Editor's note: The following is from a presentation by Sara Throne, DVM, Simmons Foods, Arkansas, during the 2024 conference of the American Association of Avian Pathologists.

Successful rotations of coccidiosis vaccine in broilers require a lot of preparation and work before the vaccine ever makes it to the hatchery. It starts with developing a coccidiosis plan with your team 12-24 months in advance, taking into consideration past product usage, costs, as well as Process Verified Program designations. This allows you to know and work your plan.

The cycles leading into the coccidiosis vaccine rotation are important, especially when it comes to litter management. We try to avoid fresh litter on our first vaccine cycle, so working with growers to plan clean-outs is important. Preparing our service tech team and growers is also a critical step. Spend time educating your techs on coccidiosis, fecal droppings, and coccidiosis lesions. The environment our birds are in plays a key role in coccidiosis vaccine implementation and success. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of the basics: feed, water, lights, temperature, litter, and air quality. We also stress the importance of brooding management.

Lastly, we must ensure that all things are done correctly in the hatchery to ensure that viable vaccine makes it to the hatchery. That means handling it correctly to keep oocysts viable during receiving, storing and mixing. This includes making sure that birds ingest and replicate the vaccine. By building and executing a solid plan, as a team, we have been able to successfully perform with a coccidiosis vaccination program as a key component of our health and welfare program in our broilers.

Vaccination affects broiler diets

Presented by Dr. Diego Martinez and Dr. Craig Coon, University of Arkansas, during the 2024 conference of the American Association of Avian Pathologists.

Intestinal health is a major factor producing performance variability among and within broiler complexes. This study developed a mechanistic model explaining the associations between gut health challenges, performance, the associated diet energy value, and the economic value of the carcass. The results of a three-phase study indicated that coccidia vaccination increases the amino acid requirement by 10% and actual coccidiosis challenges increase the amino acid requirement by 45%. Acute-phase response, enterocyte turnover, and impaired nutrient absorption were the main factors explaining the increased amino acid requirement.

One experiment demonstrated that protein breakdown (17% body protein catabolized) and the associated reduction in body protein content supported the acute response, increased the net energy for maintenance (760 to 3148 kcal/kg), and reduced the net energy for gain (1691 to -2622 kcal/kg) and productive energy (2451 to 527 kcal/kg).

Coccidia and enteritis challenges decrease the diet productive energy by increasing protein breakdown to support the acute phase response. Productive energy is sensitive to variations in performance due to coccidia or enteritis challenges. Estimating their impact, or that of interventions to control them, on productive energy and the market value is a sensible approach for economic assessments.