Summary

The proposed research targets not only the poultry farmers/companies and stakeholders but also the general public in Sri Lanka. Extensive usage of anti-coccidials and their residues in the poultry products are global concerns recognized by WHO, FDA and EU. Successful development of coccidial vaccine for chickens will minimize the current anti-coccidial drug usage in Sri Lanka which is widespread and regular and eventually it minimize the anti-coccidials in poultry meat ensuring consumer safety. If the vaccine is proven to be an effective yet cheap and safe alternative to the anti-coccidials in Sri Lanka, poultry farmers/companies and stakeholders will benefits directly. Irradiated vaccine development is cheaper than the development of live coccidial vaccines; therefore vaccine cost will be more or less similar or less to current anti coccidial usage which is regular in almost all poultry farms. A vaccine will also ensure the immunity to coccidiosis where the anticoccidials doesn’t have such benefit and will be the answer to the anti-coccidial resistance. Ultimately as a country we would be able to save Sri Lankan money due to the cessation of vaccine importation.
Successful completion of the proposed research will need follow-up actions such as large scale vaccine production, vaccine distribution and farmer education, and implementation of government policies.

Objectives

Objective 1: To identify and document species and strains of coccidial parasites present in Sri Lankan chicken industry at the molecular level.
Objective 2: To develop irradiated coccodial vaccine containing Eimeria species identified by the objective 1.
Objective 3: To test the vaccine efficacy in the laboratory settings followed by field settings.

Major Equipment Facilitated by Grant

Reciprocal Shaker

Automated Water Station