Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the effect of zinc-enriched diet fed to goats and their kids on the number of Coccidia oocysts shed by kids, on clinical signs of coccidiosis, weight gains, and kids’ blood plasma concentration of zinc. A total of 22 goat kids were divided into 4 groups of 5 or 6 animals. Goats and kids from the control group did not receive any additional zinc, the second group was supplemented with inorganic zinc (zinc oxide), the third group was given zinc lactate, and the fourth group received chelated zinc. Samples of kids’ faeces were taken weekly from 3 to 9 weeks of their age (a total of 7 samples were taken). Samples of faeces were examined by a quantitative method to detect the number of oocysts. Kids were weighed weekly and their blood was taken in order to determine zinc concentrations in blood plasma. Animals from the group supplemented with zinc chelate and zinc lactate shed a significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower number of oocysts (13.4% and 11.9%, respectively) compared to the number of oocyst shed by control and zinc oxide supplemented groups (25% and 49.7%, respectively). Shedding of oocysts was not accompanied by clinical symptoms of coccidiosis in any of the groups. Kids supplemented with zinc chelate showed significantly highest weight gains and blood plasma concentration of zinc (p ≤ 0.05) as compared to control and inorganic zinc supplemented groups. Organic zinc is to be recommended to be used as a prophylaxis against coccidiosis in goat kids.
Highlights
Infections caused by Eimeria coccidia belong to the most significant protozoal infections
The aim of this study was to identify the effect of zinc-enriched diet fed to goats and their kids on the number of Coccidia oocysts shed by kids, on clinical signs of coccidiosis, weight gains, and kids’ blood plasma concentration of zinc
Kids from this group shed the least number of oocysts throughout the experiment, i.e. 11.9% of the total number of Eimeria oocysts shed in all groups
Summary
Infections caused by Eimeria coccidia belong to the most significant protozoal infections. Six specific Eimeria species were detected, namely E. arloingi, E. ninakohlyakimovae, E. christenseni, E. hirci, E. caprina and E. alievi. Their prevalence is considered to be global. In northern Jordan, coccidiosis occurs in 85% local goats and 54% of them show concurrent infection with multiple Eimeria species. Incidence of concurrent infection was significantly higher in kids (66%) than in animals over 1 year of age (49%) (Mahmoud and Hossan 2003). The course of clinical coccidiosis in goat kids can be acute, subacute, chronic or latent. The course of infection is affected by the number of oocysts being shed. Coccidiosis is considered to be clinical when more than 100,000 Eimeria oocysts are detected in 1 g of faeces (Scott 2007). Low concentrations of zinc in blood were reported in parasitic infections (Tasci et al 1995), as parasites utilize zinc for their metabolic and biochemical processes (Scott and Koski 2000)
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