The efficacy and safety of an
injectable combination product containing
toltrazuril and
gleptoferron (Forceris® - CEVA) for the control of
coccidiosis due to Cystoisospora suis was investigated in neonatal piglets. The study was carried out on five European commercial pig farms in France, Germany and Spain and 122 litters consisting of 1508 piglets were selected and randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups. The first group received a single
intramuscular injection per piglet of the test product, containing 45 mg
toltrazuril and 200 mg
iron and this was compared with a control group, which was administered a single intramuscular treatment of
iron at 200 mg per piglet only.
Body weights, faecal scores and oocysts counts, recorded as oocysts per gram of faeces, (OPG) were observed for 21 days. Only 1138 piglets were actually exposed to
coccidiosis and data sets of these animals were selected for statistical analysis. The efficacy of the test product in the control of
coccidiosis was shown in higher
body weight gains, a lower percentage of animals with diarrhoea, fewer samples with positive oocysts counts as well as a lower excretion peak and a reduced area under the curve of OPG from study day (SD) 4 - SD 21. The combination product of
toltrazuril and
gleptoferron provided an effective alternative approach to current conventional separate treatment for the prevention of
iron deficiency anaemia and
coccidiosis in neonatal piglets. It reduced the numbers of potentially stressful interventions and work time.