Coccidiosis

[MBECNEL]

Hi,

First post on steer planet. We've been showing breeding cattle and goats for a few years and this is our second year showing steers. I think the one we're raising this year has coccidiosis..................We've been treating him for about a week with Corid, he's doesn't seem to be quite right. He eats pretty good some days and not to good others, likes to lay around in the pen and in the pasture when we let him out. His stool is very loose, a very light tan color and  doesn't smell right. Any clues or suggestions

Thanks Mike

 

[farmboy]

FIRST OFF (welcome) DRAGON LADY (DL) WOULD BE THE ONE TO ASK

 

[afhm]

If there is no blood in his stool then it is not  Coccidiosis.  Have you taken his temperature?  Do you give him plenty of hay?  You might be burning his gut up.  On the days that he doesn't eat very good is it a very hot day?  Also feed has an effect on the color of the stool, so the feed you are using may be why his stool is a little off colored and doesn't smell right to you.

 

[MBECNEL]

There is no blood in his stool. I have a hay basket in his pen..............What do you mean by burning up his gut (how)...........hope I'm not looking to stupid asking. I'm in Louisiana so it's always hot and humid. It's really just starting to get  hot so I don't think the temperature is affecting his eating. The barn is 50X100, pretty open and I have a fan in his pen. Who is the Dragon Lady and how can I contact her ???

Thanks Aagin
Mike

 

[farmboy]

SHES A MODERATOR OF THIS SITE/VET WITH LOTS OF EXPERIENCE IN CATTLE, SHE'LL BE ON SOONER OR LATER

P.S.- THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION ON THIS BOARD

 

[afhm]

By burning his gut up I mean giving him too hot of a feed too much/fast. 

 

[DL]

Hey Mike - welcome

How old is the steer? Weight? Is he gaining?
What are you feeding him (be specific) - type, amount in pounds etc
Minerals?
When you say he has good days and not so good days what do you mean?
Is he bright and alert or dumpy?
Is his temperature elevated?
Is he on any other medication/drugs/etc? Has he been dewormed?
Who else is in his pen?
The manure - very loose - watery? mucus? evidence of feed? froathy?
Home raised or purchased?

I am sure I will have other questions but I think I fried my brain working outside in the beautiful sunny day!

agree with afhm - doesn't sound like coccidia. Give us more info and we will try to help....dl

 

[red]

(welcome) MBECNEL!

I always feed a decox product in my calf starter. Just a good preventative measure.
Between the group we should be able to help you out. But if calf gets too bad, call your vet!

Red

 

[Show Heifer]

Welcome aboard...you have landed in a great place!
As DL (Dragon Lady) implied need more info! But here's a few more to add to her list:
Is it running with your goats? Have they had coccidea?
What type of hay? Alfalfa? Weeds? Grass?
When the day temp is hot, how does the steer act?

I have had lambs with coccidea and this doesn't sound right, they usually go down hill, loose manure although not always with visiable blood. They loose weight fast, and look bad (scruffy, loose hair gloss etc.)

And trust me: THERE IS NO STUPID QUESTIONS ANYWHERE!! Especially here!!!

 

[Malinda]

Hey Mike,

I agree with the above posts.

I'm not a vet, like DL, but here is where I woild start:
get his temp
take him off the grain
give him Sulfa boluses
wait 72 hours after the Sulfa and give him Probios
slowly reintroduce the grain

If this does not do the trick, call your local vet

BUT, Dl is the authority here.

Good luck,

Malinda

 

[MBECNEL]

Here's a little more info

How old is the steer?    9 months Weight?650  Is he gaining?not in weight but in frame size
What are you feeding him (be specific) - type, amount in pounds etcIt's a 15% mix we've been feeding all of the show animals for a number of years...oats, corn, pellets etc.
Minerals?
When you say he has good days and not so good days what do you mean?good days he eats his morning feed about 20lbs and the same in the afternoon
Is he bright and alert or dumpy?kinda dumpy
Is his temperature elevated?No
Is he on any other medication/drugs/etc?Corid ??? Has he been dewormed?Yes
Who else is in his pen?he's alone
The manure - very loose - watery? mucus? evidence of feed? froathy?very loose, no evidence of feed
Home raised or purchased?We purchased him from the same person we got last years steer, same cow and bull

I am sure I will have other questions but I think I fried my brain working outside in the beautiful sunny day!

agree with afhm - doesn't sound like coccidia. Give us more info and we will try to help....dl

We raise goats in another pasture about 50' or so seperated by hay barns, tractor shed and a small dirt road. One thing I forgot to mention is.....about a month ago we notice that his rectum was swelling, treated him with LA200, the swelling went down but his appetite and the way he acts has never been the same. We suspect he may have been bitten by something possibly a snake????

 

[afhm]

If I read your post right you are giving him 40# feed per day.  That is why he isn't eating it all, its way to much.  That is what I meant by potentially burning his gut up by feeding too much of a hot (high protein) feed.  For a calf that age and size, 20# day would be plenty.  You said his temperature wasn't elevated, do you know what normal is? It's 101.7.  I normally don't give antibiotics until they reach 103, if it is real hot outside or if they have just eaten then their temp will be a little higher than normal.  What part of Louisiana are you from(just curious)?

 

[MBECNEL]

I'm from Thibodaux. Are you from near by ?

 

[red]

We had another thread here not too long ago entitled too much grain. it's a good thread w/ lots of good information.
http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/index.php?topic=961.0
I'd be curious on your weights for the feed. 40pounds is a lot (whole lot) for a 650 steer. Make sure you're weighing right.
as Show Hef said there are never stupid questions. We all need tolearn from one another & pass down to those that are learning. You may just pay us back someday by educating us in a new firld or topic!

Red

Good to see you posting Malinda!

 

[farmboy]

i FEED MY 1100 POUNDER 27 POUNDS A DAY, 40 POUNDS

 

[MBECNEL]

Red,

Thanks for the link, it has some very informative info....................It looks like I am way over feeding. I'll take him off of feed for a few days and treat him then get him back on feed 8-10lbs twice a day.................hopefully that will get him back on track. Any other suggestion would be very appreciated

 

[red]

feed him just enough so he cleans it up. Then every 3 days increase by 1-2 pounds. Always do it gradually. I like to add a probiotic like Sullivan's Appetite Express or Amaferm's Appetite Plus. Anything to get that rumen back in working order. We always feed what they can clean up. No more.

Good luck & keep us informed on how he's doing!

Red

 

[DL]

Diagnosis thru cyber space is not an easy task! I do not disagree with Malinda (hi Malinda good to see you) or Red's suggestions - they are certainly rational! ;D The fact that the steer is dumpy and has been for some time bothers me - dumpy means he either is sick in some fashion or he hurts - the fact that he is eating that much and not gaining also bother me and as afhm mentioned there is the possibility that he has developed rumen acidosis (burned out his rumen) - basically this means that the good bugs are gone (from the rumen) replaced by bugs that make acid from the feed and the rumen surface (which has little fingers like - looks sort of like underwater plants ;D) gets destroyed and therefore the rumen can't function. If it is not severe sometimes the rumen can be "saved" .

I would be inclined to call your vet - I would also be inclined to give the calf a magnet as hardware disease is a great mimic of things and can certainly screw up the gut. I would be inclined to give him hay only - something ain't right with him and you need to get it straightened out ...good luck and keep us posted...dl

 

[MBECNEL]

I have him on hay and water only, I also gave him some probois. I'll get someone out to look at him.

Thanks for all the advice
Mike

 

[DL]

Sounds like a good plan - good luck. Who is in your picture?