Watch for coccidiosis this calving

With calving almost underway, dairy farmers are being urged to be vigilant for coccidiosis by planning their calf feeding regimes and using nutrition to combat the potentially fatal disease.

Coccidiosis can attack calves from four weeks old, causing scours, and can result in death. The disease is prevalent throughout New Zealand, and thrives in warm, moist conditions. It often surfaces during periods of stress, like moving or regrouping calves or when calves face reduced immunity.

SealesWinslow nutrition and quality manager Paul Drew says while no vaccine is available for the coccidia parasite that causes the disease, a good nutrition plan can help prevent it and improve calf growth rates.

“Any farmer who has had coccidiosis knows it’s a disease that needs to be avoided,” Drew says.

“A big part of prevention comes down to using a calf feeding programme that includes a coccidiostat fed at the correct daily dose. To reduce the risk, it’s important to keep feeding a meal with coccidiostat until calves have built up their own immunity.”

Maintaining good gut health by encouraging beneficial bacterial development in the calf’s gut through feeding prebiotics