and pro-teins before discussing the develop-ment of the immune system, whichbegins in the embryo and continuesduring the first week of life.

Ribeiro cautioned against restrictingfeed or water during the first 1 or 2days of life, citing several studies show-ing the negative impact of such restric-tion on the birds’ weight gain, efficien-cy and immunity later in life. “Fastingstimulates the secretion of corticos-teroids that inhibit the proliferation ofimmune cells,” she reported.

Once birds are placed and on feed,it’s important to take steps to maximizefeed intake, which can be affected byparticle size (0.8 mm is ideal) and lev-els of energy, sodium and protein.Adequate zinc, selenium, vitamin E andvitamin C are also needed to build astrong immune system.

Water intake, which can fluctuatewith water temperature and the miner-al levels of the feed, is also critical. Lesswater intake means less feed intakeand opens the door to more healthproblems, she said.

“Any delay in water and feed con-sumption promotes depressed immuneresponse,” she warned. Immunity isoptimized when vitamin A levels are 10to 20 times higher than the level sug-gested for maximum growth. Nutrientsavailable in the yolk sac will vary withyolk size and should not be consideredas a primary energy source for chicks.

“Water intake is an area neglectedby the majority of poultry operations,”she added. “If the bird doesn’t drink, itdoesn’t eat.”

She cautioned against adding miner-als to the water because they can makethe water bitter and discourage con-sumption. “So observe your birds, that’smy advice,” she said. “And if theydrink, they won’t get dehydrated, avery common problem in small birds.They will also retain water and gainweight.”

In addition to being a good growthpromoter, sodium encourages waterconsumption. It also helps to transportglucose and amino acids to the entericsites. “I think levels above 0.2% arevery important in this first 7 to 10 days,”she added.

Ribeiro: All the feed they eat is to develop the

intestinal tract. That’s very important because the

healthier and bigger their intestines, the more

nutrients they will absorb in the grow-out period.

15

Marcus Kenny

Aviagen Ltd.

Scotland

Early nutrition of the chick notonly involves feeding the chick,but also the breeder. Poultry

companies also must consider theeffects of incubation practices on bothembryo and chick development.

Kenny addressed the importance offeed allocation for breeders, especiallywith high-performing flocks “produc-ing a lot more hatching eggs thanwe’ve seen in the past.”

He also discussed the impact ofnutrients — not just the higher inclu-sion rates required by these birds, butalso managing them to better supportthe immune system of the progeny. “Ithink this is perhaps an important areagoing forward with the removal ofantibiotic growth promoters and thepotential removal of coccidiostats,” hesaid. “We need to be feeding the par-ents to try to ensure maximum progenyviability and immune system functionas well.

“The developing embryo and thehatched chick are completely depend-ent for their growth and developmenton nutrients deposited in the egg,”Kenny said. “Consequently, the physio-logical status of the chick at hatching isgreatly influenced by the nutrition ofthe breeder hen, which will influencechick size, vigor and the immune statusof the chick.”

He noted that underfeeding henscan have an impact on chick quality,particularly early in the early produc-tion period. Low feed intake by youngcommercial breeder flocks can com-promise nutrient transfer to the egg,resulting in increased late embryonicdeath, poorer chick viability and uniformity.

Kenny cited one study where broil-er breeders were fed different levelsthrough peak production varying from140 to 175 grams. “Although theincreased feed allocation increasedbody weight, there was no influenceon egg size, but chick weight was influ-enced by feed allocation,” he reported.

Nutrient supply to broiler breedersalso impacts chick quality and produc-tion performance. “This places greateremphasis on the nutritionist providingthe correct nutrient density diet and theflock manager providing appropriatefeed intake to the bird coming into lay,”he said.

Kenny also said a review of workon fat-soluble vitamins, biotin and pan-tothenic acid has shown that vitamin E

Managing breeder broilers for better immunity development in chicks

Kenny: We need to be feeding the parents to try

to ensure maximum progeny viability and immune

system function.…

16

has the largest impact on progeny. As ageneral rule, 100 mg/kg vitamin E is agood level for breeder broiler feeds. Hesaid the jury was still out on vitamin C,noting that some experiments suggest apositive response while a more recentstudy failed to detect any productionbenefit. Vitamin A, carotenoids, seleni-um, vitamin D, vitamin K, biotin andpantothenic acid also have been shownto improve bodyweight, enzyme activi-ties, tissue characteristics and immunityof progeny.

Calcium, phosphorous, sodium,potassium, magnesium and chlorideaffect shell quality and naturally lead to

better egg and chick quality. He cau-tioned, however, that relatively lowphosphorous levels in breeder dietsmay not lead to the best possible boneintegrity in the early stages of growth.Feeding breeders supplemental zincand manganese amino acid complexesappears to improve the liveability ofprogeny, while selenium has beenshown to improve chick quality.

Incubation also affects chick devel-opment. “Based on a 39-day growthperiod, approximately 35% of thegrowing life of the bird is during theincubation period,” Kenny said.Research shows that using a “meanhatch time”, rather than 21 days, is amore accurate estimate of the chicks’“starting point.” Aiming for a tighterhatch spread will result in betterweights at day 1, day 7 and endweights, as well as improvements inuniformity.

Kenny said several trials conductedat Aviagen’s facilities show that increas-ing the density of digestible aminoacids in broiler starter diets canimprove weight gain by 10 grams at 7days and by approximately 30 to 50grams at slaughter.

The feed’s physical characteristicscan also impact development andgrowth. Recent trials have shown feed-ing a meal versus a pellet can depressearly feed intake and reduce both earlyand later body weights by approxi-mately 15%.

“I think we have to create an envi-ronment, not just nutritionally but alsophysically, that will entice the chick toconsume as much nutrients as possi-ble,” Kenny said. “And that’s everythingfrom getting the temperature right tobrooding setup to making sure thatthere’s good exposure to good quality,easy-to-consume crumbs.”

“Small tweaks and changes in man-agement of broilers, especially in thefirst 2 or 3 days of life, mean an awfullot in terms of growth at 7 days andconsequent kill weights.”

Kenny: Several trials conducted at Aviagen’s

facilities show that increasing the density of

digestible amino acids in broiler starter diets can

improve weight gain by 10 gram at 7 days and

by approximately 30 to 50 grams at slaughter.

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Dr. Joaquim Brufau

IRTA Research Institute

Spain

Today the European poultryindustry has three concerns —food safety, food safety and

food safety,” Brufau said.Toward that end, regulatory agen-

cies will ban all antibiotic growth pro-moters by next year, and in-feed antic-occidials are up for review in 2008.While these actions might give con-sumers a more favorable view of meatproduction, they will also increasecosts for producers and force them tobecome better managers.

The drug bans will also place moreemphasis on nutrition, vaccination andalternative therapies for managing coc-cidiosis, enteritis and other commondiseases.

For this reason, Brufau and his asso-ciate, Dr. Maria Francesch, explained,the “D” in the IDEA concept stands formore than digestibility. “It also standsfor development of intestinal integrityand defense through better manage-ment of the immune system,” he said.

“If the ingredient has a perfectdigestibility, that means it does nothave anything that impairs absorptionof the nutrients of the ingredient. Theanimal has more energy to build immu-nity to disease and more energy toreact to and create the ideal conditionsneeded for vaccines.

“These are the challenges we faceas more drugs are taken off the market.We need to focus more on nutrition,particularly during the first 15 to 20days of the bird’s life,” he added.

“It’s like the construction business.If you want to build a big house, youneed to construct a big basement. I

think birds in a good management sys-tem can be raised without antibioticsand still maintain the same level of per-formance, but we need to pay moreattention to details and do all we can todevelop good intestinal health early inthe bird’s life.”

Brufau said coccidiosis vaccinationis and will become an even moreimportant tool to keep Eimeria resist-ance as low as possible. Increasing thedigestibility of feed in vaccinated broil-ers may reduce negative side effectsgenerated by Clostridium perfringensand other enteric pathogens.

Feeding programs and feed compo-sition can have a significant impact ona bird’s ability to fight intestinal disease, especially when antibioticgrowth promoters are not used. This isparticularly true in Europe, he added,where producers routinely feed coarsegrains containing soluble non-starch-polysaccharides.

Soluble NSP (β-glucans and arabi-

DIGESTIBILITY: Promoting integrity of the intestinal tract and the development of earlyand effective immunity

“

18

noxylans) can increase digesta viscosityand reduce nutrient digestibility (par-ticularly fat) by altering intestinalmicroflora. Studies conducted by IRTAand Schering-Plough Animal Healthshow that using NSP-degradingenzymes, alone or with antibiotic

growth promoters, can increase dietaryprotein and lipid digestibility in dietswith wheat, barley and rye. Enzymes canalso enhance villi length and thickness.

Dr. Robert Teeter

Oklahoma State University

Stillwater

Broiler growth is influenced bynumerous dietary factors, suchas protein quality and the

amount of nutrients and calories theration provides. For optimum perform-ance and efficiency, it’s important tomaintain optimal calorie/nutrient ratiosand accurately rank feedstuffs and feedadditives by their impact on energy-nutrient utilization. Producers also mustconsider the flock’s environment andhow it impacts energy expenditure,

nutrient need and ultimately intestinalhealth.

The single largest nutritional factoraffecting feed efficiency is the energylevel of the feed. Though birds havesome capacity to adjust for caloric den-sity, the added energy expenditurelinked to feed consumption is costlyand can reduce dietary caloric valueconsiderably. Dietary energy utilizationby birds depends on ingredientdigestibility, as well as its efficiency ofconversion into maintenance and pro-ductive functions.

“Nutritionists must continually striveto ‘correct’ the metabolic energy (ME)values so they’re in line with actualenergy utilized by the bird in their par-ticular environment,” Teeter said. Theseadjustments hinge on both nutritionaland non-nutritional factors that affectthe birds’ environment, feed intake andenergy utilization.

A new method called EffectiveCaloric Value (ECV), developed byOSU, helps producers assess the non-nutritional factors. These include:

• Net energy — Energy used formaintenance and productions

• Basal metabolism — Heat produc-tion of an animal at rest, awake, fast-ed and housed

• Maintenance energy needs — Netenergy consumed for maintainingbody functions, acquiring needed

ECONOMIC: An accounting of broiler energy expenditure

nutrients, generating immunologicalresponse and so on.

• Protein and fat accretion — Theamount of feed energy required toobtain a defined tissue increment

• Nutrition partitioning — Includesfeed restriction, ration composition,dietary fat supplementation, rearingtemperature, genotype and lighting,which affect protein and fat accretion

• Thermoneutral environment —The combination of ambient temper-ature, relative humidity, wind, pre-cipitation, photoperiod, solar radia-tion intensity and cloud cover

• Microbial—host interactions —Microbial effects can be both benefi-cial (vitamin synthesis, toxin destruc-tion, etc.) and detrimental (toxin pro-duction, infection, nutrient destruc-tion, energy wasting)

“The ECV system enables seeminglydisjointed processes that influence per-formance to be related via a commonperformance-based reference stan-dard,” Teeter explained.

“Factors such as lighting, feed form,ration composition, stocking density,waterer or feeder space and overallproduction systems are all related.Indeed, interacting variables — such asfat addition to elevate caloric densityversus deterioration of pellet qualitydue to fat addition — may be added upso the appropriate course of action canbe taken for maximal efficiency. Finalbird performance is interactive withstress combinations, the ability of thebird to sustain appetite and its meta-bolic profile.”

Recognizing the trend toward coc-cidiosis vaccination, Teeter reportedresults of energy studies comparingvaccinated birds with flocks on variousshuttle programs using in-feed anti-coccidials.

“By itself, coccidiosis challenge hasa potentially high cost — up to 600 kcal

— unless countered with drugs or vac-cines,” he reported.

In studies at OSU, vaccinationreduced that cost in production envi-ronments — saving 150 to 260 kcalover drugs and 400 kcal versus the coc-cidiosis challenge itself.

During the first 2 weeks of life, theenergy cost of vaccinated birds wasapproximately 47 kcal to attain pre-sumed protection, he reported. Whenexamined to 44 days, the energy costwas 114 Kcal. “The cost appears nomi-nal, yet the final production cost will bedetermined interactively with birdappetite,” Teeter said.

“When we give a vaccination, whatare some of the subtle types of changesthat we would need to make in termsof management and nutrition to helpthe bird through this phase?” Teeterasked. “It ranges between 40 kcal or soto as much as 112 kcals, which is notmuch in a bird that’s consuming 15,000kcals at capitalization for market. Thosecosts are trivial.”

The key issue, he added, is to main-tain feed intake in these birds. Thecaloric cost of developing immunity issmall, and Teeter views that as beingadded into a maintenance requirement.“If we can maintain feed intake, we’llbe able to attain a performancethroughout the life cycle of thesebirds,” he said.

Teeter said behavioral changes takeplace in vaccinated birds, similar towhat would be seen in a disease out-break because their immune system isbeing stimulated with a controlled doseof a pathogen.

19

Teeter: The single largest nutritional factor affect-

ing feed efficiency is the energy level of the feed.

“Any bird that’s eliciting immuno-logical response will back off feed justa tad,” he said. “And when that hap-pens, they’ll gain a bit less weight andgive off more energy as heat. But this ishappening early in the productioncycle. If you can adjust the feed accord-ingly in the first 21 days, then you havea bird that’s set up for excellent per-formance later in life. They’re moreresilient; they’re able to handle varioustypes of cocci challenges from the diet,and go on and produce product in avery efficacious type of manner. A birdtoward the end of its growing periodcycle has a body weight gain up

around 90 to 115 grams a day, sothere’s great potential to make up anydifferences that are lost early.”

Teeter noted that even when drugsemployed, nutritionists talk about“leakage.”

“But we don’t want to give them somuch drug that they don’t becomeimmune, because there we’re trying toget the birds to become immune aswell,” he said. “Otherwise we aredelaying that process and we’re settingourselves up for outbreaks in the grow-er period, which can be much morecostly.”

Dr. José Ignacio Barragán

Nutritional Consultant

Spain

Barragán review the principles ofbroiler nutrition, noting thatthere was a direct relationship

between metabolized energy (ME) andthe feed conversion ratio (FCR) and, toa lesser extent, the average daily gain(ADG).

“The higher the ME, the better theFCR and ADG — or at least that’s whatwe want to believe,” he said. “And weknow that the ME/crude protein (CP)relationship determines carcass quality.”

What happens in the field is some-times a different story, however. Whileit’s true that higher ME levels alwaysachieve lower FCRs — a variable alsoinfluenced by final mortality percent-age, days of feeding and pellet quality— this difference is not so obvious forADG, which is affected by managementconditions, environmental quality andthe intestinal health of the birds.

“On the other hand, intestinal healthdepends more on quality anddigestibility of raw materials in thefeed, rather than the classical nutrition-al levels,” Barragán said.

“A concentrated formula often low-ers the digestibility. So for me, it ismuch more important to look for excel-lent digestibility of the raw materials ofthe feed than to look at its concentra-tion. Many times it is possible to reduceconcentration and obtain very goodresults because, with this reduction inconcentration, we can improvedigestibility, and the total performancecould be better.”

20

Optimizing broiler nutrition programs

Barragán presented data showinghow the almost parallel lines betweenfeed consumption and growth rate splitaround day 15 and continue to growfarther apart as birds mature. The eco-nomic loss from diseased or dead birdsalso increases markedly with bird age.Each point of mortality in the final daysis equivalent to 1% higher FCR(approximately 20 grams or 0.045 lb).

“Mortality’s effect on cost is progres-sive, increasing toward the last days ofthe growing period,” Barragan said.“Our goal, therefore, must be to reducefinal mortality through optimization ofthe immune system, sanitation, vaccina-tion and control of metabolic mortality.”

The IDEA concept can help reducemortality by employing a special starterfeed to help improve the immune sta-tus of the birds and reduce final mor-tality due to mild coccidiosis.Increasing digestibility in the middle ofthe fattening period also could reducemetabolic deaths.

As a general rule, the greater theADG, the better the FCR. Still, ADG ismore affected by management, envi-ronmental factors, disease and othervariables, he said. The IDEA conceptcan help maximize ADG by optimizinggrowth in the first weeks, helping broil-ers develop a beneficial gut microbiota,reducing intestinal disorders in the mid-dle of the fattening period, loweringclostridium risk and reducing mild coc-cidiosis outbreaks.

Barragán cautioned against depend-ing on crude protein to optimize ADG.“An increase in protein level may beuseful in carcass quality, but anincrease in protein or amino acid levelsis not clearly related to an increase inADG,” he added. “However, the avail-ability of digestible protein is closelyrelated to growth and intestinal health.It may be possible to obtain better per-formance with less concentrated feedsmade with quality ingredients.”

The nutritionist presented datashowing that birds with the low-

density starter diet have the same resultas birds with more concentrated ones— possibly because of better digest-ibility. He also showed that birds vacci-nated for coccidiosis can be placed on a lower-cost withdrawal feed earlierthan medicated birds without sign-ificantly affecting performance and without problems related to in-feedanticoccidials.

In Barragán’s comparative trials of afeeding regimen based on IDEA’sthree-feed concept, which includedorganic acid, the cost was €10.73 morethan the standard three-phase feed costfor the medicated birds. However, thevaccinated birds on the IDEA regimenproduced €19.68 more meat value. Afour-phase IDEA diet increased feedcost by €2.91 but meat value was €6.32greater.

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Barragán: Our goal must be to reduce final

mortality through optimization of the immune

system, sanitation, vaccination and control of

metabolic mortality.

Dr. César Carnicer

Poultry Business Manager

Spain

Carnicer insisted that he’s not the“father” of the IDEA concept,but he can vividly remember

when it was born. He was meeting with nutritional

consultant Dr. José Barragán (see

above report) and Dr. Delair Bolis, aSchering-Plough Animal Health vet-erinarian, and discussing ways toensure success with coccidiosis vac-cination, particularly as it related tonutrition.

Bolis presented his ideas for theideal nutritional status of birds vacci-nated for coccidiosis. Barragánnamed the first stage of the feed pro-gram “impulse,” where the strategy isto stimulate the immunity of thebirds. The group then talked about asecond phase where the focus wason “digestibility.” That led to a dis-cussion about the “economic” bene-fits and how a such a program couldhelp producers “advance” theirefforts to meet regulatory and con-sumer demand for drug-free

approaches to disease management.“We reviewed our notes from the

meeting and the key points wereImpulse, Digestibility, Economic,Advance — or IDEA,” Carnicer said.Schering-Plough Animal Health’s man-agement and global technical serviceteam embraced the concept and thenworked with nutritionists worldwide tofine tune the basic elements of the

“When we slaughter animals at abigger weight, perhaps 2.5 kg (5.51lbs), it could be possible to use justthree feeds,” he says. “But if you needto slaughter some of your animals at alow weight, at around 36-37 days, itcould be necessary to use the fourfeeds to look for the optimum weightin the younger birds.”

Increasing ADG by 1 gram (0.002lb) per day could mean a maximumreduction in FCR of 70 grams (0.154lb), which is equivalent to 3.5% of feed-

ing cost reduction, Barragán said.Reducing mortality by 1% can lowerFCR approximately 20 grams (0.045 lb),which is the same as 1% of reduction infeed cost.

“With IDEA, it’s possible to use alow-cost withdrawal feed for a longerperiod if intestinal health is correct andcoccidiosis is not a risk, which isalways the case when birds are vacci-nated,” Barragán said. “Vaccinating forcoccidiosis also can help us obtain bet-ter production costs and profitability.”

ADVANCE: Putting IDEA into action

22

“intestinal health” strategy. Accordingto Carnicer, poultry companies arereacting favorably.

“I don’t think we’ll have companiessaying, ‘I’m going to do the IDEA pro-gram,’ but they are taking our inputsand are applying the principles of IDEAto their own situation,” he said. “IDEAis not a fixed scheme. It’s a bank ofknowledge, and each poultry companywill adapt it to suit its needs. But it’sclear they are being more proactivewith nutrition to ensure a healthy gutinstead of relying on drugs.”

Carnicer says coccidiosis vaccina-tion is not a prerequisite for applyingthe IDEA concept, as its principles canbenefit virtually any operation. It is eas-ier to use with vaccinated birds, how-ever, because producers will have moreflexibility when there are no anticoc-cidials in the feed. More important, headded, poultry companies are nowdesigning programs with vaccinatedbirds in mind — the same way theybuilt programs around anticoccidialdrugs.

“Poultry companies like the IDEAconcept — not just because it will savethem money and help them eliminatedrugs, but because it is improving theiroverall management,” Carnicer said.“They no longer have drugs to masktheir problems, so they can see areasfor improvement and work with nutri-tionists and other consultants to makeadjustments to the birds’ feed and otherfactors that will stimulate immuneresponse.”

He reported that the IDEA conceptis also helping poultry companies bemore flexible with marketing. “Theneed for a withdrawal feed no longerexists, because you are not using a feedmedication for coccidiosis control,” hesaid. Eliminating in-feed anticoccidialsalso lets producers “thin out” theirflocks and sell lighter birds upondemand. Feel mill personnel say theylike not having to flush the feed lines toavoid drug residues.

As the IDEA concept takes hold,Carnicer said poultry companies weremoving away from standard three-phase programs build around shuttleprograms or drug-withdrawal times(e.g., 0-21 days, 22-40 days, 41+ days)to schedules that better meet the nutri-tional needs of the birds (e.g., 0-14days, 14-28 days, 28+ days).

“As a general rule, IDEA requiresmaking a higher investment in quality,digestible feeds in the first 25 to 28days and then a lower investment inthe final phase when birds are con-suming the most feed,” he said.“Producers are finding that focusing onimmunity development, digestibility ofthe feed and intestinal integrity is moreimportant than nutrient levels.”

23

Carnicer: Poultry companies like the IDEA concept

— not just because it will save them money and

help them eliminate drugs, but because it is

improving their overall management.

24

Dr. Corrado Longoni

Martini Alimentare

Italy

Longoni, a veterinarian for a majorpoultry company in Italy, citedfive reasons for eliminating in-

feed anticoccidials and making vaccina-tion against coccidiosis the onlymethod for managing the disease:

• One-shot administration for lifelongcontrol of coccidiosis (no late out-breaks)

• Zero withdrawal times, which giveshis company great flexibility for mar-keting lightweight birds and simplify-ing procedures at the feed mill

• Opportunity to market poultry meatwith additional quality guarantees(e.g., no risk of drug residues)

• No risk of contaminating feed forother types of birds or other species

• Restoration of sensitivity to worn-out,in-feed anticoccidials

For a more in-depth report of howMartini Alimentare is using the IDEAconcept in its production program, seearticle on page 6.

Experience in Italy

Dr. John Halley

Cobb-Vantress

United States

Halley, a nutritionist, discussedhis experience with coccidiosisvaccination while he was a

nutritionist for one of the largest poul-try companies in the US.

“The motivation for our use ofCoccivac was probably a little differentthan it would be today,” he said “Thiswas 5 years ago and, at the time, mostcompanies in the US used roxarsonealong with ionophores to give bettercoccidiosis control.”

The poultry company producedlarge birds — generally 3 to 3.5 kg(6.61 to 7.72 lbs) — all for deboning.

Experience in the United States

25

“One of the problems we had in thesummer is we started to see rupturedtendons in these large birds. We want-ed to get to a program where we couldtake the roxarsone out of the feed butstill have good coccidiosis control.”

The company started vaccinatingwith Coccivac-B in one complex to seehow it would work, starting late in thespring and running through the sum-mer to get all the birds through the heatof the summer. Then the companywould go back to its regular program inthe fall, which was salinomycin androxarsone.

The company expected to losesome feed conversion and daily gainafter switching to vaccination, but fig-ured it would make up for any lossesafter going to the well-tested drugs andgetting better performance from thesemedications.

“But as we went on to the Coccivac-B in the first complex, we didn’t seeany loss in performance,” Halleyreported. “Performance stayed thesame as far as weight gain, feed con-version, and that particular complexwent through three complete cyclesthat summer on Coccivac-B.

“What we found was that perform-ance got better with each successivecycle. We got better feed conversionand picked up one or two points feedconversion.”

When the company went back tosalinomycin, it didn’t see this big kickthat other companies talked about.

“But then, we didn’t lose the per-formance going onto the vaccine,either,” Halley said. “So over the next 4or 5 years we went ahead and put fouror five other complexes onto this pro-gram, running Coccivac during thesummer.”

At any one time, the company wasprocessing 3 million to 3.5 million birdsa week on this program and all com-plexes, whether they were in the deepSouth in the United States or in the

mid-South, up in the North Carolinaregion, saw similar results.

“We didn’t lose performance whenwe went on the vaccine, but with eachsuccessive cycle we actually picked upa little bit of feed conversion at thesame body weights, and therefore weimproved our cost and our productioneconomics,” he explains. “We actuallyhad one complex that wanted to use ityear-round.”

From a logistics standpoint, thecompany’s feed mills didn’t have anyproblem with incorporating the vaccineinto their program. Halley said theypaid close attention to what they weredelivering and where during the transi-tion periods. “That’s important becauseaccidentally putting an ionophore orchemical in the feed will kill the vac-cine. Likewise, if you don’t medicatethe birds that are supposed to get med-icated, they’ll run into problems aswell.”

Halley: What we found was that performance

got better with each successive cycle. We got

better feed conversion and picked up one or

two points feed conversion.

“We expect long term performancewith Coccivac-B to improve furtherwith annual vaccination, since itrenews sensitivity of the house coccidi-al population to anticoccidials,”Newman says.

“Our actual overall 2004 perform-ance numbers have improved com-pared to 2003, echoing the industryperformance improvements,” she says.“As the industry improves its perform-ance year after year, Coccivac-B per-formance remains in step. Coccivac-Bprovides a highly competitive alterna-tive to in-feed anticoccidials with theadded advantage of enhancing Eimeriasensitivity to all control methods.”

42.50

43.0043.50

44.00

44.50

45.00

45.50

46.00

46.50

47.00

47.50

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48

Week

Coccivac Before Coccivac

Figure 5. Days to 5.0 lbs (before and after transition to Coccivac-B).

continued from page 9

26


At 14 days of age, or 6 days after thechallenge, they necropsied five birdsfrom Groups 1, 2 and 3 to determineindividual coccidial lesion scores. Theyalso counted per gram the number ofoocysts in fresh feces, weighed birdsperiodically and observed themthroughout the study.

Anticoccidial sensitivity profileThe anticoccidial sensitivity profile foreach Eimeria isolate was based on thepercentage reduction of the medianlesion score for each Eimeria type ascompared to the infected, treatedgroup (Group 3). A reduction of 0% to30% indicated coccidial resistance, 31%to 49% indicated reduced sensitivity orpartial resistance and 50% or more indi-cated full sensitivity to the anticoccidial,the investigators say.

There was significant resistance toboth anticoccidials (Table 1), especiallyE. acervulina. Of these isolates, 70%were resistance to diclazuril and 55%were resistance to monensin, sayLandman and Peek.

“The findings of this study showthat resistance is still widespread

among European coccidiosis field iso-lates,” the investigators conclude.

Role of vaccination The investigators also discovered thatvaccination appeared to affect sensitivity.

“Furthermore, our findings suggestthat sensitivity toward both anti-coccidial drugs tested occurs more fre-quently in Eimeria spp. field isolatesoriginating from broiler farms where acoccidiosis vaccination policy is fol-lowed,” they say.

Table 2 summarizes the Eimeriaspecies that were sensitive to diclazurilor monensin and the number of themthat came from farms that had or hadnot vaccinated.

Landman and Peek are furtherstudying the effects of vaccination onEimeria sensitivity with larger numbersof birds. It is always possible that thefindings might change, says Landman,but the results of the just completedstudy “very strongly suggest” that vaccination does, indeed, restoreEimeria sensitivity to both anti-coccidials tested.

27


Going drug-freeMartini began vaccinating a portion ofits broilers in 2000, when Paracox-5was approved for use in Europe. Thecompany was confident it would be agood product because it had successwith Paracox-8 in breeders.

“But broilers are different and, obvi-ously, have a much shorter life cycle,”Longoni says. “We wanted to experi-ment with it first.”

What started as a few experimentaltrials gradually spread to entire farms.As the company obtained more experi-ence with the product under differentconditions, it extended usage to otherfarms.

“We had to manage a few coccidio-sis outbreaks in the beginning, butthose disappeared in the second flock,”Longoni recalls. “In fact, we found thatthe vaccine and the birds performedbetter with each successive flock.”

By 2003, Martini was vaccinating allof its broilers with Paracox-5, thus elim-inating all in-feed anticoccidials from itsprogram. The antibiotic growth pro-moter avilomycin is the only medica-tion used today in broilers, but Martiniexpects to eliminate all drugs as morefeed medications are removed from themarket.

Focusing on managementBetween vaccinating for coccidiosisand getting ready for the expected banon all feed medications, Martini isfocusing more on good managementand looking for ways to naturallyimprove the immunity of the birds.

“All our efforts are devoted toyoung chicken management, especiallyduring the brooding period,” Longonisays. “We pay particular attention towhat we offer them as a daily feed, andour nutritionist is constantly looking atnew formulas and possible alternativesto antibiotic growth promoters.”

After Martini stopped using iono-phores, there was some concern thatnecrotic enteritis might become moreprevalent, but the company has notseen any significant problems.

“We know that ionophores are veryeffective against enteritis, but we can’tuse them in our system,” Vandi says.“Our goal is to manage the problem ina nutritional way, using a less concen-trated feed in the first phase to causeless stress on the intestines and havecompensatory growth in the secondperiod.”

For example: With animal proteinsnot permitted in European feeds, soy-bean meal is the only pro-tein source available. “Thekey is to use a high quali-ty soybean meal,” Amedeisays. “If you don’t, youhave to reach an inclusionrate in the starter diet of40% or more, which isconcentrated but not verydigestible.”

Since switching to coc-cidiosis vaccination, Martiniis now in a better positionto build its feed programaround the nutritionalneeds of the birds — notthe withdrawal times ofthe medications. That might allowMartini to start feeding lower cost with-drawal feeds at an earlier phase.

“We are also assessing feed distribu-tion, room temperature and humidity,ventilation, lighting, type and quality oflitter, and the water supply,” Longonireports.

“Our goal is to make young chick-ens as strong as possible with a robustimmunity that can fight stress and allowthem to reach their full genetic poten-tial — without having to rely ondrugs.”

Vandi: ‘Manage the problem ina nutritional way’

28

For decades, Eimeria mivati — oneof nine species of Eimeria knownto cause coccidiosis in chickens

— has been a source of controversyamong poultry pathologists.

Some believed it to be a distinctEimeria species that posed a threat to

broilers, but others have been doubtfuland consider it either a variant of E.acervulina or a mixture of the E.acervulina and E. mitis species.

However, recent studies, conductedby Dr. Steve Fitz-Coy of Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation, aswell as polymerase chain reaction test-ing, indicate that E. mivati is a uniquetype of Eimeria.

Studies also show that the preva-lence of E. mivati, based on litter sam-pling, may be as high as 22% and thatit causes disease and performance lossin chickens if not controlled.

Putting it in perspective“For a long time, the issue of E. mivatiwas not a major concern because antic-occidials were effectively controllingthe primary pathogenic species ofEimeria that threaten commercial chick-ens,” says Dr. Rick Phillips, a veterinar-ian at Schering-Plough Animal HealthCorporation.

“Any controversy about whether E.mivati is a distinct species was primari-ly one of academic interest, but it hadlittle practical relevance,” he says.

Now, the situation is different, hesays.

With the shift from in-feed anticoc-cidials to vaccination of chickens forcoccidiosis control, E. mivati has to beconsidered. Anticoccidials control coc-cidiosis by killing parasites, but vac-cines work by enabling chickens tobuild immunity that naturally fights offthe disease, Phillips explains.

“Producers need to be sure that thecoccidiosis vaccine they use protectsagainst the major Eimeria species thatcause disease in chickens, including E.mivati,” he says.

Keep in mind, Phillips continues,that there is no cross-protection when itcomes to Eimeria, he says. “If chickensare immune to E. acervulina, they onlyhave immunity against E. acervulinaand, if exposed to E. mivati, they’ll suc-cumb to the new infection. “Immunityagainst one species doesn’t protectagainst another,” he says.

E. mivati historyE. mivati was first isolated in 1959 froma poultry farm in Zephyr Hill, Florida,by the late Dr. S. Allen Edgar, a worldrenowned poultry pathologist from

SOLVING THE E. MIVATI MYSTERYRecent research, testing indicate the once elusive coccidial pathogen is a distinct species

Fitz-Coy: ‘E. mivati oocysts tend to be smaller and broadly ovoid…’

Photos by Lisa Helfert.

Alabama’s Auburn University. Prior torecognition of the parasite, the farmhad experienced persistent and unusu-al outbreaks of coccidiosis.

For several years after his discovery,Edgar conducted extensive research todetermine the characteristics of E.mivati and validated its differencesfrom other chicken coccidia.

In 1964, E. mivati was added to thelist of coccidia affecting chickens whenEdgar published his findings.1

Subsequently, several researchersreported finding E. mivati in othercountries, including Canada, GreatBritain, Germany and France.

By the 1970s, however, someresearchers began to question the exis-tence of E. mivati.

In 1973, P.L. Long of HoughtonPoultry Research Station (now theInstitute for Animal Health),Huntingdon, England, concluded thatE. mivati was not sufficiently differentfrom E. acervulina to be a distinctspecies and that it should be referred toas E. acervulina var. mivati.2

Fitz-Coy, a parasitologist whoworked with Edgar, says that the mostinfluential report questioning the exis-tence of E. mivati appeared in 1983,after Dr. Martin W. Shirley and associ-ates, also of Houghton Poultry ResearchStation, used electrophoresis to study apotential field isolate of E. mivati pro-vided by Auburn University.3

“They concluded that it was proba-bly a combination of E. acervulina andE. mitis and should be considered“nomina dubia” — in other words, itsexistence is doubtful,” he says.

The conclusions of that report stuckand, long after it was published, manyresearchers continued to question thevalidity of E. mivati as a uniquespecies, says Fitz-Coy, now a technicalservice representative for Schering-Plough Animal Health. In subsequentyears, while anticoccidials were effec-tively controlling coccidiosis, E. mivatireceived little attention as a research

infectious agent; it just wasn’t much ofa concern or it was lumped into an E.acervulina-like category.

In addition, says Fitz-Coy, E. mivatiisn’t as easy to work with as other coc-cidial species such as E. acervulina, E.maxima and E. tenella. The lesions of E.acervulina and E. mivati are similar andboth “parasitize” some of the sameregions of the intestines. Most field iso-lates are a composition of multiplespecies of Eimeria. “All these factorscontribute to the difficulty in identifyingE. mivati,” he says.

There are differences, however.“Traditionally, identification of coccidiaspecies is based on morphology,pathology, the prepatent period andcross-immunization evaluations. E.mivati oocysts tend to be smaller andare broadly ovoid compared with thoseof E. acervulina,” he says.

Further researchNot widely known is that Fitz-Coy con-tinued research with E. mivati, thoughhis findings were not always published.

Between 1988 and 1990, when Fitz-Coy worked for the University ofMaryland, Eastern Shore, he isolatedthree probable isolates of E. mivati.They were obtained from commercialbroiler farms in the Delmarva region ofthe United States. All three had similar-ities to the E. mivati described byEdgar, his mentor.

When Fitz-Coy immunized chickenswith E. acervulina and challenged themwith the E. mivati he had isolated, thebirds had no protection and developedcoccidiosis. But when he immunizedchickens with the E. mivati and chal-

29

The current prevalence is probably underestimated

because E. mivati is under-recognized, and even a

20% incidence is pretty significant.

30

lenged them with E. mivati, they hadgood protection.

PCR testingAccording to Phillips, the most com-pelling evidence that E. mivati is a dis-tinct species comes from recent PCRtesting, a sensitive, state-of-the-art tech-nique that enables identification ofsmall DNA fragments.

Current PCR kits identify E. acervuli-na, E. maxima, E. necatrix, E. mitis, E.brunetti and E. tenella. When Fitz-Coyprovided blind or unidentified samplesof E. mivati and other species to aresearch investigator for PCR testing,the known species were identified, butthe E. mivati samples could not beidentified.

Fitz-Coy plans to publish his find-ings with details, and an E. mivati PCR-primer is currently being developed forrapid identification purposes.

PrevalenceFor producers, thereal significance ofE. mivati, Phillipspoints out, is itsprevalence in thefield and its affect onflock performance.

In the early1960s, Edgar hadfound a 50% inci-dence of E. mivatiorganisms in sam-ples sent to Auburnfrom Florida.

Fitz-Coy says,“Based on my obser-vations over theyears, study of fieldisolates and routinenecropsy evaluationsof chickens fromcommercial broilersfarms in the Atlantic,

Southeast and West Coast, organismsthat morphologically resemble those ofE. mivati are seen. They can appear in

great abundance and are foundthroughout the entire small intestine.”

From 2001 to 2004, Fitz-Coy ana-lyzed data from approximately 130necropsy sessions in the United States,and found 24 were positive for E.mivati. In other words, 18% of thenecropsy cases were positive for E.mivati. Between 2002 and 2004, whenhe tested 55 litter samples from majorUS broiler production areas, 12 werepositive for E. mivati, yielding a 22%incidence, he says.

Phillips says, “The current preva-lence is probably underestimatedbecause E. mivati is under-recognized,and even a 20% incidence is pretty sig-nificant.”

Impaired weight gain, mortalityThe consequences of E. mivati infec-tion in chickens were evaluated byEdgar from the 1960s to 1980s and byFitz-Coy since the late 1980s. Three ofseveral E. mivati field isolates fromGeorgia and the Delmarva area wereused. For each evaluator, groups ofbirds were inoculated with varyingamounts of E. mivati oocysts to evalu-ate for growth rate and mortality, andone group was not inoculated andserved as a control.

The more E. mivati oocysts thatbirds received, the worse the outcome.For instance, 14 days after challenge,birds that received the most oocystshad an average weight gain per bird of110g (0.24 lb) compared to 271g (0.60lb) in controls.

None of the birds in the controlgroup died, but in the group thatreceived the strongest challenge, 10%died (see Table 1).

In a subsequent study conducted byFitz-Coy, inoculation of naïve birdsusing an E. mivati isolate from NorthCarolina yielded a mortality of 50%.There was no pathology in hatch matesimmunized with E. mivati against theisolate.

Phillips: The current prevalence is probably underesti-mated…’

Pathologic changesAnother way to demonstrate the patho-genicity of E. mivati is by examiningthe pathologic changes it causes inchickens. E. mivati oocysts, says Fitz-Coy, usually are found in intestines thathave been scored with mucoid and/orwatery enteritis. They are smalleroocysts than those of E. acervulina, andare broadly ovoid.

As far back a 1980, researchersNorton and Joyner wrote inParasitology that they had found “cleardistinctions” between the damage doneby E. mivati and E. acervulina isolates.4

E. mivati produced scattered petechiae(red spots), but the intestinal lesionswere not as prominent compared tothose seen with E. acervulina. Themanifestations of E. mivati were mostnumerous in the lower small intestineand proximal ceca.

In addition, the ratio of villus heightto total mucosal thickness in the lowerintestine was reduced with E. mivati,while similar changes due to E.acervulina were seen only in the ante-rior intestine, Norton and Joyner said.

Fitz-Coy has no doubt that “E.mivati is pathogenic to chickens,resulting in impaired feed utilization,impaired growth and, sometimes, mor-tality depending on the level of chal-lenge.”

Phillips agrees and says, “E. mivatiis real. Be sure that the vaccine you areusing to control coccidiosis protectsagainst E. mivati. Coccivac-B hasalways contained E. mivati and, cur-rently, is the only licensed commercialvaccine that protects against thisEimeria species.

“We didn’t have to deal with E.mivati before because anticoccidialswere controlling it, but it’s safe toassume that E. mivati resistance to

anticoccidials may be developing justas it has for other Eimeria species. Onthe plus side, we have an effectivemethod of control,” he says.

Further PCR research is beingaggressively pursued, Phillips adds.“Since E. mivati can affect poultry per-formance, we want to make sure thatany questions about its existence areresolved once and for all. There’s alsostill a lot to learn about this Eimeriaspecies,” he concludes.

References1 Edgar SA, Seibold, CT. A new coccidium

of chickens, Eimeria mivati sp.n.(Protozoa:Eimeriidae) with details of itslife history. Journal of Parasitology1964:50;193-204.

2 Long PL. Studies on the relationshipbetween Eimeria acervulina and Eimeriamivati. Parasitology 1973:67;143-155.

3 Shirley MW, Jeffers TK, Long PL. Studies todetermine the taxonomic status of Eimeriamitis, Tyzzer 1929 and E. mivati, Edgarand Seibold 1964. Parasitology1983:Oct;87(Pt 2):185-98.

4 Norton CC, Joyner LP. Studies withEimeria acervulina and E. mivati: patho-genicity and cross-immunity. Parasitology1980:Oct;81(2);315-23.

31

Table 1. Growth rate and mortality in birds challenged with E. mivati.

Treatments/oocysts Gain/bird at Gain/bird at % Mortalityinoculated per bird 7 days post 14 days post for challenge challenge (g) challenge (g)

None 137 271 0

750,000 48 155 0

5,000,000 -4 132 0

5,000,000 plus -38 110 105,000,000 at 2 dayspost challenge

After Edgar 1964.

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 manage-

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

Anew web site providing an informative source of infor-mation about maintaining intestinal health in poultry

has been launched by Schering-Plough Animal Health.The site, www.intestinalhealthpoultry.com, provides visi-

tors with an overview of the challenges facing poultry pro-ducers — specifically public concern about food safety andthe problems with traditional coccidiosis control programs.

It offers solutions from Schering-Plough Animal Healthand emphasizes the company’s commitment to helping

producers meet demand for drug-free food production byimproved management of intestinal health.

With sections in English and Spanish, the web site alsoprovides an overview of Schering-Plough Animal Health’scoccidiosis vaccines, as well as SprayCox administrationequipment and the growth promoter, Enradin.

In time, visitors will also be able to access past issue ofCocciForum magazine, as well as relevant key TechnicalService Bulletins.

Web Site Promotes Intestinal Health in Poultry

Schering-Plough Animal Health’s new AirMix technologyfor keeping coccidiosis vaccine oocysts in suspension

during spray vaccination was unveiled at the InternationalPoultry Expo in Atlanta.

“The response has been very positive,” says companyengineer Paul Townsend. “Basically, the first thing theynotice is that you can actually see the vaccine in the bottle.You can see it being mixed — and that’s a real positive.With the old system, the only way you could really tell if itwas mixing was to remove the lid and looking down inside.So this makes it real foolproof. That’s really the goal behindgoing to a system like this.”

Upgrading existing SprayCox spray cabinets to AirMixtechnology is quick and easy. It’s just a matter of changingout the container and putting on a new pump to supply airto the bottle, which plugs into the machine.

Townsend says the presence of air does not increase thechance for vaccine contamination. “We have a filter in theline to clean the air before it gets into the bottle,” heexplains. “We left nothing to chance.”

Challenge work was conducted by Dr. Steve Fitz-Coy, atechnical service rep for the company known worldwide forhis expertise in coccidiosis. AirMix will be available in theUS this spring and in other markets later this year.

AirMix Technology Debuts in Atlanta

COCCI NEWS

32

Townsend at the International Poultry Expo with the clearjug and new AirMix technology available for the SprayCoxspray cabinet.

Proper Handling of Vaccine Essential for Good ResultsProper vaccine handling is crucial to obtain the best

results with live oocyst vaccines such as Paracox andCoccivac, cautions Dr. Charlie Broussard, worldwide techni-cal services director, Schering-Plough Animal Health.

The oocysts in the vaccine are sensitive to environmentaltemperature. The vaccine should be maintained between+2° C and +8° C (36°- 47° F) throughout shipping, storage

and subsequent transport to farm or hatchery, Broussardsays.

“Watch out for uneven temperatures in a refrigerator thatcould result in partial freezing of the product, especially ifit’s kept near the top, bottom or back of the unit,” he says.

“Even if you see just a few ice crystals in the liquid, tossthe vial. Even partial freezing can destroy enough of theoocysts to impair vaccine efficacy,” Broussard adds.

COCCI VIEWS

33

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. E-fax 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 P. CollinsMarcelo Lang Fabio Paganini

Managing Editor: Joseph Feeks

Associate Editor: Diana Delmar

Design & Production: Deborah Sottile

When looking over the articlesfor this issue of CocciForum, Iwas moved by Dr. CorradoLongoni’s main reason for want-ing to remove drugs from thepoultry feeds used by hisemployer, Martini Alimentare, amajor producer in Italy.

“I have two babies at home,” he says in the article begin-ning on page 8. “When I go down to our company slaugh-terhouse to buy chicken for my family, I do it with confi-dence because I know our product is safe and free of drugresidues. Food safety has to be our first priority — for us,for our customers and for the image of the poultry industry.”

Over on page ___, in our special report about the glob-al symposium we sponsored for nutritionists working tomanage disease through better intestinal health, I was struckby Dr. Joaquim Brufau’s list of the top three concerns in theEuropean poultry industry: food safety, food safety and foodsafety.

More drug bans comingLater that same day, I reviewed a paper that my col-league, Dr. Fabio Paganini, prepared for the SeventeenthEuropean Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat inthe Netherlands this May. He noted the growing con-cerns from consumers and the medical community aboutantibiotic resistance in animals being passed along tohumans. Even though this relationship has been a con-troversial issue, the use in animal feed in the EuropeanUnion will be prohibited as of January 1, 2006. How longwill it be before the US and other major markets do thesame — if only to meet demands of export markets?

Then there are the ionophores, another type of feedantibiotic commonly used in poultry and livestock to man-age coccidiosis. Paganini writes that the use of these in-feedanticoccidials in livestock does not appear to be related tothe development of resistance in humans.

“However,” he adds, “their toxicity to non-target speciesand the potential contamination of meat, animal feed and

the environment with residues have made a growing num-ber of poultry producers discontinue their use in favor ofdrug-free alternatives such as vaccines.

“When vaccination is coupled with good management,particularly high quality nutrition, it greatly reduces or eliminates the need for drugs used to control coccidiosis as well as other conditions in birds. At the same time, itallows producers to be as cost-competitive as when usinganticoccidials.”

There are alternativesSchering-Plough Animal Health saw this trend coming inthe 1990s and recognized the need for alternatives tococcidiosis management. That certainly gave us reason tospeed development of our two lines of coccidiosis vac-cines, Coccivac and Paracox, but we also saw an oppor-tunity to help the poultry industry find drug-free alterna-tives without compromising performance, efficiency andprofitability.

In time we recognized that there was more to managingcoccidiosis in drug-free birds than swapping a medicationfor a vaccine. To make this work effectively, poultry com-panies also need to rethink their nutrition programs andfocus on better intestinal health.

We are happy that we can share our expertise in thisarea — whether it’s through an article in CocciForum, a visitto a customer or by hosting major seminars, such as theones we held recently in Madeira (page6) and Atlanta at theInternational Poultry Expo.

More importantly, we are grateful for the many inde-pendent experts who have been working closely with us todevelop the IDEA concept for better intestinal health. Youcan count on us to bring you more ideas and products forbetter intestinal health in the future.

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

It’s all about food safety

CHARTING THE COURSE FOR INTESTINAL HEALTH

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