Effect of Mild Infections with Six Species of Eimeria on Skin Pigmentation of Broiler Chickens

Mild infections of Eimeria maxima, E. acervulina, E. mivati, E. brunetti, E. necatrix, or E. tenella that did not affect weight gain significantly (P greater than .05) caused significant (P less than .05) shank depigmentation in 6-week-old broilers fed a broiler diet. Infections of E. maxima, E. mivati, or E. acervulina caused numerically more depigmentation than did infections by E. tenella, E. brunetti, or E. necatrix. Significant depigmentation was first detected at 4 days postinoculation (pi) with some species, prior to other gross evidence of infection, and infected birds regained little lost pigment by 14 days pi. Pigmentation among the infections by different species from the time of innoculation to 14 days pi was not significantly different (P greater than .05) amongst the treatments.