Prevalence Of Coccidiosis Among Poultry Birds Slaughtered At Selected Markets In Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna
I.K. Auta
Department of Biological Sciences, Kaduna State University, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kaduna Nigeria
S. J. Samaila
Department of Biological Sciences, Kaduna State University, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kaduna Nigeria
B. Solomon
Department of Biological Sciences, Kaduna State University, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kaduna Nigeria
Keywords: PREVALENCE OF COCCIDIOSIS, POULTRY BIRDS SLAUGHTERED, MARKETS IN KADUNA METROPOLIS, Railway Station markets
Abstract
Poultry sector plays a vital role in income and employment generation as well as source of protein. This vibrant sector is seriously affected by coccidiosis, a protozoan parasitic disease caused by the genus Eimeria. This work is carried out to determine the prevalence of coccidial infection in chickens faecal samples of different breeds from Chechenia and Railway Station market, Kaduna. A total of 120 samples of gastro-intestinal tracts of broiler, layer, cock and local chickens were collected randomly from chicken butchers at the dressing unit of the two markets in pre-labeled specimen bottles indicating the breed of the chicken containing 10% formalin and brought to the laboratory for further analysis. Fifteen (15) faecal samples of each breed were examined using flotation technique methods. The results revealed 9 (60.0%), 11 (73.3%), 6 (40.0%) and 4 (26.7%) of broiler, layer, cock and local breeds respectively from Chechenia market were infected. While faecal samples from Railway Station market gave 8 (53.35%), 12 (80.0%), 6 (40.0%) of broiler, layer, cock and local breeds respectively. The prevalence was observed to be high in layers followed by broilers for both markets. Cock and local chickens had the lowest from the two markets. There is a significant difference between the type of breeds examined (p˂0.05) from the markets. These findings suggest that coccidiosis is a widely occurring disease among birds slaughtered in the two markets. For a successful prevention of outbreak of coccidiosis in poultry houses, proper biosecurity, good sanitary measures, good litter management and avoidance of all other factors that will favour sporulation and dissemination of oocysts of Eimeria species is necessary. Self-diagnosis and treatment of common poultry infections such as coccidiosis which is the common practiced by a good number of farmers should be discouraged, the practice encourages drug resistance by Eimeria parasite