darn coccidiosis

Help Support CattleToday:

A

Anonymous

I made a mistake and bought three bull calves from a local
dairy farm back in October. They had cocidiosis (I treated and they
got over it.) I still have those three holsteins and they're fine.

Now I've got 15 cows I bought about the same time.
They've all calved since then.
Yesterday I noticed a small "calf pile" with blood in it.
All the calves are healthy acting and nursing. Will the calf with
it get over it on its own, or do i need to observe each calfs poop for
blood . ( since I don't know which animal it came from.) I really
don't want to treat the whole lot.

Also will they pass it to each other now that they're on grass.

I usually treat for cocidiosis with the blue or white sulfonomide
tablets . Is there something better.

Lunker
 
Well, the easy answer is that it probably won't get better on its own. The other bad news is that if you don't quarantine the sick calf the others will very likely get it too. The blood probably comes from the lining of the calf's intestines that is being attacked by bacteria in his gut. The good news is that the bacteria can usually be controlled by antibiotics. I would try to do exactly as you suggest and observe which calf is passing the bloody discharge. Check his temperature and if it is elevated treat him aggressively with antibiotics while keeping him away from the other calves. I prefer Micotel, which you can get from your vet.
 
I have used Micotil before and also the sulphur boluses. Your best bet is to isolate the cow/calf and watch the others closely. Also, I know that coccidiosis bacteria can live in the infected ground for some time. I can't remember how long off the top of my head. Therefore, do not introduce other cows into the affected area until you are confident that it has died off.
 
I discussed cocidiosis with the vet a while back. The previous folks at this farm put all of his weaned calves in a small pen and fed them there. He also would get rampant coccidiosis outbreaks. Vet advised to keep the calves out, bu that it seems to occur more frequently in confined calves. His humble opinion of the life of it in the soil is some where just short of forever.

dun


lazyhill":32p28osl said:
I have used Micotil before and also the sulphur boluses. Your best bet is to isolate the cow/calf and watch the others closely. Also, I know that coccidiosis bacteria can live in the infected ground for some time. I can't remember how long off the top of my head. Therefore, do not introduce other cows into the affected area until you are confident that it has died off.
 
dun":24qgkef7 said:
I discussed cocidiosis with the vet a while back. The previous folks at this farm put all of his weaned calves in a small pen and fed them there. He also would get rampant coccidiosis outbreaks. Vet advised to keep the calves out, bu that it seems to occur more frequently in confined calves. His humble opinion of the life of it in the soil is some where just short of forever.

dun


lazyhill":24qgkef7 said:
I have used Micotil before and also the sulphur boluses. Your best bet is to isolate the cow/calf and watch the others closely. Also, I know that coccidiosis bacteria can live in the infected ground for some time. I can't remember how long off the top of my head. Therefore, do not introduce other cows into the affected area until you are confident that it has died off.

Dun, I believe that you are right in that it can take a VERY long time to be gone from the soil. Wet moist weather also brings it back to life in the ground from a seemingly dormant state.
 
If wet weather brings it back to life from a seemingly dormant state, we must not have ever had it around here. :lol: :lol:

But you know, we have been on this place 56 years and I don't recall of having the first case yet.

Raised cattle here all this time and hundreds have been bought from sale barns.
 
Campground Cattle":24tufer7 said:
Arnold Ziffle":24tufer7 said:
Corrid, Bovatec and/or Rumensin

Arnold is right on the treatment, we treated a show calfs water and took her off feed hay only per the vet. Only case we ever had, cow still on the place producing.

http://cattletoday.info/coccidiosis.htm

I discussed this with my feed guy a while back. He also recommended Micotil and Corid. Also - for unweaned calves, with hold milk or replacer and give water with electrolytes - I usually do this for 24 hours, and by then they are usually showing improvement.
 
Coccidiodomycosis is type of fungus that grows in soil as a saprophytic mold and can exist for years. Best thing you can do is keep your animals out of any area you supect might be contaminated. Barring that, do what you can to keep the dust down in those areas, as it is transmitted by the inhalation of dust particles contaminated with the fungus. Take care when working in these areas yourself as humans are also suseptible.

Carrie
 
Whoops! Just reread this thread and it's coccidiosis you're talking about not coccidioidomycosis. My bad. Coccidiosis is an altogether different cootie. Coccidiosis is a parasitic infection and the infectious agent is a coccidian protozoa. Method of transmission is fecal/oral and can include water and foodborne transmission as well. Dun is right, this type of bug can survive in the most adverse conditions for a long time. Poop can remain infectious for up to six months in moist conditions. Good sanitary practices are key here. So get out that shovel! Take care not to spread contaminated manure near any type of water source though, and again, be careful as some types of this bug (cryptosporidium parvum) are transmissible to humans.

Carrie
 

Latest posts

Top