In the most recent study, carried out on three farms
between May and September of 2007, fecal samples were
collected from 218 randomly selected pigs. Weights were
recorded weekly up to eight weeks of age from the 218
pigs and 467 litter mates. “Quite surprisingly,” the study’s final
report states, “at four weeks of age, pigs that were detected
positive for coccidia at two or three weeks of age were an average of 435 grams lighter than pigs that originated from
litters that were negative for coccidia.”
Similarly, at five weeks, pigs from positive litters were an
average 703 grams lighter than pigs which tested negative
for coccidia, although at eight weeks there was no difference
in weights between pigs that had had the parasite and
those that did not.
Of the most practical significance to producers this study found that farms not using detergent to clean
the farrowing crate environment were 1.7 times more
likely to be positive for coccidia than farms that do use
detergent.” However, he noted that the use of disinfectant
in the farrowing crate environment did not affect the risk
of coccidia.