Efficacy against Coccidiosis in Piglets and Comparative Efficacy Trial: Baycox and other Anticoccidials

Significant differences between substances have been shown in an efficacy study comparing Baycox 5% (toltrazuril), diclazuril and sulphadimidine using a standardised infection model with Isospora suis in suckling pigs, and following the administration instructions of the producers. The study revealed a significant difference in the occurrence of diarrhoea (p > 0.05) between piglets treated with Baycox 5% (toltrazuril - no diarrhoea) and the other groups.
 
The diclazuril and sulphadimidine groups did not differ significantly from the untreated control animals. Similar results were observed for oocyst excretion, whereas the Baycox 5% (toltrazuril) group showed a substantial reduction. The pathomorphological examinations showed that on average the intestinal villi length was longer on days 10 and 14 in the animals treated with Baycox ® 5% (toltrazuril) compared with the other groups.

The weight gain profile from day 7 to 28 for the group treated with Baycox 5% (toltrazuril) was consistently higher than that of the other treatment groups. The conclusion of this comparative efficacy study is that of the treatment regimens applied, only Baycox 5% (toltrazuril) was satisfactorily effective against a massive artificial infection with I. suis in piglets.

The study also demonstrates that pathomorphological alterations in the host last considerably longer than the period of the clinical disease, strongly affecting weight performance during later phases of the pig´s life.

Further experience under controlled conditions, as well as in practice, confirm these findings.