Calves with Sam

Coccidiosis: Our Constant Companion

A new calf management resource sheet with this title is now posted at our www.atticacows.com website. Click HERE to access the sheet.

A quick summary of content:

1. The chances of 100 percent of our calves in their first week of life avoiding an infective dose of coccidia oocysts is close to zero. 
2. Reducing shedding of oocysts is an effective control measure. 
3. Coccidia infections, called coccidiosis, may begin to decrease feed efficiency as early as the first week of life.
4. Immunity to coccidia comes from successful response of calves’ immune system, not from colostrum.
5. Successful immune response to coccidia depends on limiting the infection and keeping the calves well fed and healthy.
6. Treating all calves with coccidiostatic drugs to limit infections before some of them get sick is more cost effective than waiting to treat the clinically ill calves.