Journal of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Assessment of Coccidia in Poultry in Guyana
Renáe L. Turney, Johaine E. McAllister

Abstract
Coccidiosis is known to cause great economic losses to poultry producers affecting the performance of poultry globally. A study was carried out reviewing the prevalence of coccidia in commercial broilers and layers from faecal samples and whole animal from 37 farms dispersed mainly throughout the low-lying coastal plain of Guyana. The faecal oocysts count for samples subjected to the Modified McMaster Technique, along with the pathological lesions seen at necropsy were reviewed. A total of 71.2% of poultry examined through necropsy showed mild to moderate thickened, wrinkled and edematous intestinal walls with multifocal ecchymotic haemorrhages and congestion with mucoid content. An overall prevalence of 42.2% was observed in 48.6% of the farms. 67.9% prevalence was observed in broilers and 25.6% in layers. Broilers, =3 weeks old showed a prevalence of 72%, while layers = 6 months a prevalence of 33.3%. A total of 96.4% of the birds which showed positive signs for coccidia also appeared to have other infections.

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