Study on Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Poultry Coccidiosis in and Around Alage at vet College, Southwestern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to March 2017 in and around Alage ATVET College, southwestern Ethiopia, with the objective of determining the prevalence of poultry coccidiosis and its associated risk factors in intensively and backyard managed chickens. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study samples. Fresh fecal samples were collected from a total of 451 chickens. Poultry fecal droppings floatation technique was used to detect coccidian oocyst. The result revealed that out of 451 chickens examined, 88 were positive for coccidiosis and the overall prevalence was 19.5% (88/451). According to the study 363 of chickens were found to be negative with a prevalence of 80.5% (363/451). The frequency of detection of oocyst in the fecal samples from exotic and local breed chicken were 20.7% and 17.7%, respectively. It showed statistically non-significant difference between the two breed groups (P=0.421, X2=0.646). The result also showed that the prevalence of coccidiosis between the sexes was 20.1% and 18.5 % in female and male chickens respectively.

This result is statistically not significant between the two sexes (P=0.684, X2=0.1661). The prevalence rates of 22.5%, 10.9% and 9.3% were recorded in chicken grouped under the age category of 1-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks and of greater than 6 weeks, respectively. The prevalence among the age showed statistically significant difference (P=0.017, X2=8.1696) which was being higher in chickens up to 1-3 weeks of age (22.5%). The prevalence rates of 3.7% and 28.3% were also recorded in post-treated and non-treated chickens respectively and this difference in prevalence was statistically significant (P=0.000, X2=39.7269). Furthermore, coccidiosis occurrence in intensive farm was 20.6% and in backyard management system was 17.9% and this difference in prevalence was not statistically significant (P=0.477, X2=0.5053). The study showed that coccidiosis is important disease of poultry in and around Alage ATVETC south western Ethiopia and this is an indication for intervention to tackle the disease without any priority within the risk factors.

Keywords: Alage; Coccidiosis; Floatation; Oocyst; Prevalence