Agroecological model for avian coccidiosis

Code:

ATN/RF-18136-RG

Initiative:

Call for Proposals

FONTAGRO Amount:

USD 200.000

Counterpart Amount:

USD 536.911

Execution time

42 Months

Total Amount:

USD 736.911

Participating countries:

Argentina

Chile

Funding source:

FONTAGRO Amount 27% Other agencies 0% Counterpart Amount 73%

Executive Summary

Avian coccidiosis is an intestinal parasitosis that causes sanitation problems in poultry farms. It is caused by an intestinal parasite of the genus Eimeria that is highly contagious and produces great economic losses in both meat and egg production. At the industrial level, its control is carried out through biosecurity measures, management, live vaccines and antimicrobials. Although vaccination is effective in industrial poultry, family producers do not use it as a sustainable strategy due to its high cost. In addition, drugs used at an industrial level cause environmental contamination and may leave residues in products intended for human consumption, potentially posing toxic effects for consumers. In family farming, there are no formal reports of the parasite species that affect birds and determining these is crucial for decision-making regarding prevention and treatment. Therefore, generating the necessary knowledge to understand the problem and developing an agroecological model for effective disease control is essential.

The technological solution

Research on the proper management of coccidiosis through breeding under animal welfare practices, sustainable management of natural resources and the use of probiotics.

Results

First study on coccidiosis in family poultry farming in Argentina and Chile, with an 85.2% occurrence rate in 135 samples. The most frequent species detected were E. mitis (24.1%), E. acervulina (21.3%), and E. tenella (20.4%). About 48.5% of producers are unaware of the disease, with 94.7% in Chile. Women manage between 48-53% of farms. In Chile, 85.7% of farms clean monthly, while in Argentina, 64.9% clean per rearing cycle. Around 69% of farms have stress factors, such as low temperatures or mixed-age birds. A bank of oocysts and DNA with field isolates was created, and an experimental model with technological innovations and an agroecological input was developed and is being implemented to improve production parameters and meat quality. An innovation network has already been established to boost poultry farming in Latin America, aiming to spread the model to increase family poultry production profits by 10-20%, increase bird weight at slaughter by 15%, improve feed conversion by 10%, and reduce bird mortality by 80%.