I. Ensure Effective Immunization
Currently, four types of live coccidiosis vaccines are used for planned immunization on chicken farms: precocious, intermediate, and late-maturing vaccines, and a combined vaccine containing precocious, intermediate, and late-maturing strains.
1, beak-drop immunization. This method provides the most consistent and ideal results, but each bird must be dosed individually, which requires considerable labor. Where conditions permit, the beak-drop method is recommended. Procedure: Dilute the vaccine for 1000 doses with 53ml–55mL of physiological saline or cooled boiled water. Shake thoroughly, then pour it into a dropper bottle. Administer two drops into each chicken’s beak. During administration, keep shaking the dropper bottle to ensure the vaccine remains evenly mixed, and complete the process in a short time.
2, feed-mixing immunization. Mixing the vaccine into feed is simple to carry out and requires less labor. Its immunization effect is not as good as beak-drop administration, but it is nevertheless a commonly used method with fairly good results. Procedure: Spread the chickens’ daily feed evenly in the feeding troughs or other feeding equipment, then dilute the vaccine for 1000 doses with 1kg of cooled boiled water. Mix thoroughly and pour it into a sprayer that has been thoroughly cleaned. Spray evenly over the feed at a rate of 1 doses per chicken; the feed surface should just be moistened. Shake the sprayer frequently during application to keep the vaccine evenly mixed.
3, drinking-water immunization. Allow the chickens to eat and drink freely for 2 hours, then withhold water for 2 hours. Dilute the coccidiosis vaccine in enough cooled boiled water for the chickens to drink within 1–2 hours, and add a suspending agent. Divide the measured vaccine solution among the drinkers and let the chickens drink freely.
II. Maintain a Clean Environment
Cool, damp conditions inside the chicken house, poor sanitation, inadequate disinfection, and poor husbandry are among the main factors that trigger outbreaks of coccidiosis. Warm, humid conditions favor the development and spread of coccidial oocysts. By contrast, good ventilation, sound husbandry, prompt manure removal, regular disinfection, dry housing, and appropriate stocking density can help prevent the disease. Therefore, maintain good environmental hygiene, keep the chicken house dry and well ventilated and the farm clean, remove manure regularly, and prevent the spread of coccidial oocysts.
III. Strengthening husbandry management
Keep feed and drinking water clean, and disinfect cages, feed troughs, and water troughs regularly, generally once a week. They can be treated with boiling water, hot steam, or 3%–5% hot alkaline water. Disinfecting the chicken farm and exercise area with Qiushaling and Nongle solution at a ratio of 1:200 has a strong coccidiocidal effect on coccidial oocysts. Adding 0.25mg–0.5mg of selenium per kilogram of feed can enhance chickens’ resistance to coccidia. Supplementing sufficient vitamin K and providing 3–7 times the recommended amount of vitamin A can accelerate recovery after chickens contract coccidiosis and enhance their resistance.
IV. Auxiliary drug prevention and treatment
1, chemically synthesized anticoccidial drugs. These drugs mainly include sulfonamides, nicarbazin, diclazuril, clopidol, and Qiuliling.
2, polyether ionophore antibiotic anticoccidial drugs. These drugs mainly include monensin, lasalocid, maduramicin, Hainanmycin, and others. Their
3, Chinese herbal medicines. These drugs mainly include new traditional Chinese medicine preparations such as Artemisia annua, Qiuqiu Jing, and Wucao Decoction. Chinese herbal medicines can improve chickens’ immunity and alleviate symptoms such as diarrhea and bloody stools caused by coccidia infection. They can not only prevent and control coccidiosis, but also fundamentally improve chickens’ disease resistance.