[Clazuril: a new anticoccidial agent for pigeons].

The effectiveness of clazuril (Appertex), a new anticoccidial agent for the treatment of pigeons is described in the present study. Clazuril, a benzene-acetonitrile derivative, is administered in a single dose. In laboratory studies, 121 carrier pigeons infected with E. labbeana and E. columbarum were treated once with clazuril in gelatin capsules at dose levels of 10 mg, 5 mg, 2.5 mg, 1.25 mg, 0.63 mg or with a placebo. When a single dose of 2.5 mg and higher was administered, all faecal samples became negative for oocysts within seven days after treatment. In the field studies, 1531 young and full-grown carrier pigeons, from 116 infected dove-cotes, were treated with 1 tablet of 2.5 mg clazuril. Seven days after treatment, the faecal samples of 105 dove-cotes were negative for oocysts of E. Labbeana and E. columbarum; in six dove-cotes, infection was also virtually reduced to zero. Performance in racing was not affected by treatment and side-effects were not observed.