Control of Coccidiosis in Caged Egg Layers: A Paper Plate Vaccination Method

Coccidiosis continues to affect caged layers worldwide despite keeping them on wire all their productive lives. Coccidiosis in caged layers, diagnosed either in clinical or subclinical forms, has one feature in common, unpredictability. Until recently, despite the use of vaccine, coccidiosis remained problematic, particularly at the beginning of lay, likely related to the low protective immunity for a lack of vehicle for recycling. An approach for using paper plates, both for vaccination as well as recycling is described. Caged layers that were vaccinated once with gel-puck coccidiosis vaccine laid at over 90% continuously for over 24 wk with little or no problem of coccidiosis.