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"Management and Control of Goat Coccidia (Part 4)"

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USDA Rural Information Center

Management and Control of Goat Coccidia (Part 4)

By: A. David Scarfe, Ph.D., D.V.M., Tuskegee University
About the Author

One or more of the coccidostats known to be effective in reducing or inhibiting coccidia in the intestine (Table 1) should be used in combination with supportive therapy and good management practices. Combinations of sulfonamides (e.g., sulfamethazine, sulfaquinoxaline) and ionophores (monensin, lasalocid) may be helpful to simultaneously reduce coccidia and secondary bacterial infections. While sulfonamides have been used for more than 40 years for the prevention and treatment of coccidiosis per se, resistance to many of these drugs by coccidia is widespread and they are no longer as effective as they once were. These drugs do not kill coccidia directly but inhibit their growth an proliferation. If the infection can be moderated sufficiently with coccidiostat use, the goat's immunity to coccidia will develop and suppress further development.

Amprolium and monensin presently appear to be the most popular with goat breeders. Monensin has been found to be of value in preventing coccidiosis in Angora goats at levels that also increase feed efficacy. While most coccidostats are only approved for use in cattle, sheep or other species, monensin has recently been approved for use in Angora goats in the United States. A similar drug, lasalocid, is approved for use in sheep and an unrelated compound, decoquinate, has been shown to be effective against coccidia in sheep.

Control
The obvious solution to problems resulting from coccidiosis is to prevent susceptible animals from ingesting large numbers of oocysts. Sanitation, dry weather, sunlight, water troughs that cannot be defecated into and don't overflow, and feeders that infected animals can't walk in, all help in prevention of disease. These conditions are only rarely achieved. While good sanitation will help prevent disease, these measures will not entirely preclude an outbreak of coccidiosis unless extremely rigorous precautions are taken.

Coccidiosis can be controlled most practically by limiting exposure to coccidia, by reducing stress on the animals, and by the use of a coccidiostat when exposure is imminent. The fact that most coccidiostats do not kill but interfere with the reproductive potential of coccidia allows enough antigenic stimulation of the immune system to increase resistance while the goat is protected by the drug. When the coccidiostat is removed from the diet, resistance to disease will be maintained as long as exposure to the coccidia continues.

Utilizing feeds that contain coccidiostats prior to the outbreak of disease may be essential in crowded conditions. Susceptible goats exposed to moderate numbers of oocysts will seldom develop signs of disease. However, because of their lack of resistance, they will produce millions of oocysts in their feces. These oocysts will then contaminate the feed and water supplies in sufficient numbers to fatally expose susceptible goats.

To be most effective, coccidiostats should be give early in the coccidian lifecycle and before massive infections overwhelm the goat. Use of the drugs should begin prior to anticipated susceptible times. In some cases, producers start prophylactic use of coccidiostats in pregnant females several weeks prior to kidding and continue until about 60 days postpartum. Kids are started on coccidiostats in creep rations and continue until after the stress of weaning has subsided. In confinement situations their use may be continued until animals are marketed. In most cases, solid immunity develops in pasture kids, except in situations where there is contaminated kidding ground and severe overstocking. In cases where new animals are introduced into a herd, the producer should treat the incoming animals with the control dose of a coccidiostat prior to mixing animals. This should reduce the incidence of stress-related coccidiosis in the incoming animals and reduce contamination of existing facilities.

The most economical way to deal with coccidiosis is to medicate the feed or water supplies with the chemotherapeutic of choice and also avoid overcrowding, nutritional disorders, weaning and other stresses. If necessary, clinical cases can be treated on an individual basis. Routine prophylactic medication of feed, salt-protein blocks or water usually prevents severe outbreaks. Care should be taken to ensure good mixing of the drugs and that the proper doses are adhered to. Continued use of coccidiostats will, over a period of time, lessen the number of oocysts passed into the environment for as long as that coccidiostat is effective. However, the continued use of the coccidiostat against a population of parasites will eventually lead to resistance to the coccidiostat. It is unlikely that alternating drugs will be of much value in preventing coccidiosis. It is advisable that constant monitoring of coccidiostats be practiced so that large numbers of oocysts are not passed into the environment and "at risk" goats receive an overwhelming exposure.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

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