Effects of monensin sodium and live attenuated oocyst vaccine as coccidiosis management programs on productive performance, bone quality and mineral utilisation in broiler chickens

1. The following study was conducted to evaluate the influence of coccidiosis vaccine-induced metabolic stress on the utilisation of minerals in broilers. The starter, grower and finisher phase diets, including macro- and micro minerals at the recommended levels for the breed standards, were fed to chickens between 1 and 39 d of age.2. A total of 486, one-d-old male broilers were randomly distributed into three coccidiosis management programs (CMP) with six replications each. The CMP comprised: monensin sodium (MON), coccidiosis vaccine (VAC), not treated with MON or VAC (CNT).3. No significant differences between CMP were observed for body weight and weight gain among treatments. When compared to the CNT, the VAC program increased feed intake (P < 0.05) between d 1 to 13 and 14 to 26, while FCR worsened in the latter (P < 0.05) and the former (P = 0.05) periods.4. For birds in the MON and VAC programs, tibia bone length at d 13 and bone diameter at d 39 were both enhanced (P < 0.05). Meat yield characteristics were comparable among the CMP.5. Faeces of VAC birds had a lower (P < 0.05) dry matter and ash content than those in CNT program. CMP had no effect on serum or bone mineral concentrations at any point in time. For minerals, Mg, Na, and K faecal excretion was reduced (P < 0.01) as a result of the VAC program at d 13 with a trend at d 26.6. Compared to the CNT, the VAC program decreased the percentage ratio of drip loss (P = 0.08), water holding capacity (P < 0.01) and cooking loss (P < 0.01) in breast meat.7. Overall, the results showed that current broiler industry practices are capable of meeting the mineral needs of broilers vaccinated against coccidiosis.