1. Inf she t
I fo s eet
Cocc
cidios
sis
Deadly scourge of young lambs and kids
y g
by Susan SSchoenian
Sheep and Goat Specia
d alist
University of Maryland Extension
y d
sschoen@umd.edu
Last revised: 11.8.2011
Coccidios is a paras
sis sitic disease affecting a variety of a
e animals, esp
pecially mam
mmals and bbirds.
The caussative organi
ism is a microscopic, sppore-forming single-cell protozoa c
g, called coccid
dia.
Coccidia are from th same clas of organis
he ss sms (sporozo that caus malaria.
oa) se
Coccidia are sub-classified into many gener In sheep and goats, c
ra. coccidiosis is caused by the
genus Eimmeria. Within this genus, there are more than ten species of coccidia that are known
e
to infect sheep or go
t oats. Not all of the spec
l cies are path
hogenic or h
have the sam level of
me
pathogennicity. In fac only a few are usually responsib for diseas outbreaks.
ct, ble se
Coccidia are host-specific, meanning the
species o coccidia that affect p
of t poultry do no
ot
affect sh
heep and goa Even sheep and goa
ats. ats
are affec
cted by diffe
erent specie of coccidia.
es
Life cycl
le
Coccidia have a very complicate life cycle,
y ed
with man stages of developmen As with
ny nt.
other int
ternal parasiites, there is a free-livin
ng
stage whhich takes pl
lace outside of the anim mal
and a parasitic phase which take place in t
e es the
intestine of the hos
es st.
The egg-like structure of coccidia is called an oocyte. I is passed i the feces of infected
It in
sheep an goats. Wh first pas
nd hen ssed, the ooc cyst is not in
nfective. It must underg a period o
go of
developm
ment called sporulation (hatching). Sporulation requires ox
n xygen and mmoisture. The
e
time required for de
evelopment is temperature-depende ent. In geneeral, the war
rmer the
weather, the faster the develop
, pment, unles the tempe
ss erature is hi enough t kill the
igh to
organism
m.
Page | 1 Coccidio
osis

2. orulation, th oocysts ar very resis
After spo he re stant to environmental conditions a cannot b
and be
killed by ordinary dis
sinfectants. Extreme de
esiccation or direct sunl
r light are the only
e
environmmental facto which are detrimenta to sporula
ors e al ated oocysts In fact, a sporulated
s.
oocyst m survive for a year or longer if it is protected from direc sunlight.
may f r d ct
When a s sheep or goa ingests a s
at sporulated o oocyst, spor
rozoites are released and enter the cells
lining the small intes
e stines. The e
entire life c
cycle takes a
about 14 day The damage done to the
ys. o
host is esssentially th of intesti
hat inal cell des
struction. Th host cells affected m
he s most often ar
re
epithelia cells lining the gut wh
al g hich transpo nutrients and fluids into the bod
ort dy.
Transmis
ssion
Lambs an kids betw
nd ween the age of 1 and 6 months are most commonly affec
es e cted by cocccidia.
In a surve conducte in the UK, 4 to 8 wee old lambs were the m
ey ed ek s most likely to be affecte
o ed
and 4 we old lamb were the most vulner
eek bs rable to clinical disease. Many disea outbreak
ase ks
occur shoortly after weaning, as this is a very stressful p
w y period in the lamb or kid young life
e d's e.
Bad weat ther may als trigger disease
so
outbreakks.
Almost all sheep and goats are e
d exposed to
coccidia. Sheep and goats routin
. nely ingest
oocytes e
each day thr rough feces,
,
contaminnated feed and water, o by licking
a or g
themselv or another animal. M
ves Mature
animals a largely immune to t effects
are the
of the pa
arasite, but they serve a a
as
reservoir of infection
r n.
Coccidios is mainly associated with
sis y
intensive production systems in which
e n
sheep an goats are housed in b
nd barns and
dry lots. Fecal material is more concentrate in these p
ed production e
environment than if the
ts
livestock are kept on pasture. A the same time, outbre
k n At eaks of cocc
cidiosis are n uncomm
not mon
in pasturre-rearing en
nvironmentss.
Clinical s
signs
As with m
most disease there are clinical and sub-clinica forms of c
es, e al coccidiosis. Sheep and ggoats
with subcclinical dise
ease do not s
show obviou signs of th disease. T
us he They appear outwardly
r
normal, but suffer fr rom reduced feed consu
d umption, fee conversio and grow
ed on, wth
performaance. Most cases of cocc
c cidiosis are subclinical a from an economic s
and n stand point,
subclinic coccidios is probably the most costly.
cal sis
Clinical c
coccidiosis can be deadl and usual requires p
c ly lly prompt trea
atment. The first sign of
f
coccidios is that lambs and kid may not b thriving a well as ex
sis ds be as xpected. Lam may app
mbs pear
open fleeeced. Kids may have a r
m rough hair cooats. Dirtine around t tail may be observed a
ess the d,
result of mild diarrhea.
Page | 2 Coccidio
osis

3. Soon, lam and kids begin to lo their app
mbs s ose become weak and unthrifty. Lambs and
petite and b
kids may become anemic and strain to pass feces. As th disease c
y he condition woorsens, affec
cted
lambs an kids may experience severe diarr
nd rhea, with streaks of blo
ood, followe by severe
ed e
dehydrattion and dea
ath.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of clinical coccidiosis is based on flock history and observ
s y vation of clinical signs,
usually d
diarrhea. Fec testing h limited d
cal has diagnostic vaalue. While a oocyst cou of 5,000 is
unt 0
considere clinically significant, not all coc
ed y , ccidia are dis
sease-causin or equally pathogenic In
ng y c.
addition, lambs and kids may be
, ecome cliniccally-parasitized before shedding an oocytes.
ny
Therefor a negativ fecal test does not ru out coccidiosis, anym
re, ve t ule more than a positive tes is
st
indicativ of disease
ve e.
There are many othe disease co
er onditions that cause sym
mptoms simiilar to cocciidiosis: parasitic
worms, oovereating disease, salm
d monellosis, E coli scour crptospor
E. rs, rididium, an viral
nd
infection Parasitize lambs and kids may s
ns. ed suffer from mixed paras
sitic infectio
ons.
Treatme
ent
For sheep and goats exhibiting c
clinical signs of coccidio
s osis, there are several treatment
options ( the U.S.), including s
(in sulfa drugs, tetracycline and amp
es, prolium. Connventional
anthelmiintics (dewo
ormers) have no effect o coccidiosis.
e on
Amproliu (Corid®) can be used as both a t
um d treatment a preventa
and ative for coc
ccidiosis. It i
is
sold in liq
quid or pow
wder form. WWhen coccidi ingest Corid®, they e
ia experience a thiamine
deficiency and die from malnouris
m shment. Thoough rare,
polioencepphalomalacia (thiamine d
a deficiency) has been reeported as a side
effect of tr
reatment wi amproliu
ith um.
Many sulfannamide med dications can be used to treat cocci
n o idiosis. Sulfa
a
medication are sold in liquid or p
ns n powder form. Sulfa medication can be
bitter tasting, so produ
ucts may inc ing, or jello can be added
clude flavori
to reduce t bitter ta
the aste and promote adequ uate consum mption by the e
animals.
Whenever m medications are administered in the water, it i important
s is t
that the me edicated waater be the o
only source of water. One of the
limitations of water treeatments is that there i no guaran
is ntee that eve ery
animal will receive the necessary amount of t medicati
l e the ion. This is
particularly true of an animal that may alread be feeling poorly due to
y t dy g e
coccidia infection. For this reaso it is usually better t individual treat each animal with the
F on, to h
medicatiion. Severely parasitized animals sh
y d hould be pennned separately, drench individually
hed
with the medication, and receiv necessary supportive treatment.
ve y
The medications use to treat c
ed coccidiosis are not FDA-a
approved fo use in sheep and goat A
or ts.
veterinar escribe the “extra-label use of a d
rian may pre l” drug to treat coccidiosis Producers
t s.
must undderstand tha just becau a produc can be pu
at use ct urchased oveer-the-count doesn't m
ter mean
it can be used legally without th consent o a veterina
e he of arian.
Page | 3 Coccidio
osis

4. Medication for treatin coccidiosis in sheep
ns ng s
Trade Dosage
e Meat
M
Dr
rug
name(s) Dilution
D Du
uration withdrawal
1 pint of 9.6% solution in 10
00
5 days
ga
allons of drinking water
Amprolium
m Co
orid® 7 to 21 days
o
1 oz (3 oz 9.6% solution in 1 pint of
%
5 days
water) per 100 lbs. daily
w 0
1 pint of 12.5% solution in 2
% 25
3-5 days
lbon
Al ga
allons of drinking water
Sulfadime
ethoxine 1 day
Di
i-Methox 4 cc of 12.5% s
solution per 2 lbs. of
25
3-5 days
bo weight da
ody aily
Sample do
osages are from the fact sheet Coccidiosis in Lam by Dr. Joe Rook, Michigan St
t mbs tate University.
Researchhers at North Carolina St
h tate Univers recently conducted a trial to de
sity y etermine the
efficacy of amprolium in goat ki heavily infected with pathogenic Eimeria sp The
ids h pp.
researchers conclude that amp
ed tive treatme for goats, but that
prolium can be an effect ent
higher do
oses of the drug should be given (50 vs. 10 mg/
d 0 /kg).
Preventi
ion
As with mmost other diseases, it i far better to prevent coccidiosis than to trea it. By the time
d is r at
clinical s
signs have be observe much of the damage has already occurred. Lambs and k
een ed, e y kids
that survvive a clinica infection may never r
al recover from the perfor
m rmance set-bback. They mmay
always la the capa
ack acity to effic
ciently hand feed and fluids. Cocc
dle cidiosis may be the cause of
y
chronic ppoor-doers in the flock.
There are many man nagement teechniques th can help to prevent outbreaks o coccidiosis and
hat of s
minimize the effects of subclinic coccidio
e s cal osis.
Managem ment should be aimed at reducing the fecal-to-
t
oral transmission of the pathoge Good san
en. nitation and
hygiene a essentia Maternity areas should be kept
are al. y
clean and dry. Lamb
d bing and kiddding jugs sho
ould be
cleaned between litt ters.
Pens should not be overcrowded They shou be dry an
o d. uld nd
well-bedded. No fee should be fed on the ground or fl
ed e loor
of a pen. Feeders should be elev
. vated or loc
cated on thee
outside o the pen. Water recep
of W ptacles should be kept
clean and free from fecal matte
d er.
Good nut trition is ess
sential to ma
aintaining high levels of immunity i the flock or herd.
f in
Balanced rations, wi proper vi
d ith itamin and m mineral suppplementatio should be fed. Colostrum
on, e
will prov
vide immunit to coccidi
ty iosis for the first severa weeks of t neonate life.
e al the e's
An adequ uate intake of colostrum will help lambs and ki cope wit coccidial infection.
m ids th
Washing and drying the females udder before colostrum consumpti may furt
t m ion ther help to
limit infe
ection.
Page | 4 Coccidio
osis

5. It is best not to mix batches of y
young anima with batc
als ches of olde animals or to have young
er r
animals f follow older animals in a grazing ro
r otation. Olde animals se
er erve as rese
ervoirs of
infectionn.
Stress is another con
ntributing fa
actor to outb
breaks of coccidiosis. Sh
heep and goats should b
be
handled minimally and handled calmly and gently. It is particularly important to minimize
y e
stress at weaning. Fe
emales shou be weane from their offspring, not vice ve
uld ed , ersa. Lambs and
kids shou remain in familiar su
uld n urroundings and in the ssame groupings. Fence lline contact may
t
reduce th stress at weaning.
he
The ratio of weanlings should n be chang drastica for the t
on not ged ally two weeks p
preceding or
r
following weaning. When lambs and kids are to be tran
g W e nsported, the should no go withou
ey ot ut
feed or w
water for very long.
Coccidio
ostats
There are several feed additives that can be used to pr
s idiosis in she and goats.
revent cocci eep
Bovatec® (lasalocid) is FDA-approved for co
® ) onfined shee Rumensin® (monens
ep. sin) is FDA-
approved for confine goats. Deccox® (deco
d ed oquinate) is FDA-
approved for young, non-lactatin sheep and goats.
d ng d
Rumensin can be to
n® oxic to dogs and equines It can also be
s. o
toxic to s
sheep and go
oats if it is n mixed pr
not roperly. Alw
ways
use a fee mill to mix any feed c
ed containing a coccidiosta
at.
Feed mill have a mu greater margin for m
ls uch mixing errorr.
Coccidiosstats differ f
from treatmment medicat tions in that
t
they do n kill the c
not coccidial org tead they slow
ganisms. Inst
down the shedding of coccidia in the environment. Fo
e nto or
this reaso they nee to be fed well in advance of the risk
on, ed
period, f at least 21 days befo they are effective.
for 2 ore
Many prooducers feed a coccidios
d stat to ewes and does d
s during the la gestation period. This
ate n
practice will help to lower the level of envi
o ironmental c
contamination. Coccidio
ostats should be
d
included in creep fee and milk replacers. Lambs and kids reared on pasture should be fe a
eds k ed
stat at least 21 days prior to weanin
coccidios t ng.
Adequate consumpti is a limit
e ion tation to the effectiveness of all co
e occidiostats. This is
especiall true if the coccidiosta is being d
ly e at delivered in a free choic mineral o lick, but it can
ce or
also be a problem if the coccidio
ostat is inclu
uded in the feed, as fee consumpt
ed tion may not be
consisten or adequa
nt ate, especia with you lambs an kids. For this reason, coccidiosta
ally ung nd ats
should neever be cons coccidiosis. Their use needs to be c
sidered a "cure-all" for c combined with
good management and sanitatio on.
stats should be used str
Coccidios rategically. T
They should not be fed year-round to all anima
d als.
As with c
conventional anthelmint (deworm
tics mers), resist
tance may develop with continuous use.
h s
Page | 5 Coccidio
osis

6. Feed and water additives for preventing coccidiosis in sheep and goats
Dosage
Tradename Drug FDA approval
Per hd/day In feed
Bovatec® Lasalosid 15 to 70 mg/d 20-30 g/ton Sheep in confinement
8 oz of a 9.6% solution per 100 gallons
of drinking water for 21 days
Corid® Amprolium Rx only
1 oz (1.5 oz of 9.6% solution in 1 pint of
water) per 100 lbs. daily for 21 days
Young, non-lactating
Deccox® Decoquinate 22.7 mg/100 lbs BW 13.6 g/ton
sheep and goats
Goats in confinement
Rumensin® Monensin ... 20 g/ton
TOXIC to equines
Sample dosages for Corid are from Coccidiosis in Lambs by Dr. Joe Rook, Michigan State University
Coccidiostats have no meat withdrawal period and their use is permitted under USDA's
Naturally-Raised and Grass-fed standards. For producers looking for an organic option, there
is some evidence to suggest that oregano oil can be used to prevent and treat coccidiosis in
livestock and poultry. It has a similar mode of action as ionophores.
Page | 6 Coccidiosis