Coccidiosis hot-spots

Don’t let this health drain flair up on you this spring

Coccidiosis is caused by an intestinal parasite that can be a costly disease. Not necessarily because it’s deadly, but because it’s not deadly. By the time calves reach six months of age, almost all are infected with the disease. Yet the fact that they grow immune and you thus seldom see an outbreak lulls many producers into dismissing it. Until they put calves into one of these “hot spots” that can lead to an outbreak of scouring:

Congregated cattle

Picture this, the ideal conditions for coccidiosis: A ranch that provides no winter grazing, feeds stored forage from November through March, holds cattle in feeding lots, and feeds large round bales on the ground.

If that sounds familiar, try to rotate feeding areas. Save some pasture for stockpiled winter forage. Move cows to new ground in the spring, away from concentrated feeding areas. Drag those pastures to expose the coccidia organism to sunlight that will dry and kill them. Whenever feasible, try to isolate older cattle from growing calves and change the grazing area frequently.

Don’t crowd your calving area

The more you disperse cattle, the less likely they are to show signs. If you’re having repeated coccidiosis problems, try reducing the stocking rate so pasture contamination is reduced. Calving pastures should get particular attention. Be generous with space. If possible, rotate calving pastures from year to year. Move water troughs around if practical.

Don’t infect the environment

Although older cattle grow immune, they continue to shed parasites by the millions. Coccidia live up to a year in the soil, inside buildings, on porous (wooden) surfaces, in any manure pack and on the haircoats of animals.

Coccidia are tenacious. Work to keep the cow environment clean. Separate scouring calves from others, and clean up boots and coveralls when you go back and forth.

Raise feed and water troughs off the ground, so calves don’t pick up organisms from the soil. Don’t feed hay directly in contact with the ground. Avoid poorly drained pastures.

Don’t stress growing cattle

Weaning, shipping, moving, commingling, processing, changing the diet or getting caught in bad weather can all kick normally healthy calves over the edge into an outbreak of scours.

Signs

• Watery diarrhea with mucus and often blood but little sign of dehydration.
• Matted feces on hindquarters and tail.
• Straining to pass manure, without much success.
• Lower feed consumption.
• There can be an acute infection and death.
• If not effectively treated, will result in some poordoers with dull, rough coat and pot-bellied look.
• Occasionally there will be signs of brain damage: depression, blindness, hyperexcitability, head pressing, difficulty walking and teeth grinding.

Reprinted with permission from Practical Health/Farmland, February 1998.