30 November 2022
FVE has revised its position paper in light of the new VMP Regulation
Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease, which is ubiquitously prevalent in all poultry production systems worldwide. Even where the sanitary and management standards are high coccidial infections can occur with a serious potential impact on animal health and welfare. Therefore, effective long-term management of coccidia is indispensable, through a combination of holistic flock health management, optimised stocking density, litter management, feeding and drinking regime as well as nutraceuticals, accompanied by appropriate biosecurity measures, vaccination and coccidiostats, where indicated.
Though there is no legislative requirement for veterinary supervision of in-feed coccidiostats, FVE strongly believes that it is of paramount importance to improve veterinary oversight of coccidiostat use in poultry production to further strengthen the prudent and responsible use of coccidiostats. FVE recommends that monitoring of polyether ionophores coccidiostats sales and potentially use should be included in the ESVAC system. However, the in-feed or in-water use of coccidiostats or anticoccidial medicinal products remains for the time being a necessary option for rearing of short-living birds such as broiler chickens in the EU due to their short grow out and for turkeys due to the unavailability of an EU-licensed vaccine. Feed containing coccidiostats must always be labelled in a clear and comprehensive manner, including for hobby farmers, to allow for immediate identification of the pharmacologically active ingredient, its concentration and withdrawal period.