Feed Mill Logistics Aren’t a Problem When Initiating Coccidiosis Vaccination
Dr. José Ignacio Barragan
The logistics of producing
feed with and without
anticoccidials is sometimes
viewed as a stumbling block
to initiation of coccidiosis vaccination,
but it need not be a
problem, says Dr. José Ignacio
Barragan, poultry veterinarian
an independent nutritional
consultant in Spain.
Let’s say a producer wants
to start vaccinating against
coccidiosis on January 1. On
December 30, the feed mill
stops making the F1 or starter feed with the anticoccidial.
Meanwhile, birds prior to that have had the feed with the
anticoccidial for 21 days. By January 20, those birds are 20
days or older.
On January 19, the feed mill produces 1.5 kg (3.31
pounds) of F2 or grower feed for each bird under anticoccidial
control. “This means a minimum of an additional
12 days of consumption. The worst case scenario would be
if the feed mill is able to produce only 1 kg (2.2 pounds)
per bird, which would be additional 8 days of consumption,”
he says.
On January 20, the feed mill produces F2 without anticoccidial
for all the birds that received coccidiosis vaccination.
All birds in the anticoccidial program will have medicated
feed for up to a minimum of 33 days and it’s unlikely
there would be a problem with coccidiosis. As a precaution,
the birds could be given amprolium at 35 days — but
it probably wouldn’t be necessary, Barragan says.
Antibiotic Use in Animals On the Decline, Study Shows
The volume of antibiotics used in the mammoth US animal
health market, including in-feed anticoccidials, dropped
nearly 8% in 2003 compared to 2002, according to a survey of
animal health companies.
In 2003, 8,644,638 pounds of ionophores/arsenicals were
used, compared to 9,050,957 pounds in 2002. However, in 2001,
only 7,758,492 pounds of these products were used, according
to the survey, conducted by the Washington-based Animal
Health Association (AHA).
Antibiotics that also were on the decline from 2002 to 2003
included cephalosporins, macrolides, lincosamides and other
“minor” classes of antibiotics, as well as aminoglycosides, sulfonamides
and penicillins.
The use of fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines increased during
the same time period, according to AHA, which says the
study included antibiotics used in both farm and companion
animals.
Steve Collins, vice president, worldwide poultry for Schering-
Plough Animal Health Corporation, says that the study in part
reflects public concern about the use of antibiotics in food animals
and comes as no surprise considering the dramatic
increase in the use of non-antibiotic methods of disease control,
such as vaccination for coccidiosis in poultry.
“Seven of the top 10 poultry companies in the United States
have used vaccination as part of a long-term, integrated strategy
to control coccidiosis in broilers,” he notes. “That’s a tremendous
leap from only a few years ago.”
Nevertheless, antibiotics are and will remain an important
part of animal health care, he says. “The trend is toward more
thoughtful, judicious use of antibiotics in food animals, and
that’s a positive development.”
SprayCox AirMix Technology Simplifies Mixing of Oocysts
Dr. Mike Francis
Vaccinating against coccidiosis with the SprayCox spray cabinet
will be even easier with the addition of new AirMix
technology.
AirMix is a simple air pump that keeps the vaccine’s oocysts
suspended during mixing, says Paul
Townsend, the tech engineer at
Schering-Plough Animal Health who
developed the original SprayCox and
its latest improvement.
Currently, Coccivac and Paracox
vaccines are mixed in a 10-liter
carboy — a large container — that
is connected to the SprayCox unit
with tubing. A magnetic spin bar
within the carboy mixes the vaccine
solution and is powered by an electric
motor that spins a magnetic bar
underneath the carboy.
However, if the spin bar is thrown off center from the magnetic
stirrer, spinning stops and ooysts fall to the bottom of the
carboy. “This is not detectable except by looking inside the
carboy, which is only done when refilling,” Townsend
explains.
To solve the problem, he came up with the idea of using a
small air pump and flexible air diffuser within the carboy. It’s
the same device used in aquariums
and emits fine air bubbles that keep
the oocysts suspended, he says.
Testing has indicated that use of the
air pump will provide a much more
reliable method of mixing the vaccine
solution, Townsend says.
This latest improvement comes on
the heels of SprayCox II, an updated
version of the spray cabinet that features
better placement of nozzles.
Vaccine spray stays in the box and
there is virtually no overspray on the
machine or on the floor.
For more information about the new SprayCox design or to
upgrade existing equipment, contact your local Schering-
Plough Animal Health representative.
Danish Authorities OK Paracox-5 After Rigorous Testing
Schering-Plough Animal Health has secured regulatory
approval to sell its coccidiosis vaccine for broilers,
Paracox-5, in Denmark.
Even though Paracox-5 has been registered throughout the
EU since 2000 and despite significant sales in many of the markets,
the vaccine could not be sold in
Denmark because of testing requirements and
problems unique to that country, explains
Rod Watson, regional senior director for
Europe and the Middle East, Schering-Plough
Animal Health
Denmark has a national screening and
eradication program for Newcastle disease
virus (NDV) that involves in vivo testing for
extraneous agents. The test, however, takes
several months to complete, beyond the shelf
life of Paracox-5.
Even though all Paracox vaccines are produced
in disease-free birds in a GMP plant in
an NDV-free country, and even though every single batch is
tested for extraneous agents, Danish authorities wanted to
abide by the rules of their own program, says Watson.
In addition, if testing according to the Danish program
turned up a false positive, then supplies of Paracox-5 could
have been delayed throughout Europe, he says.
Alternative test
To solve the problem, Schering-Plough Animal Health’s regulatory
affairs department consulted with the Danish Medicines
Agency and concluded that an alternative in vitro test, such as
a PCR, could be used in place of the current in vivo test. The
company’s Research and Development team then came up
with a suitable test.
Headed by Dr. Mike Francis, the team started by consulting
with scientists from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, UK,
which is the European reference laboratory for NDV. They
developed a plan for an in vitro RP-PCR
test that could detect small amounts of
NDV genetic material within the vaccine.
They also designed bird studies to prove
that this level of antigen could not possibly
lead to seroconversion — or active
Newcastle disease in birds vaccinated with
Paracox-5.
After more consultations, the test was
included in the company’s standard manufacturing
quality control procedures for
Paracox-5, with a plan to use it as soon as
the Danish authorities accepted the
methodology, he says.
After that, Schering-Plough Animal Health had to validate
the suitability of the test, which required more rounds of testing.
One bonus finding was that the sterilization treatment used
to make Paracox-5 would destroy NDV, eliminating the risk of
a bird contacting NDV from the Paracox-5 vaccine, Francis
says.
All the work that was accomplished was compiled into an
audited report and sent with supporting documentation to
Danish regulatory authorities. Within a week after its receipt,
the authorities granted permission to sell Paracox-5 in
Denmark, he says.