EARLY LAMBING can allow farmers to achieve the best market prices for their lambs, but only if they adopt ‘best practice’ to avoid the development of coccidiosis, which leads to depressed growth rates and extended time to finishing says Janssen Animal Health.

The parasite is widespread and most lambs will become infected by adult animals that shed oocysts at low levels infecting the housing environment. – just one eaten oocyst can result in 16m oocysts being passed in faeces, so a build up of an infective challenge in the indoor lambing house can be rapid.

Most lambs eventually develop immunity to the disease but a high level of exposure to infective oocysts, or a stress factor that causes the immune system to dip, can result in active disease. By the time lambs are scouring there is already significant gut damage, with subsequent long term effects. Janssen’s vet, Nigel Underwood, suggests measures to help control coccidiosis:

Ensure all lambs have adequate colostrum

• Keep young lambs in age groups within a two-week range and don’t allow them to have access to older lamb pens.
• Don’t allow lambs to mix with older lambs until eight weeks of age
• Raise food and water troughs to prevent faecal contamination
• Feed ewes well before and after lambing and provide creep feed for lambs to prevent scavenging.
• Keep bedding clean and dry but remember that adults shed oocysts regardless, so infection is likely
• Avoid overcrowding

Signs of coccidiosis are usually seen as passive immunity wears off at around three-eight weeks of age, so consider treating preventatively with Vecoxan early in the four-six week window especially if the farm has had the disease before. Treat all in-contact animals every time.