Help coccidiosis

[chaser]

Was wondering is anybody else having trouble with cocci . never had it before now treating everyday. calves are straining to crap and nothing there crap is black at. first then turns bloody. where does it come from we scour vaccinate our cows. is there a magic cure to treat it. all help appreciated thanks

[grassfarmer]

Remember years ago we had it in a bunch of bail
bunter calves we bought in - don't remember having
a lot of success treating it. I've heard it said here that
feeding rumensin in the mineral helps prevent it but I
don't use that and have never had the problem.

[kato]

Mud puddles. That's what we always blamed it on. We used to have a problem only when everything melted and it got muddy.

We've taken a few steps that have pretty much taken it off the list of problems at our place. For a start, we make sure the calves have access to their own hay. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but when you think about it, a lot of the time the calves just pick up the leftover junk the cows didn't eat. Ours will have a round bale feeder of their own in a fenced off spot, and they use it. A full stomach is a good buffer against the cocci, and scours too, for that matter. A diet of just milk won't do it.

We also feed them diatomaceous earth in a little self feeder. It's cheap, and they just go crazy over it. It's not enough for a calf that's already sick though. If you use a creep feed, you can have Decoxx added to it. Or if you want, you can use liquid Amprol in a water trough. Those are more of a long term fix/preventative for a group though.

For an individual calf, straight Amprol squirted in the mouth every day for four or five days will work. About 2 ounces. We haven't bought any in a few years, but it only used to come in gallons. Or there is also a sulfa pill called Cocci-bolo-tabs. It works well, but it's hard on their kidneys, so for insurance, a dose of electrolytes is a good idea, especially if the calf looks dehydrated.

The thing to remember is that even if only some of the calves are passing blood, the rest of them are more than likely carrying the parasite as well. It will slow their performance down, even if they don't show signs. Don't just treat the sick ones. Do something for the rest as well.

[ALLFARMER]

I have used diatomaceous earth but the calves
can over do it and die from it. Neighbor was a big
fan till he lost a calf...cut him open and found his
stomach full of it. Small calves can be very
dumb I no longer creep feed oats, loose a couple
calves stuffed full of oats and how far ahead are
you?

[gcreekrch]

We've been feeding Bovatec mixed in our mineral over winter for 10 years now and cocci has been a non-issue.

Kato has it completely right if you are in the middle of a wreck. Don't know but I wonder if Amprol is available in dry form to mix with Diamatatious earth? Rumensin or Bovatec could also be used.

[dluther]

I had a spring calf with it ,it is caused from stress, shity wet conditions vet recommended calfspan it is good for other things to.

[ASRG]

We used to use sulfa methazine in a drench. One shot of 4 oz. cleaned it right up.
Don't know if you can still buy sulfa methazine?

[gaucho]

Stockpiled grass and an area that has not seen cows for 6 months.... that is the prevention

[ALLFARMER]

Chaser are your animals in a corral?

If they are set up the electric fence and get them
out of there.

[kato]

The cocci-bol-o tabs are a sulfa drug. It's the drug that works the best on coccidiosis, but it's also what's hard on the kidneys. Calfspan is a long lasting form of it, but I don't think it has as much sulfa in it.

Even if the calfspan is working for you, chaser, it would be a good idea to get a creep feeder with some medicated feed in it to help clean it up for good. A lingering level of coccidiosis in the calves could come back to haunt if they get stressed when they're weaned.

Don't use rumensin as a treatment though. We've always thought rumensin was over rated when it comes to coccidiosis. It may suppress a really low level of infection, but wouldn't help in a strong outbreak.

gaucho, I agree about the stockpiled grass thing, but it's not a perfect world, yet. That's why we do the next best thing by providing fresh good hay. A full tummy is strong medicine.

Back when I worked at the vet clinic, we had a guy who had a bad coccidiosis outbreak on a pasture, and his hired man literally spent from sunup to sundown on a quad treating calves. There were a couple of hundred cows in the pasture, and the coccidiosis tore through there pretty strong. He was looking pretty ragged when we were out there.

That's about all I've got. Best of luck chaser. Don't give up on them. This too shall pass.

[chaser]

Thanks What brings it on we have never had it so is it true that i will always have it it is in the soil now pretty soon you dont know how to treat or what to try thanks for the ideas

[kato]

There's a theory about medicating the cows before they calve to clean it out of them, but we've never tried it. If it works, over several years it could make a difference.

Maybe SADIE can weigh in on this one.

[gcreekrch]

Kato, that is why we mix in the Bovatec. Only required to start a month before you move to your calving area but it also helps with feed efficiency so we add it all winter. Cost is about $20 per tonne extra for our custom mix. Copper is also a good place to look for deficiencies, has a lot to do with health and reproduction.

It seems that once cocci is in the ground it is a long time (if ever) getting rid of it.

Chaser, did your problem show up with the ducks and geese?

[kato]

Bovatec in the mineral.. good to know.

[chaser]

the Bovatec idea seems like a good one easy to do feed mineral why not mix in nothing like trying isnt it funny when calves not worth much no sickness now they are worth a good dollar and you get loss