Coccidiosis???

[TLM1988]

I purchased 10 bull calves avg weight 325 about a week ago. Had 2 that had a steady cough and Where sluggish and droopy ear'd. So after giving them 3-4 days to settle in we processed them and administered vacc and Tempe'd all 10.. turns out the 2 I questioned had slight fever.. so gave Nuflor and banimine. Next day all is well calves were up mingling with the others eating drinking no cough. Yesterday I came home and walked through them and one of the calves had blood in his manure.. manure wasn't runny.. these calves havnt had any feed/grain except the day I recieved them. Free choice hay.
I'm confused at this point. I separated him from the others and he's still drinking, eating looking normal. Had a spot of blood in his manure this morning. How should I approach this as I've never experienced this. Thanks all!!!!

 

[Bright Raven]

I purchased 10 bull calves avg weight 325 about a week ago. Had 2 that had a steady cough and Where sluggish and droopy ear'd. So after giving them 3-4 days to settle in we processed them and administered vacc and Tempe'd all 10.. turns out the 2 I questioned had slight fever.. so gave Nuflor and banimine. Next day all is well calves were up mingling with the others eating drinking no cough. Yesterday I came home and walked through them and one of the calves had blood in his manure.. manure wasn't runny.. these calves havnt had any feed/grain except the day I recieved them. Free choice hay.
I'm confused at this point. I separated him from the others and he's still drinking, eating looking normal. Had a spot of blood in his manure this morning. How should I approach this as I've never experienced this. Thanks all!!!!

I expect coccidosis in my calves every year as they congregate in the feed area where I put out rolls of hay. In fact, I just drenched a calf 10 minutes ago with 60 mL of a corid mix. I prepare for it every year.

Your symptoms are not typical of coccidosis. In coccidosis, the feces are watery and the butt will be plastered with feces. Blood is not common unless it is really advanced. In fact, I don't see blood as a symptom here but I jump on it as soon as I see it. I have taken fecal samples so I have a positive diagnosis. You can take a sample of feces to the vet and they will confirm the oocysts.

 

[TLM1988]

I purchased 10 bull calves avg weight 325 about a week ago. Had 2 that had a steady cough and Where sluggish and droopy ear'd. So after giving them 3-4 days to settle in we processed them and administered vacc and Tempe'd all 10.. turns out the 2 I questioned had slight fever.. so gave Nuflor and banimine. Next day all is well calves were up mingling with the others eating drinking no cough. Yesterday I came home and walked through them and one of the calves had blood in his manure.. manure wasn't runny.. these calves havnt had any feed/grain except the day I recieved them. Free choice hay.
I'm confused at this point. I separated him from the others and he's still drinking, eating looking normal. Had a spot of blood in his manure this morning. How should I approach this as I've never experienced this. Thanks all!!!!

I expect coccidosis in my calves every year as they congregate in the feed area where I put out rolls of hay. In fact, I just drenched a calf 10 minutes ago with 60 mL of a corid mix. I prepare for it every year.

Your symptoms are not typical of coccidosis. In coccidosis, the feces are watery and the butt will be plastered with feces. Blood is not common unless it is really advanced. In fact, I don't see blood as a symptom here but I jump on it as soon as I see it. I have taken fecal samples so I have a positive diagnosis. You can take a sample of feces to the vet and they will confirm the oocysts.

I plan on getting a fecal sample ASAP.

 

[Buck Randall]

I'm going to disagree with BR on this one. It's not uncommon for me to see calves with coccidiosis have bloody stools before progressing to diarrhea. You can do fecal samples if you want, but they'll probably always be positive. Even healthy cattle are normally shedding some coccidia. Symptoms are the best diagnostic indicator.

 

[Bright Raven]

When I see a calf with watery feces at this time of year, I suspect either E. Coli or coccidia. I halter train so it is easy for me to drench with a corid mix. At the same time, I give a 500 mg bolus of oxytetracycline just in case it is E. coli.

 

[Bright Raven]

I'm going to disagree with BR on this one. It's not uncommon for me to see calves with coccidiosis have bloody stools before progressing to diarrhea. You can do fecal samples if you want, but they'll probably always be positive. Even healthy cattle are normally shedding some coccidia. Symptoms are the best diagnostic indicator.

I don't disagree. Coccidia is ubiquitous. I don't routinely run samples anymore. I keep corid ready and just in case it is E coli, I give a oxytetracycline bolus.

 

[Bright Raven]

Btw. Rumensin controls coccidia but does not treat it. If calves are on a feed with rumensin they have some protection. The other treatment is corid crumbles in feed.

 

[TLM1988]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have Corid and oxeytetracycline on hand just wanted opinions before I start treating. Thanks again!!

 

[Bright Raven]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have Corid and oxeytetracycline on hand just wanted opinions before I start treating. Thanks again!!

Glad to help. Coccidia do a lot of damage in this area where we get wet winters and cattle congregate at feed areas. I hear stories of producers losing calves and many times it sounds like coccidia. They are protozoan parasites that colonize the small intestine. The damage to the intestines can be permanent.

There are many ways to use corid. There is a preventive program and a treatment program. Plus you can drench them or put it in the water supply. I prefer to drench so you get the right concentration in the calf. Good luck.

 

[Lucky]

I had a set of yearlings get coccidiosis last year and used Corid pellets to top dress their feed. Worked good and was easy to do.

 

[kenny thomas]

I purchased 10 bull calves avg weight 325 about a week ago. Had 2 that had a steady cough and Where sluggish and droopy ear'd. So after giving them 3-4 days to settle in we processed them and administered vacc and Tempe'd all 10.. turns out the 2 I questioned had slight fever.. so gave Nuflor and banimine. Next day all is well calves were up mingling with the others eating drinking no cough. Yesterday I came home and walked through them and one of the calves had blood in his manure.. manure wasn't runny.. these calves havnt had any feed/grain except the day I recieved them. Free choice hay.
I'm confused at this point. I separated him from the others and he's still drinking, eating looking normal. Had a spot of blood in his manure this morning. How should I approach this as I've never experienced this. Thanks all!!!!

I expect coccidosis in my calves every year as they congregate in the feed area where I put out rolls of hay. In fact, I just drenched a calf 10 minutes ago with 60 mL of a corid mix. I prepare for it every year.

Your symptoms are not typical of coccidosis. In coccidosis, the feces are watery and the butt will be plastered with feces. Blood is not common unless it is really advanced. In fact, I don't see blood as a symptom here but I jump on it as soon as I see it. I have taken fecal samples so I have a positive diagnosis. You can take a sample of feces to the vet and they will confirm the oocysts.

Is the 1 time drench of corid all it takes for control? Is 60ml a standard dose and what mix do you use

 

[Bright Raven]

I purchased 10 bull calves avg weight 325 about a week ago. Had 2 that had a steady cough and Where sluggish and droopy ear'd. So after giving them 3-4 days to settle in we processed them and administered vacc and Tempe'd all 10.. turns out the 2 I questioned had slight fever.. so gave Nuflor and banimine. Next day all is well calves were up mingling with the others eating drinking no cough. Yesterday I came home and walked through them and one of the calves had blood in his manure.. manure wasn't runny.. these calves havnt had any feed/grain except the day I recieved them. Free choice hay.
I'm confused at this point. I separated him from the others and he's still drinking, eating looking normal. Had a spot of blood in his manure this morning. How should I approach this as I've never experienced this. Thanks all!!!!

I expect coccidosis in my calves every year as they congregate in the feed area where I put out rolls of hay. In fact, I just drenched a calf 10 minutes ago with 60 mL of a corid mix. I prepare for it every year.

Your symptoms are not typical of coccidosis. In coccidosis, the feces are watery and the butt will be plastered with feces. Blood is not common unless it is really advanced. In fact, I don't see blood as a symptom here but I jump on it as soon as I see it. I have taken fecal samples so I have a positive diagnosis. You can take a sample of feces to the vet and they will confirm the oocysts.

Is the 1 time drench of corid all it takes for control? Is 60ml a standard dose and what mix do you use

It has to be repeated. I drench them everytime I halter train. It is the 5 day treatment mix.

The 60 mL dose is based on a mix of 3 ounces of corid (a 9.6 amprolium solution) per pint of water. The 60 mL delivers 1 ounce of mixed solution per 100 pounds of body weight. I used the directions on the bottle to arrive at a calculation that fits my size calf. I write the mix on the bottle to make it easy everytime I have to mix a batch.

I use a drenching syringe. While they are tied, I pull their head up and inject the 60 mL orally. Right now the calves are about 250 pounds. It gets them past the phase when they have not developed immunity to Eimeris bovis and E. zurnii. It doesn't take long. This prevents any long term damage to the small intestine.

 

[kenny thomas]

Thank you.

 

[darcelina4]

TLM1988, in the future, temp them before you vaccinate. Vaccines should only be given to healthy calves. You should have separated the sick ones, treated them for illness, vaccinated a week after they were well. Giving vaccines and antibiotics at the same time is not good. You wasted the vaccines plus you put a lot of stress on an already stressed animal.

 

[pricefarm]

Can calves that get coccidiosis get over it without treatment ?

 

[Bright Raven]

Can calves that get coccidiosis get over it without treatment ?

Yes. They can. But if you want to achieve full performance - which is especially important in seedstock operations - controlling coccidia infestations is a good practice.

 

[ccr]

Can calves that get coccidiosis get over it without treatment ?

don't know if they could get over it or not, but would not want to chance it. i think it can kill them.

we've had coccidiosis over the years. we do the 21 day preventative in their water at weaning. and one year we had it before weaning and we drenched all calves for 5 days.

vet says it comes from birds? we have buzzards, crows, and all kinds of birds. when we notice the stool with a mucus looking stuff we do a fecal sample. the way i understand it they can have some but may not be enough to treat. we treat at recommendation of vet.

 

[TCRanch]

Can calves that get coccidiosis get over it without treatment ?

don't know if they could get over it or not, but would not want to chance it. i think it can kill them.

we've had coccidiosis over the years. we do the 21 day preventative in their water at weaning. and one year we had it before weaning and we drenched all calves for 5 days.

vet says it comes from birds? we have buzzards, crows, and all kinds of birds. when we notice the stool with a mucus looking stuff we do a fecal sample. the way i understand it they can have some but may not be enough to treat. we treat at recommendation of vet.

Yes. Only time (fortunately) I had to deal with coccidiosis was during a drought when what was left of the pond was completely overrun by birds, ducks, geese - you name it.

 

[Lucky_P]

No. Birds play no role. Either your vet is ill-informed or he's just tired of arguing with clients who've been told, through the years, that birds are to blame.
Coccidia species that infect birds do not infect cattle, and vice-versa. The coccidia parasites are VERY host-species specific... even goat species cannot cross-infect cattle.

Virtually all cattle have coccidia infection at some point in time during their lives. Majority of infected calves are asymptomatic... but even those calves that don't develop diarrhea or bloody stools may have sufficient levels of infection to have an adverse impact on overall performance.

 

[Ebenezer]

No. Birds play no role. Either your vet is ill-informed or he's just tired of arguing with clients who've been told, through the years, that birds are to blame.
Coccidia species that infect birds do not infect cattle, and vice-versa. The coccidia parasites are VERY host-species specific... even goat species cannot cross-infect cattle.

Virtually all cattle have coccidia infection at some point in time during their lives. Majority of infected calves are asymptomatic... but even those calves that don't develop diarrhea or bloody stools may have sufficient levels of infection to have an adverse impact on overall performance.

Dead on with that statement. What bad water and drought can do is lower the immune systems and set up animals for an outbreak. Sheep have been the only thing here that had the issue over the years. I learned the hard way that sulfur blocks the natural development of resistance to coccidia as I was feeding some feed that was 50/50 and 50% was corn gluten pellets. I have had some advise from Vets that there is resistance in coccidia here in the SE USA. Corid is like a dose of water if you use it as we see no response and others say the same. The boluses work great but have to be given individually and if I treat based on need then some permanent gut damage has already occurred. From Vet advise, I begin to mix Deccox in minerals for ewes in late gestation, lamb on clean pastures, continue the mineral mix thru weaning and have no coccidiosis issues. So, maybe some of the tidbits can help you ask your Vet better questions for your situation.