This NebGuide contains information on the identification, treatment, and prevention of coccidiosis in cattle.  Coccidiosis continues to be one of the major disease problems for cattle producers. It is caused by microscopic, one-celled parasites, chiefly of the genus Eimeria. Twenty-one species of Eimeria have been reported in cattle. Only two, Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii, are regularly associated with clinical infections in the field

Ferguson, Donald L.

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension 1977 G77-336 Coccidiosis of Cattle Donald L. Ferguson University of Nebraska - Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist  Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Ferguson, Donald L., "G77-336 Coccidiosis of Cattle" (1977). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 192. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/192 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. G77-336-A  Coccidiosis of Cattle This NebGuide contains information on the identification, treatment, and prevention of coccidiosis in cattle. Donald L. Ferguson, Parasitologist  z Life Cycle  z Clinical Signs  z Diagnosis  z Treatment  z Control and Prevention   Coccidiosis continues to be one of the major disease problems for cattle producers. It is caused by microscopic, one-celled parasites, chiefly of the genus Eimeria. Twenty-one species of Eimeria have been reported in cattle. Only two, Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii, are regularly associated with clinical infections in the field.  Coccidiosis occurs more frequently in calves from one to six months of age, but older cattle, especially those from one to two years, are often affected. Young calves are usually infected when they are placed in pastures or lots contaminated by older cattle or other infected calves. Occasionally, mature cattle are infected when they are brought in from large pastures and crowded into small feedlots or barns.  Outbreaks of coccidiosis have been observed frequently in yearlings and two-year-olds grazing on native range pasture during the summer. In the majority of these outbreaks, Eimeria zuernii has been the species of coccidia identified. In addition, clinical cases of coccidiosis have been observed in a number of cow-calf operations.  Coccidiosis usually is sporadic during the wet seasons of the year, but may occur at any time in animals confined in feedlots. Severe losses have been reported in cattle confined in feedlots during periods of extremely cold weather.  Life Cycle Bovine coccidia have a complex life cycle, with several generations included in a single cycle. The stage found in the manure is the oocyst. It is covered by a protective shell, resistant to physical, chemical, and bacterial action.  Oocysts freshly discharged in the manure must undergo a developmental process called sporulation before they become infective. This process, occurring outside of the animal, requires 2 to 3 days and results in the formation within each oocyst of 8 infective sporozoites.  When a susceptible calf swallows infective oocysts, the sporozoites are released, penetrate the epithelial cells lining the intestine, and begin to divide into many intermediate stages. These continue to divide and each division produces stages that cause damage to the host cells.  Male and female parasites unite to produce the oocyst, which is passed out of the animal's body in the manure.  Because of the multiplication of parasite stages within the cells of the intestine of the calf, the potential for destruction of large numbers of intestinal cells exists. If this potential is fully realized, then the ingestion of only 1,000 sporulated oocysts could result in the destruction of 24 billion intestinal cells.  Clinical Signs Typical signs of coccidiosis are diarrhea, rough coat, loss of appetite and weight, and general emaciation. The general weakness may cause the calf to defecate without rising, thus soiling its tail and hindquarters. In more severe cases the manure may contain blood, mucus, and stringy masses of tissue. This occurs because the destruction of the epithelial cells results in the sloughing of the epithelium lining the intestine.  Severe straining at defecation may be observed in the more advanced stages. Death may occur during the acute period, or later from secondary complications, such as pneumonia.  Calves which appear to be free of coccidiosis may pass low numbers of oocysts in the manure without showing the typical clinical signs of the disease. Consequently, large numbers of oocysts accumulate on the ground and these infect susceptible calves when they are placed on the contaminated lots.  Diagnosis Diagnosis of clinical coccidiosis can be made from a combination of herd history, clinical signs, gross lesions at necropsy, and microscopic examination of scrapings of the intestinal mucosa and manure.  Usually, diarrhea precedes the heavy discharge of oocysts by a day or two, and the diarrhea may continue after the oocyst discharge has returned to low levels. Therefore, it is not always possible to confirm a clinical diagnosis of coccidiosis by finding oocysts in the manure.  Certain coccidia may cause severe illness and even death before any oocysts have been produced. This occurs most often with Eimeria zuernii in calves. Consequently, failure to find oocysts in feces in a diarrhea disease does not necessarily mean the disease is not coccidiosis.  The most accurate way to diagnose coccidiosis at necropsy is to examine material from suspicious areas in the small intestine or colon under the microscope. To do this, scrapings of these areas are examined for oocysts and other life cycle stages.  It is advisable to consult your veterinarian in suspected outbreaks of coccidiosis, as other disease entities sometimes manifest similar signs.  Treatment Treatment of bovine coccidiosis is difficult, because clinical signs of the disease do not become noticeable until the disease is advanced. The first signs in coccidiosis caused by Eimeria bovis usually occur about 17 to 18 days after ingestion of oocysts. At this time, the portion of the life cycle within the host has been nearly or entirely completed, and much of the invasion of intestinal mucosa has already occurred. Thus, treatment administered at this time can at best result in a lessening of the signs of coccidiosis. However, if drugs are given at an earlier stage of the disease, the clinical signs of infection can be largely or entirely prevented.  Sulfonamides are generally recommended in the treatment of coccidiosis. Enteric sulfonamides, such as sulfaguanidine, or the readily absorbed sulfonamides, such as sulfamerazine or sulfamethazine, may be used. Sulfaquinoxaline has given excellent results.  Sulfonamides are available in varied formulations and treatment schedules. Therefore, it is important that you prepare and administer them according to the manufacturer's directions.  Amprolium, a drug that has been highly effective against avian coccidiosis, has been found to be of value in controlling and preventing coccidiosis in cattle. Amprolium is an antagonist of thiamine (vitamin B1), one of the essential vitamins, and thus interferes with the metabolism of the parasites.  Amprolium can be administered in the drinking water or as a drench. To treat clinical cases in cattle the drug is given at a rate of 10 mg/kg body weight daily for 5 days. To prevent coccidiosis the level of treatment is 5 mg/kg body weight daily for 21 days.  Control and Prevention Management practices play a critical role in the establishment of effective parasite control programs. Coccidiostats currently available to cattle producers possess activity against the economically important species of bovine coccidia.  As in many diseases, it is easier to prevent coccidiosis than it is to treat it. Because several days are required for sporulation, the oocyst stage in manure is the weakest link. Separating a cow and calf from a contaminated lot interrupts the life cycle and helps control the disease.  Since moisture favors the development of parasites and dryness kills them, practices that reduce the moisture on pasture will decrease parasitic contamination. Pastures should be well-drained, watering troughs raised above the ground, and grazing should be kept to a minimum on lush grass along the edges of ponds and streams. In these areas where cattle congregate, overgrazing should be avoided. Otherwise, animals will be forced to graze to the roots of plants where they may ingest large numbers of parasites.  Segregate severely parasitized animals and treat them with a coccidiostat. Follow recommended feeding practices. The effects of parasites are less severe in well-nourished cattle.  File G336 under: ANIMAL DISEASES A-16, Cattle Issued March 1977; 15,000 printed. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Elbert C. Dickey, Director of Cooperative Extension, University of Nebraska, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension educational programs abide with the non-discrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture. 

G77-336 Coccidiosis of Cattle

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Historical Materials from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension 
1977 
G77-336 Coccidiosis of Cattle 
Donald L. Ferguson 
University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist 
 Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Curriculum and Instruction Commons 
Ferguson, Donald L., "G77-336 Coccidiosis of Cattle" (1977). Historical Materials from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 192. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/192 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - 
Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an 
authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
G77-336-A 
 
Coccidiosis of Cattle 
This NebGuide contains information on the identification, treatment, and prevention of coccidiosis 
in cattle. 
Donald L. Ferguson, Parasitologist  
? Life Cycle  
? Clinical Signs  
? Diagnosis  
? Treatment  
? Control and Prevention  
 
Coccidiosis continues to be one of the major disease problems for cattle producers. It is caused by 
microscopic, one-celled parasites, chiefly of the genus Eimeria. Twenty-one species of Eimeria have 
been reported in cattle. Only two, Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii, are regularly associated with 
clinical infections in the field.  
Coccidiosis occurs more frequently in calves from one to six months of age, but older cattle, especially 
those from one to two years, are often affected. Young calves are usually infected when they are placed 
in pastures or lots contaminated by older cattle or other infected calves. Occasionally, mature cattle are 
infected when they are brought in from large pastures and crowded into small feedlots or barns.  
Outbreaks of coccidiosis have been observed frequently in yearlings and two-year-olds grazing on 
native range pasture during the summer. In the majority of these outbreaks, Eimeria zuernii has been the 
species of coccidia identified. In addition, clinical cases of coccidiosis have been observed in a number 
of cow-calf operations.  
Coccidiosis usually is sporadic during the wet seasons of the year, but may occur at any time in animals 
confined in feedlots. Severe losses have been reported in cattle confined in feedlots during periods of 
extremely cold weather.  
Life Cycle 
Bovine coccidia have a complex life cycle, with several generations included in a single cycle. The stage 
found in the manure is the oocyst. It is covered by a protective shell, resistant to physical, chemical, and 
bacterial action.  
Oocysts freshly discharged in the manure must undergo a developmental process called sporulation 
before they become infective. This process, occurring outside of the animal, requires 2 to 3 days and 
results in the formation within each oocyst of 8 infective sporozoites.  
When a susceptible calf swallows infective oocysts, the sporozoites are released, penetrate the epithelial 
cells lining the intestine, and begin to divide into many intermediate stages. These continue to divide 
and each division produces stages that cause damage to the host cells.  
Male and female parasites unite to produce the oocyst, which is passed out of the animal's body in the 
manure.  
Because of the multiplication of parasite stages within the cells of the intestine of the calf, the potential 
for destruction of large numbers of intestinal cells exists. If this potential is fully realized, then the 
ingestion of only 1,000 sporulated oocysts could result in the destruction of 24 billion intestinal cells.  
Clinical Signs 
Typical signs of coccidiosis are diarrhea, rough coat, loss of appetite and weight, and general 
emaciation. The general weakness may cause the calf to defecate without rising, thus soiling its tail and 
hindquarters. In more severe cases the manure may contain blood, mucus, and stringy masses of tissue. 
This occurs because the destruction of the epithelial cells results in the sloughing of the epithelium 
lining the intestine.  
Severe straining at defecation may be observed in the more advanced stages. Death may occur during 
the acute period, or later from secondary complications, such as pneumonia.  
Calves which appear to be free of coccidiosis may pass low numbers of oocysts in the manure without 
showing the typical clinical signs of the disease. Consequently, large numbers of oocysts accumulate on 
the ground and these infect susceptible calves when they are placed on the contaminated lots.  
Diagnosis 
Diagnosis of clinical coccidiosis can be made from a combination of herd history, clinical signs, gross 
lesions at necropsy, and microscopic examination of scrapings of the intestinal mucosa and manure.  
Usually, diarrhea precedes the heavy discharge of oocysts by a day or two, and the diarrhea may 
continue after the oocyst discharge has returned to low levels. Therefore, it is not always possible to 
confirm a clinical diagnosis of coccidiosis by finding oocysts in the manure.  
Certain coccidia may cause severe illness and even death before any oocysts have been produced. This 
occurs most often with Eimeria zuernii in calves. Consequently, failure to find oocysts in feces in a 
diarrhea disease does not necessarily mean the disease is not coccidiosis.  
The most accurate way to diagnose coccidiosis at necropsy is to examine material from suspicious areas 
in the small intestine or colon under the microscope. To do this, scrapings of these areas are examined 
for oocysts and other life cycle stages.  
It is advisable to consult your veterinarian in suspected outbreaks of coccidiosis, as other disease entities 
sometimes manifest similar signs.  
Treatment 
Treatment of bovine coccidiosis is difficult, because clinical signs of the disease do not become 
noticeable until the disease is advanced. The first signs in coccidiosis caused by Eimeria bovis usually 
occur about 17 to 18 days after ingestion of oocysts. At this time, the portion of the life cycle within the 
host has been nearly or entirely completed, and much of the invasion of intestinal mucosa has already 
occurred. Thus, treatment administered at this time can at best result in a lessening of the signs of 
coccidiosis. However, if drugs are given at an earlier stage of the disease, the clinical signs of infection 
can be largely or entirely prevented.  
Sulfonamides are generally recommended in the treatment of coccidiosis. Enteric sulfonamides, such as 
sulfaguanidine, or the readily absorbed sulfonamides, such as sulfamerazine or sulfamethazine, may be 
used. Sulfaquinoxaline has given excellent results.  
Sulfonamides are available in varied formulations and treatment schedules. Therefore, it is important 
that you prepare and administer them according to the manufacturer's directions.  
Amprolium, a drug that has been highly effective against avian coccidiosis, has been found to be of 
value in controlling and preventing coccidiosis in cattle. Amprolium is an antagonist of thiamine 
(vitamin B1), one of the essential vitamins, and thus interferes with the metabolism of the parasites.  
Amprolium can be administered in the drinking water or as a drench. To treat clinical cases in cattle the 
drug is given at a rate of 10 mg/kg body weight daily for 5 days. To prevent coccidiosis the level of 
treatment is 5 mg/kg body weight daily for 21 days.  
Control and Prevention 
Management practices play a critical role in the establishment of effective parasite control programs. 
Coccidiostats currently available to cattle producers possess activity against the economically important 
species of bovine coccidia.  
As in many diseases, it is easier to prevent coccidiosis than it is to treat it. Because several days are 
required for sporulation, the oocyst stage in manure is the weakest link. Separating a cow and calf from 
a contaminated lot interrupts the life cycle and helps control the disease.  
Since moisture favors the development of parasites and dryness kills them, practices that reduce the 
moisture on pasture will decrease parasitic contamination. Pastures should be well-drained, watering 
troughs raised above the ground, and grazing should be kept to a minimum on lush grass along the edges 
of ponds and streams. In these areas where cattle congregate, overgrazing should be avoided. Otherwise, 
animals will be forced to graze to the roots of plants where they may ingest large numbers of parasites.  
Segregate severely parasitized animals and treat them with a coccidiostat. Follow recommended feeding 
practices. The effects of parasites are less severe in well-nourished cattle.  
File G336 under: ANIMAL DISEASES 
A-16, Cattle 
Issued March 1977; 15,000 printed. 
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation 
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Elbert C. Dickey, Director of Cooperative Extension, 
University of Nebraska, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension educational programs abide with the non-discrimination 
policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture. 


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