Newford Farm is emerging from a difficult 10-day period. An unusual outbreak of coccidiosis in the 2019-born finishing heifers has caused serious health issues over the last 10 days to two weeks and the loss of one heifer.

Thankfully, the farm is getting back on track, but, as will be discussed below, the outbreak will have long-term consequences.

Emergence of health issues

Farm manager Iarlaith Collins noticed a heifer that was off form on Monday 24 July. The heifer's symptoms rapidly progressed to a severe blood scour and dangerously high temperature in the space of 24 hours, leading to a rapid deterioration in her health.

The heifer failed to respond to antibiotic treatment and a blood transfusion administered by the herd’s vet.

It became quickly evident that these symptoms were rapidly starting to spread, with a number of heifers also starting to display a blood scour over the following days.

All drinkers were emptied and cleaned as a precaution, while handling facilities and housing used are being disinfected to reduce the presence of coccidia in the environment.

The heifer unfortunately died after just three days from first identifying an issue and was immediately brought to the Department of Agriculture Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Athlone for post-mortem. This revealed a severe coccidia burden.

In the meantime, there was upwards of 10 heifers suffering from varying degrees of blood scour.

The diagnosis of coccidia as the underlying health cause was quite unusual

The diagnosis of coccidia as the underlying health cause was quite unusual in heifers averaging 16 to 18 months of age.

As such, there has been other investigations carried out at laboratory level, but, to date, there has been no other contributing cause identified.

With symptoms continuing to spread, a decision was taken on veterinary advice to treat all animals for coccidiosis on Friday 31 July.

Cevazuril was the recommended product and the advice was to house all heifers for at least a week while the coccidiosis burden passed through the animals' systems.

The downside to treating animals is that they will not be able to be drafted for slaughter until early October due to a 63-day withdrawal period.

The heifers displaying symptoms recovered greatly over the following 36 hours, while offering animals’ straw and hay also appeared to help. However, the downside is that Cevazuril has a withdrawal period of 63 days, meaning the planned drafting of heifers in the coming weeks will be delayed.

Root of the problem

As mentioned earlier, it is very unusual for cattle of this age to succumb to coccidiosis and particularly at the rate at which it developed.

The only contributing factor that can be identified is that these heifers were brought back to the Newford grazing platform a number of weeks ago and grazed swards that were previously grazed by cows and calves.

The calves had received treatment for coccidiosis, so it is possible a high burden had developed in the environment, while the immune response of the 2019-born cattle could have been compromised by coming up against a high burden at a fast rate.

Further investigation will continue, including collecting faecal samples to monitor the presence of coccidiosis. A protocol was also put in place to empty and clean all drinking troughs, while sheds and handling facilities used are also being disinfected.

The majority of heifers were returned outdoors on Thursday, with two heifers which suffered the greatest health issues remaining indoors until it is clear that they have adequately recovered.