American-Eurasian Journal of Scientific Research 9 (5): 129-135, 2014 ISSN 1818-6785 © IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.aejsr.2014.9.5.86147 Corresponding Author: AbebeTesfaye, University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, P.O. Box, 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. 129 Prevalence of Poultry Coccidiosis in Gondar Town, North West Ethiopia Hadas Gebretensae, Mebrhatu Gebreyohannes and Abebe Tesfaye University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia Abstract: A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2013 up to April 2014 in Gondar town to determine the prevalence of poultry coccidiosis and to identify the associated risk factors. Fecal sample from a total of 384 chickens were taken from three selected areas and flotation method was employed to harvest coccidial oocysts. The result revealed that out of the 384 chickens, 165 (43%) of the chickens were found positive. the prevalence was higher in Private Farms (43.6%) followed by Markets (43%) and University of Gondar Veterinary Clinic (41%). The prevalence was found highly statistically significant (P<0.05) across age groups, in which 68.1% <3 months old chickens and 37.5% in chickens of greater or equals to three months old. A statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in prevalence of coccidiosis was also noted across breeds of chickens, with the prevalence of 48.7%, 44.2% and 26.8% in local, white leghorn and brown cucar respectively. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) among the different housing types with the prevalence of 49.1% in Floor, 45.7% in Backyard and 25.6% in Cages. There was no statistically significant difference (P<0.05) on the prevalence between male (44.3%) and female (42.4%) chickens. The effect of body condition on the disease prevalence was assessed and relatively high prevalence was recorded in those chickens which have poor body condition (43.8%) than those chicken which have good body condition (42.7%) but not significant (P>0.05). This study showed that coccidiosis was prevalent in the study area and this signifies the need for intervention through awareness creation among farmers and veterinarians. Key words: Coccidiosis Flotation Poultry Prevalence INTRODUCTION production system, small scale and large-scale intensive In developing countries poultry production offers an chicken in all production systems is concerned with egg opportunity to feed the fast growing human population and meat production, for income generation and home and to provide income for resource poor farmers. consumption [5]. Moreover, poultry in many parts of the modern world is In the past coccidiosis was one of the diseases most considered the chief source of not only cheaper protein of feared by commercial poultry growers in the U.S.A. Death animal origin but also of high quality human food [1]. losses of 20% or more were common. “Backyard” growers The total poultry population in Ethiopia is estimated to be are usually so small that coccidiosis was not a problem, 56.5 million [2]. The total national egg and poultry meat but as the size of free range flock increases, coccidiosis production is estimated to be 78000 and 72300 metric tons becomes a threat [6]. respectively, of which local birds, kept under the Coccidiosis is an economically important disease in traditional systems of production, contribute 98.5% and chicken caused by the Eimeria species of in the genus 99.2% [1, 3]. Three types of poultry production systems Eimeria family Eimeridae order Cucoccidioria and phylum are identified in Ethiopia [4]. These are backyard poultry Spicomplera [7]. Infection by coccidian is sufficient poultry production systems. The main objective of rearing