Tackling Crypto on Farm

[Wynnstay]

There is no doubt that cryptosporidium (Crypto) is a major calf health problem, with it being the most commonly diagnosed pathogen in preweaning calves. 40% of infectious diarrhoea is caused by Crypto. So what is it and how can we tackle it?

What is Cryptosporidium?

• An intestinal infection that can cause severe scours.
• A zoonotic parasite (passes from animals to humans)
• It is resistant to extreme temperatures.
• It can survive several years in a cool moist environment.
• It’s resistant to commonly used disinfectants.

How does it spread

The calf spreads the disease through oocyst (encysted eggs) in the faeces; one infected calf can shed up to 10 million oocysts. Not all of them will be shed through the faeces, some will stay in the calf and can cause reinfection. (see below for the life cycle of crypto).

Where does it come from?

How are you getting Crypto? There are several sources that can contribute to an outbreak, including; poor hygiene in the calving pen and calf shed as well as other calves shedding oocysts.

Clinical signs

Calves affected are usually between 1-4 weeks old. Calves that experience a case of crypto suffer from damage to the small intestine. The organism damages the villi which is responsible for absorbing important nutrients; this can quickly lead to diarrhoea and ill thrift. Calves will appear lethargic, stop drinking milk and can become dehydrated. In severe cases, death is not uncommon.

Correct diagnosis

Getting a correct diagnosis is important to determine what action to take next. Scour testing kits are available, although it would be advised to discuss with your vet for a confirmed diagnosis.


Can it be treated?

Prevention is always better than cure; by the time clinical signs have been observed, the damage has already been done. Although there is no vaccine against Crypto it’s important to remember that calves scouring quickly become dehydrated, so ensuring they have access to fresh clean water is essential. Scouring calves can lose important nutrients; feeding electrolytes with water to replace nutrients lost can help the calf keep up energy and strength to help with recovery. For outbreaks or high-risk sheds, Halocur can be used as a licensed product but there are strict guidelines of using it to discuss with your vet beforehand.

Management options to prevent.

• Regularly steam cleaning calf pens
• Use of appropriate disinfectants, eg. Kilco Cyclex
• Cleaning calving areas frequently to reduce oocyst build up.
• Fresh bedding

Animal management

• Colostrum management to boost immunity.
• Keeping sick calves hydrated
• Keeping calves in similar age groups.
• Feed sick calves after the healthy calves
• Try to keep crypto infected calves in quarantine for up to a week after being treated, calves can still shed oocyst after being treated.

Summary of tackling crypto.

• Spot the clinical signs early
• Use scour testing kits/speak with your vet to determine if it is Crypto.
• Keep calves hydrated and treat if needed.

Elinor Thomas
Calf & Youngstock Specialist
South Wales
m: 07500 979398
​

 

[Lawnseed]

Good article well written. I have had to deal with crypto for the first time on my farm. It seems to have arrived with a batch of calves. They were doing really well for about ten days, lively and great appetites. I rear in cots so I can spot any changes easily. I noticed a smaller calf off his milk and his dung was very yellow and runny with like slime in it. He'd been given extra meal because he was eating really well and I put the change down to a stomach upset.
The yellow stuff continued for about a week. But his appetite remained strong, I gave him a shot of pen and strep and tetracycline I suspected a flu bug. No use. He continued to loose condition despite eating well. Then I made a fatal mistake. I took him off milk and put him on life aids for 24hours. I wanted to give him a break from milk and purge whatever was sickening him. My vet suggested crypto but I stupidly ruled it out thinking I don't have it. Anyway the calf withered and died despite my efforts to win him back. I took a sample to the vet and sure enough.. Crypto.
He gave me a bag of parvor powder and told me to put it in their milk. Next day the calf next door to the dead calf started the same thing. Yellow dung with slime in it. I started him on the parvor powder and increased his milk by 25%. He'd been on 450g of powder and 4.5l water. I boosted him up and added the powder. I continued the powder for four days once a day. I kept him on the higher rate of milk for another ten days.
He's doing well. His condition has not been effected and he's in good form. Skipping around when he gets fresh bedding.
Its another two weeks before they get out of the cots and into a communal bedded pen.
I think he will make the move with the rest of the batch. Then I will begin the process of washing and cleaning to try to remove the crypto. For me the secret is increase the milk and water especially and feed them through the outbreak and use the parvor powder.

 

[farmerm]

A thread about Crypto and not one mention about Bitcoin....

 

[Sid]

Good article well written. I have had to deal with crypto for the first time on my farm. It seems to have arrived with a batch of calves. They were doing really well for about ten days, lively and great appetites. I rear in cots so I can spot any changes easily. I noticed a smaller calf off his milk and his dung was very yellow and runny with like slime in it. He'd been given extra meal because he was eating really well and I put the change down to a stomach upset.
The yellow stuff continued for about a week. But his appetite remained strong, I gave him a shot of pen and strep and tetracycline I suspected a flu bug. No use. He continued to loose condition despite eating well. Then I made a fatal mistake. I took him off milk and put him on life aids for 24hours. I wanted to give him a break from milk and purge whatever was sickening him. My vet suggested crypto but I stupidly ruled it out thinking I don't have it. Anyway the calf withered and died despite my efforts to win him back. I took a sample to the vet and sure enough.. Crypto.
He gave me a bag of parvor powder and told me to put it in their milk. Next day the calf next door to the dead calf started the same thing. Yellow dung with slime in it. I started him on the parvor powder and increased his milk by 25%. He'd been on 450g of powder and 4.5l water. I boosted him up and added the powder. I continued the powder for four days once a day. I kept him on the higher rate of milk for another ten days.
He's doing well. His condition has not been effected and he's in good form. Skipping around when he gets fresh bedding.
Its another two weeks before they get out of the cots and into a communal bedded pen.
I think he will make the move with the rest of the batch. Then I will begin the process of washing and cleaning to try to remove the crypto. For me the secret is increase the milk and water especially and feed them through the outbreak and use the parvor powder.

Hens eggs.

We have had success feeding hens eggs with milk to calves.

 

[Lawnseed]

Eggs are awesome feeding full of protein.
But there are risks in feeding raw eggs to any animal or human. You could start something far worse.
If you are feeding powdered milk just increase your water and milk powder. The instructions on the bag will give you recommended rates plus rates for the hungrier calf. I would go well beyond those rates for the duration of the treatment and awhile afterwards just to be sure.
I'm using "blossom easy mix" it's not cheap but over the duration of the calf from milk to the factory its only a couple of quid and I think I'll get it back

 

[tinsheet]

Hens eggs, shell and all great for scour!

 

[Pigken]

Am sure there was milk powder producer, would /could include proteins from egg shells from specially bred hens in Germany that had been fed crypto to build immunity, then fed back. Think was available for certain pig scours too.

 

[Lawnseed]

Jeez lads we can't even spread hens manure on grazing ground.. Can't imagine feeding their eggs and shells to sick calves would be a hit. But I haven't done it so I bow to your experience.

 

[Married 2 The Mob]

Crypt-occur, www.berrysagriculture.co.uk
Everything born on the farm has it now. About a weeks course, started a few days after birth.
Bloke who developed it deserves a knighthood.

 

[JHT]

@rhuvid