Cattle Preconditioning Forum: Are All Breeds Equally Susceptible To Coccidiosis?
Coccidia occur in all breeds of cattle. Calves may acquire infection as soon as they begin grazing or eating food other than their mother’s milk. Although the disease is seen more commonly in calves three weeks to six months of age, it may occur in yearlings and adults.
Recognizing the Disease
The most common signs of the disease are profuse diarrhea that may contain blood, dehydration, weight loss and death in severe cases. Unfortunately, these signs are not specific to coccidiosis, and a veterinarian should be consulted if the above signs occur. Loss of appetite occurs during clinical coccidiosis in calves regardless of the Eimeria spp. involved. In severe cases, feed intake can be reduced as much as 60 per cent during peak infection and can remain low subsequently.
Diagnosis of the Disease
Diagnosis is made from a combination of herd history, clinical signs, physical examination of the animal and microscopic examination of manure taken from the rectum. Diarrhea usually precedes heavy oocyst discharge by one or two days but may continue after oocyst discharge has returned to low levels.
Because of the many problems associated with diagnosing coccidiosis, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian in suspected cases.
Source: Ropin The Web