A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis
Ovine coccidiosis is a widespread intestinal parasitic disease caused by Eimeria spp. Lambs are infected by the ingestion of sporulated oocysts, experiencing diarrhea and low growth rates. Control should be based on measures to reduce infection pressure and stress on the animals as well as on approp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1326431/full |
| _version_ | 1797403342320697344 |
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| author | Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez Jorge Gutiérrez José Luis Blasco-Castello María Marcos-Santamaría Santiago Cano-Alsua Laura Elvira Ignacio Ferre Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora |
| author_facet | Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez Jorge Gutiérrez José Luis Blasco-Castello María Marcos-Santamaría Santiago Cano-Alsua Laura Elvira Ignacio Ferre Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora |
| author_sort | Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ovine coccidiosis is a widespread intestinal parasitic disease caused by Eimeria spp. Lambs are infected by the ingestion of sporulated oocysts, experiencing diarrhea and low growth rates. Control should be based on measures to reduce infection pressure and stress on the animals as well as on appropriate diagnosis and strategic treatment. To obtain information on how control measures are implemented in the ovine sector in Spain, a questionnaire-based survey was completed in 2022 by 154 veterinarians and 173 farmers working in this sector. Coccidiosis was highlighted as a relevant disease by 34% of the respondents. The period of greatest risk seemed to differ between production systems, being mainly early after weaning (7–15 days after weaning) in meat flocks and feedlots and later (1–2 months after weaning) in dairy flocks. The absence of cleaning and disinfection measures was identified as a risk factor by 51% of the veterinarians, with 22% mentioning overcrowding of animals and 22% indicating that coccidiosis has more incidence in flocks with large number of animals. The use of laboratory diagnosis methods (fecal oocyst count) was unusual in 70 and 84% of the veterinarians and farmers, respectively. Regarding control, dairy flocks usually housed a larger number of animals under intensive conditions, and they implemented more frequently control measures for coccidiosis than meat flocks. Anticoccidial drugs were used in 79% of the flocks, and in 74–82% of them, they were applied based on clinical criteria. Comparing protocols for anticoccidial treatment among different production systems, in meat flocks, anticoccidial drugs were applied more frequently when clinical signs were observed, and coccidiostats were used for less than 28 days compared to dairy flocks. These results highlight the need for improvement in the use of anticoccidial treatments adjusted to the new regulatory framework in the EU, which in turn will rationalize the use of antimicrobial compounds and may help to mitigate the impact of coccidiosis in flocks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:37:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f6d3b0ff748478988b43da3b41f1d52 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:37:14Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f6d3b0ff748478988b43da3b41f1d522023-12-06T08:17:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692023-12-011010.3389/fvets.2023.13264311326431A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosisRoberto Sánchez-Sánchez0Jorge Gutiérrez1José Luis Blasco-Castello2María Marcos-Santamaría3Santiago Cano-Alsua4Laura Elvira5Ignacio Ferre6Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora7SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, SpainMSD Animal Health, Polígono Industrial El Montalvo, C/Zeppelin, Salamanca, SpainMSD Animal Health, Polígono Industrial El Montalvo, C/Zeppelin, Salamanca, SpainMSD Animal Health, Polígono Industrial El Montalvo, C/Zeppelin, Salamanca, SpainComputing Services, Research Support Center, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, SpainMSD Animal Health, Polígono Industrial El Montalvo, C/Zeppelin, Salamanca, SpainSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, SpainSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, SpainOvine coccidiosis is a widespread intestinal parasitic disease caused by Eimeria spp. Lambs are infected by the ingestion of sporulated oocysts, experiencing diarrhea and low growth rates. Control should be based on measures to reduce infection pressure and stress on the animals as well as on appropriate diagnosis and strategic treatment. To obtain information on how control measures are implemented in the ovine sector in Spain, a questionnaire-based survey was completed in 2022 by 154 veterinarians and 173 farmers working in this sector. Coccidiosis was highlighted as a relevant disease by 34% of the respondents. The period of greatest risk seemed to differ between production systems, being mainly early after weaning (7–15 days after weaning) in meat flocks and feedlots and later (1–2 months after weaning) in dairy flocks. The absence of cleaning and disinfection measures was identified as a risk factor by 51% of the veterinarians, with 22% mentioning overcrowding of animals and 22% indicating that coccidiosis has more incidence in flocks with large number of animals. The use of laboratory diagnosis methods (fecal oocyst count) was unusual in 70 and 84% of the veterinarians and farmers, respectively. Regarding control, dairy flocks usually housed a larger number of animals under intensive conditions, and they implemented more frequently control measures for coccidiosis than meat flocks. Anticoccidial drugs were used in 79% of the flocks, and in 74–82% of them, they were applied based on clinical criteria. Comparing protocols for anticoccidial treatment among different production systems, in meat flocks, anticoccidial drugs were applied more frequently when clinical signs were observed, and coccidiostats were used for less than 28 days compared to dairy flocks. These results highlight the need for improvement in the use of anticoccidial treatments adjusted to the new regulatory framework in the EU, which in turn will rationalize the use of antimicrobial compounds and may help to mitigate the impact of coccidiosis in flocks.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1326431/fullcoccidiosisEimeriasheepquestionnairesurveycontrol |
| spellingShingle | Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez Jorge Gutiérrez José Luis Blasco-Castello María Marcos-Santamaría Santiago Cano-Alsua Laura Elvira Ignacio Ferre Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis Frontiers in Veterinary Science coccidiosis Eimeria sheep questionnaire survey control |
| title | A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis |
| title_full | A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis |
| title_fullStr | A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis |
| title_short | A questionnaire-based survey in Spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis |
| title_sort | questionnaire based survey in spain provides relevant information to improve the control of ovine coccidiosis |
| topic | coccidiosis Eimeria sheep questionnaire survey control |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1326431/full |
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