Clinical and hematological effects of experimentally induced coccidiosis and its prophylactic control in commercial quails

A study was conducted at College of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore to see the clinical effects of experimentally induced coccidiosis and some hematological parameters, with its prophylactic control in commercial quail (Cotumix commix japonica). For this purpose, 120 day-old quail chicks purchased from a local hatchery were reared under controlled management and coccidiosis-free condition for 42 days of experiment. The chicks were divided into four groups i.e., A, B. C and D. each comprising of 30 birds. A commercial coccidiostat- free feed and clean drinking water were provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period to all the chicks in four groups. Group A served as control, group B as infected control while group C and D were administered with locally prepared and an imported anti- coccidial vaccine respectively. The chicks in group B, C and D were administered 50.000 oocyst of coccidia (Eimeria tenella) directly into the crop at 18 days of age. As for as the results are concerned no clinical signs. OPG or mortality were observed in the group-A chicks throughout the experiment. The group-B had the highest (P less than 0.05) mean OPG count (108200 plus minus 734). while lower in group- C (32310 plus minus 734) and group-D (13580 plus minus 734) were recorded at the end of experiment (4th week). The highest peak being in the 3rd week post- infection. The lowest (P less than 0.05) Hb and TEC values were recorded in the infected group B. while in other infected groups (C and D), these values were also decreased but comparatively lesser than group B. TLC values were increased in infected group B as compared to other infected groups i.e. C and D: the difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). In case of DLC there were increased number of heterophils and Monocytes. while decreased number of lymphocytes. basophilic and eosinophils in the infected groups (B. C and D) than group A.