3 week old calf with coccidiosis

[cattlepower]

We have a 3 week old calf with what appears to be coccidiosis. He has recently been accepted by another cow that just lost her calf as his mama wouldn't let him nurse and we locked her up twice a day for two weeks and he nursed that way. His foster mama is good to him and treats him as her own and he nurses fine. I think he contracted the coccidiosis while in confinement around dirty water etc.

He has bloody diarrhea but otherwise seems fine. It's not a high amount of bloody diarrhea but it's there. Seems from what I've read that it's in the latter stages and not it's a waiting game. He's out in clean pasture now with his foster mama.

Should we do anything besides keep a close eye on him?

 

[Putangitangi]

Coccidiosis has a three week incubation period, so if the calf is only that old, it would have had to pick it up almost at birth, which isn't overly likely. I'd suspect some other cause, which no doubt includes dietary stress, possibly with a change in feed. Keep a close eye.

 

[dun]

Have the vet check his stool, that would be the only way to know more or less for sure what you need to treat and how

 

[Kscattle]

I've had exact same issues this week. Took a stool sample to vet and it was clostridium, he mixed a concoction and gave me some bolus's to give orally. Vet said coccidiosis doesn't usually occur until their about 400lbs or bigger. Clostridium is caused by stress, probably in your case getting moved around from one mother to another,etc. I would get yours checked for sure.

 

[tom4018]

I've had exact same issues this week. Took a stool sample to vet and it was clostridium, he mixed a concoction and gave me some bolus's to give orally. Vet said coccidiosis doesn't usually occur until their about 400lbs or bigger. Clostridium is caused by stress, probably in your case getting moved around from one mother to another,etc. I would get yours checked for sure.

We had a newborn once that was passing some blood, was told it was clostridium and to treat with high does of penicillin. That is what we did and it went away, it may have went away on its own anyway.