Sulfamerazine Therapy in Experimental Cecal Coccidiosis of Chickens

Abstract

Results of experiments involving 593 Rhode Island Red chickens revealed that when 1% sulfamerazine was fed in the mash for 7 days to Eimeria tenella-infected birds, mortality was materially reduced. When 0.25% sulfarnerazine was administered, the chickens were benefited if treatment was started before or not later than the 2d day after inoculation. This % of the drug served as a prophylactic when treatment was started 1 day before or on the day of inoculation. Both percentages of the drug were toxic, as indicated by poorer wt. gains and occasional spleen and liver lesions in the treated birds. 1% sulfamera-zine administered within 24 hrs. of inoculation was coccidio-static as long as it was fed. Within 4-5 days after withdrawal of the drug, the infected birds exhibited clinical symptoms of coccidiosis, and one bird died of the disease.