Zambia Agribusiness Society

One of the challenges you face as a farmer is the threat of a common and potentially devastating disease called coccidiosis. But once you understand what causes it and how it spreads, you can feel more confident about your ability to limit its impact on your flock. Coccidiosis is caused by a microscopic parasite that is transmitted via the droppings from infected birds. In other words anywhere there's a microscopic trace of bird's dropping in water or feeders there is almost certainly coccidia present. So you have to make sure that the hygiene of the water and feeds is at its best. Symptoms of coccidiosis include; brown diarrhoea, weight loss, paleness, ruffled feathers, huddling, loss of appetite, bloody diarrhoea. All birds are at risk, but growing birds and young adults 3 to 9 weeks seem more susceptible. So in case of any invasion by this disease always treat it using Embazim Fort, it is given for five consecutive days. When coccidiosis is allowed to proliferate unhan...

Coccidia symptoms include bloody diarrhoea, watery diarrhoea, ruffled feathers, huddling, weight loss, depression, paleness, lack of appetite and poor weight gain, but chickens may show no symptoms whatsoever. Most birds are affected between the ages of 3 and 5 weeks old. While it can affect any chicken at any age, most chickens are immune to coccidia by the time they're 14 weeks old. Your veterinarian can diagnose coccidiosis by looking for oocysts or protozoan eggs in a bird's faecal sample under a microscope. Treatment: You can treat coccidia outbreaks either with medication prescribed by your veterinarian or with anticoccidial medications available at feed stores and from poultry suppliers. Follow the medication's directions for treating chickens. Prevention: Many chick foods come pre-medicated to prevent coccidiosis outbreaks. When fed to chicks, it helps build the young chicks' immunity to the parasite by allowing some oocysts to make it through. You can prevent ...