When it comes to using medications to control coccidiosis there are two variables that farmers need to get right: timing and administration of the right dose. If there are calves or lambs on your farm right now, it pays to be aware of what you need to do to control this disease, as it can result in significant economic loss.
Janssen Animal Health is providing free measuring cylinders that will allow farmers to check the dosing and calibration of drenching guns. Find out why correct dosing is so important…
Timing
Timing of dosing might sound simple, but in the case of coccidiosis the timing is often dependant on the conditions on an individual farm. Diagnosis can also be complicated, as identification of the presence of Eimeria parasites, which cause the disease, does not definitively mean that coccidiosis is causing the clinical signs observed: not all Eimeria species are pathogenic and healthy animals can shed eggs. Where coccidiosis is suspected then as soon as there are one or two animals scouring, all animals in the group should be dosed. Failure to treat all the animals can result in either clinical disease or subclinical infections, which can adversely affect growth rates.
Where there is a history of coccidiosis on a farm, the predisposing factor or stressful event that usually acts as the trigger for disease has often already been identified. This could be bad weather, weaning or castration. The Eimeria lifecycle takes around three weeks to complete, so treating 10-14 days after the ‘trigger’ breaks the lifecycle before severe damage is caused to the gut and before infected animals can start shedding infective occysts. In some cases there is no obvious ‘trigger’, but coccidiosis is seen at the same time each year – in this case animals should be treated one week before they would be expected to show signs of disease.
Administration
The reason that timing is important is to allow calves and lambs to develop an immune response to the Eimeria parasite. Studies have shown that a single dose of Vecoxan®, given at [EW1] the recommended dose rate 2 weeks after a challenge is effective in the prevention of clinical disease, allowing the development of protective immunity against future infections, while also reducing oocyst excretion and keeping environmental contamination to a low level1,2.
Getting the dose right is also critical to controlling the disease and allowing the development of future immunity, which is important because Eimeria parasites are so widespread that nearly all sheep and cattle will face ongoing challenges in the future.
Janssen Animal Health has produced a measuring cylinder that can be used to check and calibrate drenching guns used to treat animals and ensure correct dosing. These are available free of charge whilst stocks last from your local animal health adviser or by calling Janssen on 01494 567555….
….and remember a properly calibrated dosing gun is essential for worm control as well !!!
References
- Taylor M A, Marshall R N, Catchpole J, Bartram D. Dose response effects of diclazuril against pathogenic species of ovine coccidian and the development of protective immunity. Veterinary Parasitology (2011), doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.12.024
- Agneessens J, Goossens L, Louineau J, Daugschies A, Veys P. Build up of immunity after a diclazuril (Vecoxan®) treatment in calves , Poster at 24th World Buiatrics Congress, Nice 2006
Vecoxan® 2.5 mg/ml Oral Suspension contains diclazuril 2.5mg/ml. Legal Category POM-VPS.
For further information contact Janssen Animal Health, 50-100 Holmers Farm Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 4EG Tel 01494 567555 Fax 01494 567556 Email: ahealth@its.jnj.com www.janssenanimalhealth.com/uk
Advice on the use of this or alternative medicines should be sought from the medicine prescriber
Use Animal Medicines Responsibly http://www.noah.co.uk/responsible/
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