What is Coccidiosis in Sheep?
Last fall, we had quite the run-around with coccidiosis on our farm.
I had heard of coccidiosis in chickens and vaguely knew that it could be a problem for sheep and other livestock, too - but when it reared its ugly head on us, I was totally caught off guard.
After doing some fecal samples with a vet and some other diagnostic tests to find out that's what it was, we were able to treat the problem and get it under control - but not without more than one sleepless night!
That's why I wanted to share today's guest post with you. I think there's some super valuable information in here that any sheep owner could find helpful. If you've been struggling with sick sheep (in particular, sick sheep who you thought had parasites, but for whom dewormers are no longer working), then you'll want to give this post a read. Check it out!
Many different diseases and parasites can affect your sheep. However, coccidiosis is one of the most powerful because of the profound effects it can have on your flock. This host-specific disease can cause a significant amount of damage when left untreated.
Coccidiosis is caused by a single-cell protozoan parasite and is host-specific. It’s transmitted in the fecal-to-oral route and is known to affect animals more significantly when they are stressed. It demands immediate attention once the symptoms are identified.
This article will explain coccidiosis in sheep, including the source and symptoms. It will also explain the treatments and prevention methods to help keep your sheep healthy and happy. Read on for everything you need to know about coccidiosis.
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What is the Best Treatment for Coccidiosis?
There are several known treatment options for coccidiosis in sheep, including the following:
Sulfa drugs
Corid (Amprolium)
Baycox (Toltrazuril)
Vecoxan (Diclazuril)
For more information on coccidiosis in sheep, including treatment and prevention, you can watch this video from Delaware State University:
What is Coccidiosis?
While coccidia can affect many animals, birds, and mammals are often the primary affected targets. Microscopic, single-cell protozoan parasites cause coccidiosis, and they come from the family Eimeria.
There are very few exceptions to the rule that coccidia is host-specific, so you generally don’t have to worry about cross-infection between hosts. Even though different species of coccidia can infect sheep, none can cause infection in humans.
While at least 11 known species of Eimeria affect sheep, only two are considered highly pathogenic – Eimeria crandallis and Eimeria ovinoidalis. These pathogenic species are known for affecting the large and small intestines.
The remaining coccidia species that infect sheep are not generally known to cause any disease issues. Most sheep are exposed to coccidia at some point and shed the oocysts through their feces, developing immunity at a very young age and remaining asymptomatic.
What Causes Coccidiosis in Sheep?
Sheep can ingest oocysts from the Eimeria family when they are grazing or become exposed through poor sanitation when their water source becomes contaminated with feces.
After being ingested, these oocysts will penetrate the intestinal lining cells and undergo several stages of development. This process results in the inflammation and degradation of the sheep’s intestinal cells.
The oocysts will continue developing in the intestinal walls until they release thousands more oocysts when they reach maturity.
Oocysts thrive in a warm, moist environment, and with ideal conditions, the life cycle of the coccidia is two to three weeks. However, oocysts can survive for over a year in a warm, moist, and dark environment.
Direct exposure to sunlight and dry conditions are the worst situations for oocysts, as it will kill them. Therefore, you should ensure your sheep’s housing has adequate sunlight and remains as dry as possible.
What Are The Symptoms of Coccidia in Sheep?
In addition to there being several symptoms of coccidia, there are a few predisposing conditions you should be aware of that can lead to coccidiosis. These include the following:
Post-weaning stress
Sudden weather changes
Disease recovery stages
Change in feed practices
Any stressful condition (for example, post-shipment)
You may notice your sheep has coccidiosis based on several common symptoms. One of the most telling is watery diarrhea which may have blood or mucus in it. Alternatively, your sheep may become constipated.
They may experience a loss of appetite that comes with a fever. Dehydration can be a result of diarrhea. In addition, they may show signs of emaciation from significant weight loss. Overall, it appears very similar to ill thrift.
The sheep may also have a hollow, hunched appearance. In addition, they may strain to defecate, resulting in a prolapsed rectum. They may experience abdominal pain or a distended belly.
Your sheep may become weak, lethargic, or, in worst-case scenarios, may die.
Fecal oocyst counts are used to aid in diagnosis but are not always reliable. For example, some sheep can have millions of coccidia and be asymptomatic, while others can have a few and be in a dire situation. Much of this depends on age, genetics, and other factors.
Additionally, some coccidia is pathogenic while others are not. Unfortunately, a necropsy is the most reliable form of diagnosis, which is not beneficial in treating your sheep.
So, if you notice signs of intestinal discomfort or illness, it’s a safe bet to assume coccidiosis and consult your veterinarian. They can guide you through the right steps to treating the problem and getting your sheep back in top health.
What is the Best Treatment for Coccidiosis?
While the FDA approves no current medications to treat coccidiosis in sheep, there are several with extra-label drug use options. For example, one of the most effective treatments, Amprolium (brand name Corid), isn’t even indicated for sheep (though it can be used and we've successfully used it multiple times on our farm).
Amprolium can be used as a preventative and treatment, but it is unfortunately often only used as the latter. It is used as a drench and clears up coccidia later in their life cycle, often after they’ve already inflicted significant damage.
Because it is not indicated for sheep, it is generally administered under the supervision of a veterinarian over three to five days. It competes with thiamine and, because of this, can cause polioencephalomalacia with higher doses or prolonged use.
Sulfa drugs are the other primary treatment option for coccidiosis in sheep. They are often added to the water source or used as a drench. However, drenching is preferable as sick animals are less likely to drink enough water.
Three to five days is the general dosing period. It is important to note there is a risk of toxicity when using too much sulfa medication or for too long.
Two other medications are available but harder to obtain in the United States. They are effective one-day treatments that allow you to quickly get your sheep back on their feet.
Baycox is reported to have extreme efficacy when reducing oocyst shedding in lambs. Vecoxan is the other one-day treatment option. Both are comparative in efficacy to five days of Amprolium with their single doses.
Whichever you choose, make sure you're supplementing your sheep with additional nutrients (especially vitamin B, iron, and selenium) and hydrating them well throughout this process.
How to Prevent Coccidiosis in Sheep
You’ll find that prevention of coccidiosis is much easier than treatment because, unfortunately, by the time you see the signs, there’s usually a significant amount of damage already done to your sheep. Even if there is survival, a full recovery may never happen.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Sanitation should be your number one priority. The goal is to prevent fecal ingestion at all costs, as this is the route of infection. Start with keeping all maternity areas clean and dry and cleaning all lambing jugs between each lambing.
All your sheep pens should never be overcrowded and should be kept dry and well-bedded. Feeders should be elevated to prevent contamination, with no feed ever being placed directly on the floor. You’ll also need to ensure all water sources stay free and clear from manure.
Excellent Nutrition
Another key aspect of prevention is providing good nutrition to your flock. When they ingest all the necessary nutrients to boost their immune systems, they can better fight off parasites and other infections.
After nursing, they’ll need all the proper vitamins and minerals in their diet. Colostrum will provide the necessary immunity to coccidia for the first few weeks of their lives. You can help boost this effect by washing and drying the female’s udder before feeding.
Separation
One more best practice is to avoid mixing young sheep with older sheep, including older lambs and kids. It’s also best not to have the younger sheep follow the older sheep in grazing rotations.
By keeping them separated and not having the younger ones trail behind the older ones, you can help alleviate some of the stress of disease and infection.
Limit Stress, Especially at Weaning
Stress can also lead to coccidiosis, so you should take steps to ensure your sheep are as stress-free as possible. Sheep should not be handled often, and when they are, it should be gently and calmly, as this will keep their stress levels down.
Newly weaned sheep are often one of the most impacted ages affected by coccidiosis because of the stress of weaning. Because of this, you will need to ensure the process is as smooth as possible. Focus on weaning the mother from the offspring.
Leaving the lambs and kids in the same grouping in their original shelter will help reduce their stress, keeping them healthier.
You should also not change their diet. Lambs should consistently remain on the same diet they were on before weaning after it is complete.
Coccidiostats
Many sheep owners turn to the use of coccidiostats to prevent coccidiosis. These are preventative additives in the feed and should not be confused with treatment options, as they do not necessarily kill the coccidia.
Coccidiostats slow down the coccidial organism shedding into the environment. Because of this, they must be fed in advance of the anticipated risk period. They take at least 21 days before they are effective.
Adequate consumption is a severe limitation to the effectiveness of coccidiostats. When offering them as part of a free feeding salt lick or in the feed, the sheep is not guaranteed to get a full dose, especially with the younger animals.
Because of this, you must combine them with good sanitation and nutrition for the most benefit. They should not be considered a cure-all that will guarantee success.
They also need to be fed coccidiostats strategically and at no point should be fed year-round. This will decrease efficacy and could lead to resistance, making them ineffective at preventing the problem in the future.
How Long Does Coccidia Last in Sheep?
The life cycle of coccidia is direct, with no other organism involved. It has a free-living stage outside the host animal and a parasitic phase within it. It has intracellular and extracellular components in the gut.
Depending on the exact species of Eimeria, the life cycle can range anywhere from two to four weeks. The coccidia has an egg-like structure called an oocyst, which is highly resistant to environmental stress, including household chemicals.
This resistance is due to a thick, protective shell. However, extreme hot or cold temperatures can kill them, making the pasture the least ideal place for them. However, they can still overwinter in small numbers in the soil.
The life cycle begins once the oocysts are shed in the feces of an infected sheep. With the proper environmental conditions, these oocysts will sporulate and become infective. Other sheep then ingest them.
Once they arrive in the gut, they break open and release massive numbers of parasites that invade the gut wall. These parasites reproduce asexually, producing hundreds more daughter parasites, which spread throughout the gut wall.
Within 10 to 14 days, these parasites will have multiplied into the millions. The parasites begin developing into male and female cells, and oocysts are released in the feces. Thus, the cycle begins again.
Symptoms generally appear late in the life cycle of the coccidia. You will generally need to treat your sheep, as this condition will not go away on its own. Not providing treatment quickly enough could result in the animal’s death.
The length of time the animal has coccidia ultimately depends on how quickly you treat it.
Final Thoughts
Coccidiosis can be severely damaging to your flock. You’ll need to take preventative measures to ensure there is adequate sanitation and good nutrition to keep this parasite at bay. Keeping things dry and clean will go a long way toward a healthy lifestyle.
When you notice your sheep has digestive problems, acting quickly is important. While fecal testing can identify coccidia, it’s not always the best choice for evaluation. Seeking the help of an experienced veterinarian will be your best solution to saving your sheep.
The life cycle of the coccidia is generally between two and four weeks, depending on the specific species. However, how long they last in your sheep depends on when you identify the problem and complete treatment, eradicating the issue.
So there you have it. Everything you need to know about coccidiosis in sheep. Hopefully, you'll never have to deal with these sorts of problems on your farm - but if you do, you now have the information you need to move forward. Good luck!
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