Management and Control

It makes sense to take preventive measures that do not allow a build-up of infection in the animals environment. General health status of the  calves/animals must be ensured. Therefore after birth the administration of  3-5 litres of colostrum is recommended within the first 24 hrs. The transfer from calving pen to calf shed should be done only after cleaning and disinfecting the calf shed. A poor nutritional status and increased stress levels will decrease the ability of calves to resist coccidiosis.

Severe weather stress, change in feed, transportation, overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, etc. put additional stress on the animals and can trigger coccidiosis or aggravate it.

To avoid pasture coccidiosis caused by Eimeria alabamensis animals should not be let loose on heavily contaminated pastures, especially in the first grazing season.

It is also important to establish pest control programs, in order to prevent the presence of vectors on the farm, such as rodents.

The eradication of coccidiosis does not seem feasible because of its widespread prevalence, enormous reproductive potential of the parasite, and the oocysts' capabilities to survive in the environment for a long time (Bejsovec, 199; Cornelissen et. al., 1995; Fayer et. al., 2000). Accepting this fact is important to establishing a successful program to control of disease.

The establishment of programs that combine management strategies, farm hygiene measures and chemotherapy is very important for reducing the infection pressure of the parasite and limiting the effects of the disease on the animals.

Procedures such as cleaning correctly, using high-pressure hot water (>70° C), and keeping a dry environment during the first weeks of life help to reduce the number of oocysts present. Although Eimeria spp is resistant to the majority of common disinfectants, there are some reports of a reduction in the number of oocysts when compounds that are able to penetrate the oocyst wall are used (combination of  phenolic and alcoholic compounds or ammonia in a 50% solution).

Treatment

It is also important to have in mind that once the calves have started scouring, anticoccidial therapy has a limited effect on avoiding the consequences of the disease. The setback suffered is virtually impossible to compensate for later. 

In herds affected by coccidiosis, a single oral treatment with 15 mg Baycox® 5% per kg live weight (3 ml/10 kg body weight) for all calves has been found to yield excellent results in control and field conditions.
 
This "metaphylactic" treatment prevents the appearance of clinical signs and production losses, whilst allowing the development of immunity.  Intracellular stages of the parasite, damaged by Baycox®, remain in the host cells for sufficient time to provide antigenic stimulus for the development of immunity to further infection.