Preventing CRDs, Mycoplasma in chicks - new information

Today while helping to answer a question about what can be done to help prevent newly hatch chicks from getting CRDs that may have been passed done by the hen, I came across some new information. As many of us know here in Canada, we don't have a lot in the way of product choice when compared to what is available in the USA. Whenever you come across a product that IS available here in Canada, we all should know about it.

Linco-spectin 100 soluble powder by Pfizer is approved for swine and poultry. In poultry is an aid in the prevent and treatment of Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD, Airsacculitis) associated with Mycoplasma and coliform infections in growing chickens. It is given to chicks in the water for 5 to 7 days.

Lincomycin Spectinomycin 100 soluble powder by Bio Agri Mix is approved for swine and poultry. Poultry - As an aid in the prevention and treatment of Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD, Airsacculitis) associated with mycoplasma and coliform infections of growing chickens.
Prevention: To prevent losses due to CRD, administer at the above dosage for the first 3 to 5 days of life and again for 1 or 2 days at about 4 weeks of age. The longer period (5 days) of initial administration is recommended if disease has been a problem in the past on the premises.

very interesting

This is interesting. Do you know whether it is available through feed stores or if one has to get it through a veternarian?

This seems like an interesting product, and nice it is labelled for poultry, but I see this product is to not be used in laying birds.
I think it is nice to treat the chicks if there is a concern on premise, but it would not be useful if an outbreak happened in your laying flock.

happychicks wrote:This is interesting. Do you know whether it is available through feed stores or if one has to get it through a veternarian?

Both should be available through a vet.
However I am thinking that a feed store that is licensed to dispense veterinarian medicine should be able to sell it as well.

Hidden River wrote:This seems like an interesting product, and nice it is labelled for poultry, but I see this product is to not be used in laying birds.
I think it is nice to treat the chicks if there is a concern on premise, but it would not be useful if an outbreak happened in your laying flock.

You are right. Both products are meant to treat chicks from the time they hatch up to the first 7 days of life. I would say someone would use either of these products IF the suspected that the hen might have passed down a CRD through the hatching egg.
Someone might use this product in hopes of protecting their chicks from early exposure.

Either of these products are not meant to treat adult birds or to treat or control an outbreak that is already within a flock.

This product is more of a preventative for chicks and NOT for adult birds.

I have just ordered some Linco Spectinomycin 100 soluble powder by Bio Agri Mix from my vet. There is 100mg active ingredient in a 150mg package. I plan to try this out as a Myco preventative this spring. The price is $75 from my vet.

Just bringing this up again. Something to consider.

I purchased and used this med last year and will do so again this year. Every chick I raised last year received this drug and I had ZERO problems with CRDs this winter. Not oven a sneeze or sniffle. I am currently using it again religiously with this year hatches.

Sue do you believe this is a bit like a vaccine? how does it work? Can you use it for young chickens whose destiny is the freezer at a later date? And whose eggs will get eaten once they are laying age? I was reading a chicken health site yesterday which said that spring is a tricky time for chickens because everything is about to warm up and get its "ya ya's" out - including all the viral and bacterial opportunists that have been laying low - coryza (that's not spelled right is it? the one that is often accompanied by a nasty smell, need to check that) is one that shows up right about now - or soon.

pushed send before I had finished. I am wondering if it works and prevents the new chick from becoming a carrier?

I don't know if the chickens will be carriers if they are exposed to a CRD. This is an ounce of prevention thing. Since it is not given to birds after they are 4 weeks old I doubt it will still be in their systems when they lay or are slaughtered. I do not use it on adults.