Cocci prevention

[dejavoodoo114]

I always felt that preventative treatment doesn't allow them to grow resistant to the parasites. But it sure is easier than waiting for any signs of kids with cocci. The kids I have had who ended up with cocci have gone down hill VERY fast. Some made it and some didn't. I use sulfadimethoxine to treat when I have a goat with cocci but still use nothing as a preventative.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

I always felt that preventative treatment doesn't allow them to grow resistant to the parasites. But it sure is easier than waiting for any signs of kids with cocci. The kids I have had who ended up with cocci have gone down hill VERY fast. Some made it and some didn't. I use sulfadimethoxine to treat when I have a goat with cocci but still use nothing as a preventative.

After a few years and once you have so many kids, you deal with cocci. Thankfully we've never lost a kid to cocci, but we now do a preventative. We used to monitor all kids be running fecals, but now when you have 30 kids in a season that goes out the window. No way to do fecals on all those kids every 3 weeks. Last year we started the preventive, given about every 5-6 weeks. The kids all grew great and on the fecals we did run, the kids always had a very small number of cocci on the slide. It has worked well for us and we have kids that are over 100# by a year (dairy goats).

Everyone has to do what works best on their farm. When dealing with 25+ kids, doing a preventive can be one of the wisest thing one can do if in a "cocci area".

 

[NH homesteader]

I'm not declaring this as proof, I do realize if is not enough information at all, but here is why I will be using preventatives. I got 3 kids last year. Two were treated with toltrazuril. One was treated with, well nothing. He was raised "organically". The ones who received treatments are my healthiest, best growing goats. The other one, I'm culling as he never grew well.

Like I said, I know there are other factors involved and am not saying this is evidence based decision making but it is what I saw this year. It can't hurt to repeat what works right?

 

[OneFineAcre]

There is meat withdrawal data available for sheep because it is used in Canada, UK, Austalia, and New Zealand extensively with sheep

3 seasons ago we lost a kid and then the next year we lost several and none showed any symptoms

We haven't had any problems since we started using it

 

[Critter]

So I should not use the medicated feed if there is a possibility that a chicken or dog would eat it? My chickens and my dog definitely eat some of the goats feed at times. I can keep the dog out of the creep area but if the kids can get in, so can my chickens. I tend to lean towards not treating for something unless it becomes an issue, but I'd also really hate to lose a kid to something treatable.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Toltrazil can also be used for cattle, pigs and is recommended for sheep too...but from what i have read and seen sheep presenting a cocci problem are quite rare.