Date of Graduation

5-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Poultry Science

Advisor/Mentor

Hargis, Billy

Committee Member/Reader

Erf, Gisela

Committee Member/Second Reader

Tellez-Isaias, Guillermo

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the day and the time of sample collection of an

experimental challenge with Eimeria maxima (EM) and Eimeria acervulina (EA) in broiler chickens. One day old male Cobb-Vantress broiler chickens were randomly allocated to one of three groups with ten replicates (n=8 chickens/replicate). Chickens were placed in battery cages with a controlled age-appropriate environment: Group 1) Negative control (no challenge or treatment); 2) Challenge control (Eimeria challenge only); 3) Challenge + Salinomycin. Challenged chickens were orally gavaged with the mixed culture of EM/EA (10,000 sporulated EM containing 4% wild-type EA) at 14 days of age. Performance parameters were recorded at days 7, 14, 20, and 23. Lesions scores were recorded post-mortem on days 20 and 23. Oocyst per gram (OPG) was performed on days six, seven, and eight post-challenge, and samples were collected at 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM on each day, respectively. Oocyst counts were significantly

different (P < 0.05) between morning and afternoon on day six post coccidia challenge. The results of this study show that the day and the time at which samples are collected can have a significant effect on the reliability and validity of data.

Keywords

Eimeria maxima; Eimeria acervulina; oocysts shedding; performance parameters; service learning

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