Efficacy evaluations of robenzidene for control of coccidiosis in chickens

Abstract

Robenzidene proved to be a potent anticoccidial agent when tested against severe coccidial infections in chickens maintained in batteries and floor pens. In laboratory experiments the drug was tested against inoculations of Eimeria acervulina, E. brunetti, E. maxima, E. mivati, E. necatrix, and E. tenella oocysts. E. praecox and E. hagani were also included in a combined infection tested in floor-pen experiments. No mortality, little (if any) depression in growth rate, and few lesions occurred in chickens medicated with robenzidene. Unmedicated controls showed 86.7% mortality in one laboratory experiment and up to 9.5% in floor-pen experiments. In tests involving lesion scoring and oocyst counts before and after withdrawal of the drug from the feed, both coccidiostatic and coccidiocidal properties were demonstrated.