weaned calf coccidiosis?

[talltimber]

I found a puddle (squirts) of blood stained manure yesterday in the lot where I'm feeding my 28 day weaned calves. Calves were worked prior, and wormed two weeks ago. What's the odds of a cocci outbreak coming? No one looking droopy. Calves are on fescue pasture, watering out of the creek and auto water after feeding at the barn. Without penning them, I won't have an easy way of administering Corid. Just looking for some input as to what you've seen as far as them breaking, and action required at this point vs penning them with hay in the lot. It's not a pig stye but lot is wet now.

 

[Bright Raven]

Sounds like you are not sure that it is coccidiosis?

Here I can take a fecal sample to the vet and he can confirm that day if it is coccidia.

If it is, you can get granular and powder forms of amprolium to put in feed. I use the 5 day treatment. The bags have mixing directions or you can find it on the web.

Temperatures are not reliable diagnosis with coccidiosis but calves will not be thrifty and will hold their tail up more than normal as if they are going to have a bowel movement.

 

[talltimber]

Yes. I am not sure, just know that is a symptom and was trying to get ahead of it. I am not seeing any one looking like they are feeling bad. They've almost all have the squirts, between the rain/grass and the feed I don't think that is unusual. The blood I saw is though got me to wondering how excited about it I should be getting. I have only had one other incident of what I thought was cocci, and it advanced fairly quickly, but they were still penned during that time, not out on grass already

 

[rony albert]

Either it is coccidiosis or not but in that case prophylactic treatment is necessary!
tachophobia
ipledges

 

[angus9259]

Either it is coccidiosis or not but in that case prophylactic treatment is necessary!
tachophobia
ipledges

Or not. As has been suggested, take a fecal to the vet. Aim then shoot.

 

[Lucky_P]

Have a fecal exam done and discuss treatment/prevention options with your veterinarian.
Biggest economic hit - by way of impact on growth/performance - is in calves that are infected, but not necessarily showing blood in their stools or noticeable illness. Clinically affected animals are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[talltimber]

Would you take a sample from every calf? Or would that be necessary? A cross section representative sample size on 17 hd would be how many?
And what would it hurt to just treat them for it anyway?

 

[Bright Raven]

Would you take a sample from every calf? Or would that be necessary? A cross section representative sample size on 17 hd would be how many?
And what would it hurt to just treat them for it anyway?

Just one is all my vet asks for. Yes. Treat them all if positive

 

[talltimber]

Thanks. I did not know if they wanted to make a composite sample of those I tested or how it was done.

I asked them about just treating them all, to be safe. They told me to just watch them, the weather is supposed to straighten up here, and if I noticed anyone laying back to treat them all.

 

[mhouse7]

I'm not sure about the fecal test suggestion. Coccidiosis is an easy thing to treat, and the stuff you treat it with, amprolium, is the same as the preventative. Buy a package (liquid or powder) and give it to them, if it works, great, if not, you wasted 20 bucks on the package and probably wont have to worry about coccidiosis in the future. Collecting fecal samples and getting them looked at would probably be more expensive