Contributed Papers: Posters
Chemotherapy |
Efficacy of decoquinate at different administration
strategies against cryptosporidiosis in natural infected
cashmere goat kids
L.M. Ortega-Mora, K. Osoro, U. García, S. Pedraza-Diaz,
M. Gómez-Bautista, A. Richard(2), I. Ferre.
Dpto. Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria,
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda.
Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain–
(2) Alpharma, Silic 411, 3 Impasse de la Noisette,
91374 Verrières le Buisson,France,
alain.richard@alpharma.com
This trial was
carried out to evaluate the efficacy of decoquinate
to prevent cryptosporidiosis in goat kids.
The experiment (3 groups) was conducted in a flock
of Cashmere goats with a confirmed history of neonatal
diarrhoea caused by Cryptosporidium sp.
- Group A.- 24 kids unmedicated,.
- Group B.- 25 kids that received orally from 3 days
old 2.5 mg/kg/day of décoquinate for 21 days.
- Group C.- 15 kids that were not medicated, but born
from goats treated during 21 days before the expected
day of kidding with 2.5 mg/kg/day of décoquinate
..
The animals included in the control group showed the
most severe clinical signs such as significantly softer
faecal consistency at 11 days after birth, and one
kid died 9 days after birth Episodes of diarrhoea
were only observed in some kids included in the unmedicated
group between 11 and 13 days after birth. Kids in
group B showed softer faeces than those included in
group C at 15 and 17 days after birth. Abdominal pain
was only observed in some kids showing diarrhoea in
control group.
The mean weight gains during the experimental period
for groups A, B and C were 2.61, 2.57 and 3.23 kg,
respectively.
The pattern of oocyst shedding was similar in the
three groups. However, oocyst shedding scores in groups
B and C were notably lower than those observed in
the control group over the experiment. In addition,
the maximum oocyst shedding scores were reached sooner
in the control group (11 days after birth) than in
groups B (13 days) and C (15 days). The number of
unmedicated Cashmere kids shedding Cryptosporidium
sp. oocysts was significantly higher than those observed
in kids of groups B and C. In general, the percentage
of treated kids shedding oocysts was significantly
lower than those kids born from medicated does.
The present
study shows that decoquinate treatment at 2.5 mg/kg/day
for 21 days delay the appearance of clinical cryptosporidiosis
and reduces the severity of naturally acquired cryptosporidiosis
in kids and prevented episodes of diarrhoea.
On the other hand, the kids born from mothers treated
with decoquinate has similar results to those obtained
in treated kids and notably better than those observed
in the untreated ones. These kids showed a better
final weight gain than medicated and control kids.
An explanation of this result may be the effect of
decoquinate on the periparturient rise.