The effect of a Local isolate and Houghton strain of Eimeria tenella on clinical and growth parameters following challenge in chickens vaccinated with IMMUCOX^® and LIVACOX^® vaccines

Coccidiosis, a parasitic infection caused by one or more of the numerous species of Eimeria is recognised as the disease that has severe economic impact on poultry production. In an experiment to determine the effect of vaccination on the infection with a Local isolate and Houghton strain of Eimeria tenella (E. tenella). Ninety (90) day-old Dominant black cockerel chicks of D109 strain were randomly divided into nine groups (A–I). Two commercially available anti-coccidial vaccines—Livacox^® (Biopharm, Czech Republic) and Immucox^® (Vetech, Ontario, Canada) were used to immunize the chicks. Immunization was done at 5 days-old by oral gavage and infection was carried out with 1.7 × 10⁴E. tenella of either Houghton strain or a field (Local) isolate at 4-weeks old. Six (6) days post-challenge, generalized pallor, moderate bloody diarrhea, slight reduction in feed intake and weight gain characterized the infected groups. There is a significant difference (p < 0.05) in packed cell volume of group B, unvaccinated and infected with Houghton strain of E. tenella and group E vaccinated with Livacox^® and infected with Houghton strain. The Immunogenicity of Livacox^® and Immucox^® was determined primarily on the ability of the vaccinated chickens to overcome the effect of the virulent challenge by E. tenella including blood loss, reduction in feed intake and feed conversion and weight loss. The two anticoccidial vaccines used in this experiment were effective in varying degrees especially with the local isolate.