Efficacy of ionophorous anticoccidial drugs against coccidia in farm-reared pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) from Illinois

Avian Dis. 1987 Apr-Jun;31(2):327-31.

Abstract

Litter samples obtained from a ring-necked pheasant propagation farm in Illinois contained coccidia: 57.5% of the oocysts were Eimeria duodenalis, 24.9% were E. tetartooimia, 8.8% were E. phasiani, and 8.8% were E. pacifica. Ionophorous anticoccidial drugs were tested for efficacy against the pheasant coccidia. All three drugs reduced oocyst production and prevented mortality in young pheasants; unmedicated infected controls had a 40% mortality rate. Monensin at 120 ppm in the feed was coccidiocidal against E. duodenalis and E. tetartooimia, partly coccidiocidal against E. pacifica, and only partly coccidiostatic against E. phasiani. Salinomycin at 60 ppm in the feed was highly efficacious and coccidiocidal against all four species, but the salinomycin-medicated pheasants gained the least of all medicated birds. Lasalocid at 120 ppm in the feed was the most effective, with nearly complete coccidiocidal activity against all four coccidial species.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bird Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Bird Diseases / parasitology
  • Birds / parasitology
  • Coccidiosis / drug therapy
  • Coccidiosis / parasitology
  • Coccidiosis / veterinary*
  • Coccidiostats / therapeutic use*
  • Eimeria / drug effects
  • Eimeria / isolation & purification
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Female
  • Illinois
  • Ionophores / therapeutic use*
  • Lasalocid / therapeutic use
  • Monensin / therapeutic use
  • Pyrans / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Coccidiostats
  • Ionophores
  • Pyrans
  • salinomycin
  • Monensin
  • Lasalocid