Coccidiosis: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment in Sheep, Goats, and Calves Information

Sustainable Agriculture
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Coccidiosis: Symptoms, Prevention, and
Treatment in Sheep, Goats, and Calves
By Linda Coffey, NCAT
Agriculture Specialist
Published December
2014 ©NCAT
IP 491

Coccidiosis is a common and damaging illness of sheep, goats, and cattle—particularly young lambs, kids,
and calves. Producers will benefit from understanding the causes, and especially the prevention, of this
illness. Coccidiosis is a disease that causes young animals to be “poor doers,” sometimes permanently.
Coccidia are protozoa that cause damage to the animal’s intestinal tract so that food is not absorbed
well. Diarrhea is a common symptom, as are poor growth, rough hair coat, a pot-bellied appearance,
and loss of appetite. Controlling this parasite will help producers raise healthier animals that grow faster.

Contents
Introduction ............................1
Coccidia ....................................1
Prevention ...............................2
Symptoms and Effects ........3
Treatment Options ...............3
Alternative Treatment
Options .....................................4
Conclusion ..............................6
References ...............................7

Photo: NCAT

Introduction
This project was supported by the
USDA, NIFA Organic Research and
Education Initiative (Project No.
2010-51300-21641).

ATTRA (www.attra.ncat.org)
is a program of the National
Center for Appropriate Technology
(NCAT). The program is funded
through a cooperative agreement
with the United States Department
of Agriculture’s Rural BusinessCooperative Service. Visit the
NCAT website (www.ncat.org)
for more information on
our other sustainable
agriculture and
energy projects.

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O

ne of the pleasures of spring is to watch
young animals at play. Healthy, vigorous
young lambs, kids, and calves race and
spring into the air, illustrating the joy of being alive.
But suppose that instead of this scene, you walk
out to see your animals and find the young ones
look empty and lethargic, their coats are not
shiny, they are not playful, and they have diarrhea. What is wrong?
It might be intestinal worms, known as gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), though diarrhea is not usually caused by infection with GIN in the springtime. Lush pastures or another upset in nutrition

can cause diarrhea. A more likely possibility is that
the young stock are infected with coccidia. Medications that work in fighting GIN infections will
not kill coccidia. Therefore, recognizing coccidiosis and understanding how to manage livestock
to prevent or minimize illness is important for the
health and well-being of your animals.

Coccidia
Coccidiosis is a parasite infection caused by the
protozoan organism coccidia (also known as cocci
or by the scientific name, Eimeria). Some species of Eimeria are non-pathogenic, meaning they
do not cause disease. Eimeria are host-specific,
which means that an Eimeria species that affects
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pick up infections and shed coccidia in its feces,
thus contaminating the environment, but it generally will not show signs of illness (Chartier and
Paraud, 2012; Smith and Sherman, 1994).
Conditions that may lead to coccidiosis include
the following:
• Young stock (three weeks to five months
old) (Smith and Sherman, 1994)
• Crowded
• Wet
• Unsanitary
• Stressful (including bad weather, poor
handling practices, weaning, illness,
poor nutrition)

Prevention
Crowded conditions lead to sanitation problems. Wet weather increases the risk of
coccidiosis outbreaks in the young animals. Photo: NCAT

Related ATTRA
Publications
www.attra.ncat.org
Tools for Managing
Internal Parasites in
Sheep and Goats:
Sericea Lespedeza
Tools for Managing
Internal Parasites in
Small Ruminants:
Pasture Management
Tools for Managing
Internal Parasites in
Small Ruminants:
Animal Selection
Managing Internal
Parasites in Sheep
and Goats

goats will not affect sheep or cattle, and vice versa.
The manifestation of clinical signs of coccidiosis
depends on the parasite (numbers, species), the
host (age, stage of production, health condition,
breed), and environmental conditions (climate,
stress). Since immunity to the infection develops
over time, young animals are more susceptible to
infection and disease. It is normal for adults to
harbor small numbers of coccidia without any
signs of disease, and they are likely a source of
infection for their offspring.
Coccidia have a very complex life cycle, with
many steps and various stages at which intestinal
cells are damaged. The cycle begins when oocysts
are passed in feces and ingested by the animal.
Once inside, the parasite invades cells and then
reproduces and invades more cells. The original
oocysts ingested can be multiplied many times
and cause a great deal of damage to intestinal
cells before the coccidia can be detected in the
animals’ feces. Animals may die before showing
any signs of coccidiosis if exposure is sudden and
high (lots of oocysts in the young animals’ environment) and if the animals are stressed (Smith
and Sherman, 1994; Daugschies and Najdrowski,
2005; Chartier and Paraud, 2012).
With more gradual exposure, an animal’s immune
system can develop resistance that slows the rate
of coccidial reproduction in the host’s intestinal
tract. Developing this resistance takes time (five
to six months). Afterward, the animal will still

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To prevent coccidiosis, make every effort to
reduce stress on the animals and improve sanitation and living conditions. Dry bedding (replenished often with additional fresh, dry bedding)
is helpful. This allows the mothers to lie down
on clean places, keeping udders and teats cleaner.
This helps reduce mastitis, as well as lowering risk
of coccidiosis. Gravel or wood chips added to
lots promotes dry areas. Provide shelter if weather
is cold and rainy, handle animals calmly, and
be aware that as the season progresses, numbers
of coccidia are building. Clean water and feed
troughs, and disinfect feed troughs if possible, to
lessen exposure to cocci. Exposure to small numbers of cocci is actually beneficial, as it encourages the building of immunity. On the other
hand, exposure to large numbers increases risk
of infection (Chartier and Paraud, 2012; Smith
and Sherman, 1994).
Several types of stresses can overwhelm immunity and cause animals to develop coccidiosis.
Some examples of potential stresses follow:
• Weather changes or extremes
• Transportation
• Nutritional challenges or feed changes
• Weaning
• Illness, including infection with
gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN)
• Lactation
• Advanced age
• Increased levels of exposure to Eimeria
• Unsanitary environment
(Smith and Sherman, 1994)

Coccidiosis: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment in Sheep, Goats, and Calves

Symptoms and Effects
Probably the first sign of a problem with coccidiosis is diarrhea: hindquarters and tails may
be coated with manure. Along with that, animals may show decreased appetite, listlessness,
weakness, and abdominal pain (shown by crying
or frequent repeated standing and lying). If the
infection is not overwhelming, they may be sick
for a couple of weeks and then get better. If the
animals have been suddenly exposed to a large
dose of coccidia and have no immunity, they may
quickly dehydrate and die.
Although mortalities have a large impact
on profitability of a livestock operation, the
animals that recover from coccidiosis can experience more subtle and long-lasting effects that
are even more costly. These effects include a
general unthriftiness (failure to thrive), poor
growth rate, poor milk production, and
susceptibility to health problems due to damage
to the intestines. To avoid these long-term consequences, producers will need to take preventive
management measures to counteract the stressful conditions listed above. In some situations,
however, these measures will prove difficult

to accomplish. For example,
a farm that has been raising
young stock intensively for
some years may have such a
load of parasites that infection
is inevitable. In that situation,
further interventions may
be required.

Treatment
Options
Consulting with your veterinarian is necessary to devise a
coccidiosis treatment program,
which may include the feeding of ionophores, treatment
with sulfa drugs or amprolium, and/or using alternative treatments. Note that
livestock that are treated with
ionophores or other medications that are not approved
for use in organic production
systems cannot be certified
organic. If it becomes necessary to use these medicines on
a certified-organic animal to
achieve effective treatment,
that individual animal will
lose its organic certification.
Note also that most medications are not labeled for sheep
or goats and, therefore, consulting your veterinarian is
essential. Be sure to follow
instructions carefully when

This goat stands in a typical posture of an
animal suffering from coccidiosis. Photo: J.M.
Luginbuhl, North Carolina State University

Examining animals as they walk away will
help detect signs of coccidiosis. These goats
are healthy, as evidenced by clean legs and
tails and lively, alert behavior. Photo: NCAT

Consulting your veterinarian is important in figuring out when and
how to control coccidiosis. Some detective work may be necessary,
according to Dr. James Miller, DVM, Louisiana State University (2014):

Coccidiosis is a devastating disease if not treated
in time, leading to lifelong unthriftiness. Severe
coccidiosis may result in dehydration and death. Photo:
National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS)

www.attra.ncat.org

As far as treating (for prevention) ewes before parturition as a standard
protocol, I would not want to do that unless there is a history of clinical
coccidiosis in the three- to five-week-old lambs. That may be the case in
the Midwest, where ewes are brought into the barn to lamb (and stay in
the barn for an extended time) so the environment can become contaminated (if the ewes are shedding enough oocysts). If clinical coccidiosis
is only seen after weaning, then the ewes are probably not the major
factor: the lambs themselves are. Sure, they will pick up some low level,
but the stress and crowding at weaning tilts the balance. If this is the
case, treating (for prevention) lambs prior to weaning (creep??) would
be my choice. It might be of value to check fecals for level of oocysts in
pre-partum ewes to evaluate the potential problem.

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not be labeled for sheep or goats (work with your
veterinarian for off-label use) and are not allowed
in certified organic production.

Alternative Treatment
Options
Organic producers may not use any of the treatments listed above on organic animals. Those
wishing to avoid using medications have some
intriguing possibilities to explore. These include
the following alternatives:
• Sericea lespedeza and other condensedtannin-containing plants, such as birdsfoot trefoil, acacia, sainfoin, panicled tick
clover, pine bark, and quebracho
• Oregano oil (Schivera, 2009)
Dirty troughs are one way cocci are spread to animals. Always be sure to use clean
troughs if you offer supplemental feed. Photo: NCAT

using any treatment. Using medications in the
wrong way will waste money and time and not
solve the problem. For example, medications
designed to act on early stages of the life cycle
to disrupt the parasite (prevention) will not cure
established infection. Also, preventive medications must be used at least 30 days before kidding
or lambing to prevent the mothers from infecting the young. To be effective, preventive medications must also be used well before weaning
to protect the young stock during that stressful
event. Again, follow label instructions. Failure to
follow all directions will greatly reduce the impact
of the drugs. Also, using medications improperly
can lead to residues in the animal. Be sure to follow dosage instructions and withdrawal times.
A list of treatment options is presented here for
your preliminary information. Please consult your
veterinarian about specific recommendations.
Notice that some medications are used for prevention; these are coccidiostats, and they work to
slow down shedding of coccidia to the environment
to lessen exposure. Other medications are treatments: coccidiacides that kill the organisms in the
intestines. However, treatment medications do not
prevent reinfection (Rook, no date). See the article “Coccidiosis in Lambs” at old.cvm.msu.edu/
extension/Rook/ROOKpdf/coccidia.PDF for
an explanation of treatments and the problems
associated with them, as well as practical management tips for sheep producers. As mentioned
above, ionophores and other pharmaceuticals may
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Use of these natural compounds offers organic
producers some options to mitigate the effects of
coccidia. Conventional producers may also want
to consider these natural alternatives because
overuse of conventional compounds may lead to
resistance.
Sericea lespedeza has been shown to be effective
in managing the barber pole worm and coccidia.
Grazing standing lespedeza works, but if baby
animals are born early in the year, sericea is not
growing yet. In that case, sericea pellets (similar
to alfalfa pellets) can be an effective tool. Unfortunately, these pellets are not widely available
yet. The manufacturer, Sims Brothers, does not
have the capacity yet to fill all orders for the pellets. Sericea hay is also effective and may be more
available. See the ATTRA publication Tools for
Managing Internal Parasites in Sheep and Goats:
Sericea Lespedeza for more information. One difference in using sericea to control cocci rather
than barber pole worm is that the effects of the
sericea are long-lasting for controlling coccidiosis,
while the barber pole worm “recovers” after the
host animal no longer has access to the sericea.
Feeding of sericea lespedeza should occur approximately two weeks before weaning to four weeks
post-weaning to maximize the positive effects and
minimize the negative long-term effects, such as
a potential mineral deficiency (Burke, 2014). See
the “Timely Topics” archive at wormx.info for
an article about using sericea to control coccidia:
http://wormx.info/Resources/Topics/SL-SS.html.
Pine bark has been ground up and added to feed
supplement at the rate of 30% of the diet and fed
to goats. The result was not only lowered numbers

Coccidiosis: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment in Sheep, Goats, and Calves

Table 1. Conventional Treatment Options for the Control of Coccidiosis
Source: Susan Schoenian, Maryland Small Ruminant Page, www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/coccidtable.html
Not all drugs are approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for use in small ruminants. The mention of non-approved products is for informational
purposes only. They require extra label use and can only be used legally under the advice of a licensed veterinarian in the context of a veterinaryclient-patient relationship.

Drug Ingredient

Trade Name

Approved Species

Label Use

Labeled Dosage

Withdrawal Time

For treatment of coccidiosis

Sulfadimethoxine

Beef
Non-lactating
dairy cattle
Poultry

Corid
soluble powder

Amprolium

Cattle
Poultry

Coccidiosis

4 oz/50 gal water
(treatment)
4 oz/100 gal water
(prevention)

Corid 9.6%
solution

Amprolium

Cattle
Poultry

Coccidiosis

5 mg/1 kg

Sulfadimethoxine

Cattle
Poultry

Shipping fever complex,
bacterial pneumonia, calf
diphtheria, and foot rot
and coccidiosis (poultry)

1.18-2.36 g/gallon
2.5 g/100 lbs. day 1
1.25 g/100 lbs. days 2-5
1.875 g/gallon

Cattle: 7 days slaughter

Sulfadimethoxine

Cattle
Poultry

Shipping fever complex,
bacterial pneumonia, calf
diphtheria, and foot rot
and coccidiosis (poultry)

1.18-2.36 g/gallon
2.5 g/100 lbs. day 1
1.25 g/100 lbs. days 2-5
1.875 g/gallon

Cattle: 7 days slaughter
Poultry: 5 days slaughter

Sulfamethazine

Beef
Non-lactating dairy cattle
Horses

Shipping fever,
bacterial scours, foot rot,
calf diptheria, acute
mastitis, acute metritis
and coccidiosis

100 mg
sulfamethazine/lb

Cattle: 10 days

Sulfamethazine

Cattle
Swine
Poultry

Shipping fever complex,
bacterial scours, foot rot,
calf diphtheria, acute
mastitis metritis and
coccidiosis (poultry)

112.5 mg/lb - day 1
56.25/mg/lb

Cattle: 10 days slaughter
Swine: 15 days slaughter
Poultry: 10 days

Lasalocid Sodium

Beef
Dairy heifers
Poultry
Sheep in confinement
Rabbits
TOXIC TO EQUINES

Eimeria ovina
E. crandallis
E. ovinoidalis
(E. ninakohlyakimovae)
E. parva, and E. intricata

20-30 g/ton feed

All species: 0 days slaughter

Deccox®

Decoquinate

Beef
non-lactating dairy cattle
Chickens
Non-lactating goats
Non-lactating lambs

E. ovinoidalis,
E. crandallis, E. parva,
E. bakuensis, E. christenseni,
and E. ninakohlyakimovae

13.6 g/ton feed

All species: 0 days slaughter

Rumensin®

Monensin
Sodium

Beef
Dairy heifers
Non-lactating goats
TOXIC TO EQUINES

Eimeria crandallis
E. christenseni
E. ninakohlyakimovae

20 g/ton feed

cattle: 0 days slaughter
goats: 0 days slaughter

Albon® 12.5%
solution

Di-Methox
soluble powder

Di-Methox 12.5%
solution

Sulmet® oblet

Sulmet®12.5%
solution

Shipping fever complex,
bacterial pneumonia, calf
diphtheria, foot rot, and
coccidiosis (poultry)

1.18-2.36 g/gallon

Cattle: 7 days slaughter
Poultry: 5 days slaughter

Cattle: 1 day slaughter

Cattle: 1 day slaughter
Poultry: 0 days slaughter

For prevention of coccidiosis

Bovatec® Premix

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Page 5

of gastrointestinal parasites and coccidia, but also
increased gains and improved feed efficiency (Min,
2013). Using pine bark in combination with sericea seems to be even more effective (Terrill, 2014).
Here is a caution for those using condensedtannin (CT)-containing plants: researchers have
observed that the use of tannins may bind minerals, causing deficiencies. Dr. Joan Burke (ARS)
has documented reductions in the trace minerals
molybdenum, selenium, copper, zinc, and manganese. Also, perhaps because of mineral problems
or lower intake or some other factor, lambs and
kids do not gain as rapidly after six to eight weeks
of the sericea diet. To overcome these problems,
you may wish to increase mineral supplementation (being mindful, however, of possible toxicity)
and offer a more diverse diet. Providing pastures
that include a variety of plants will improve animal intake. However, if the amount of sericea
eaten is not high enough, then anthelmintic benefits may not be realized. As with all nutrition, it
is important to strike a balance.
Oregano oil may be helpful in controlling coccidiosis in some instances. Producers in Maine conducted an on-farm research project (ONE08-088)
using Regano (oregano oil) on sheep and goats
on four different farms. Oregano oil works by the
same mechanism as ionophores, like monensin
(Schivera, 2009). The Maine project used young
stock, beginning at four weeks of age, and fed test
groups Regano with their normal ration at the
rate of 2 grams/100 pounds daily. A total of 26
goats and 56 lambs were on the study. Coccidia
were reduced in treated animals by 39% (sheep)
and 51% (goats) (Schivera, 2009).
Two of the producers who participated in this
study were pleased with results and planned to
use the product again. The other two producers

Page 6

did not have such a positive experience. Note:
Even though this treatment reduced coccidia in
test groups, the reductions were not anywhere
near the 95% level considered effective for
dewormers. The report of this study is online at
http://mysare.sare.org/mySARE/ProjectReport.
aspx?do=viewProj&pn=ONE08-088.

Conclusion
As with any disease, prevention is the best cure
for coccidiosis. Coccidiosis in lambs and kids can
be prevented by using sanitary feeding conditions
(whether feeding dams or offspring), including
clean, manure-free feed troughs for supplements
and not feeding supplements on the ground. Test
forage quality to determine a forage’s suitability
to meet the animal’s nutritional needs and, when
possible, move supplementation areas to different
locations to keep an area from becoming heavily
contaminated with coccidia. Rotational grazing
will minimize coccidiosis and minimize stress of
young animals, especially at weaning.
Understanding the chemical and alternative control measures available can help producers prevent
and manage outbreaks when coccidia loads are too
high and illness is manifested. Consult your veterinarian for more help and for more specific information regarding timing of treatments, if needed.
Finally, notice which animals do not become ill
despite equal exposure. Selecting breeding stock
from those stronger animals will improve the
health of the flock or herd over time and lower
the contamination on the farm.
For more information on internal parasite control,
including coccidia, see the website of the American
Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control
(www.acsrpc.org) and the publications listed in
the Related ATTRA Publications box on page 2.

Coccidiosis: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment in Sheep, Goats, and Calves

References
Burke, J.M., J.E. Miller, T.H. Terrill, S.T. Orlik,
M. Acharya, J.J. Garza, and J.A. Mosjidis. 2013. Sericea
lespedeza as an aid in the control of Eimeria spp. in lambs.
Veterinary Parasitology. March 31. p. 39–46.
Burke, J.M. Research Animal Scientist, USDA Agricultural
Research Service. Personal communication with author,
May 2014.
Chartier, C. and C. Paraud. 2012. Coccidiosis due to
Eimeria in sheep and goats, a review. Small Ruminant
Research. Vol. 103. p. 84–92.
Daugschies, A. and M. Najdrowski. 2005. Eimeriosis in
Cattle: Current understanding. Journal of Veterinary
Medicine Series B . Vol. 52, No. 10. p.417–427.
Kommuru, D.S., T. Barker, S. Desai, J.M. Burke,
A. Ramsay, I. Mueller-Harvey, J.E. Miller, J.A. Mosjidis,
M. Kamisetti, T.H. Terrill. 2014. Use of pelleted sericea
lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) for natural control of coccidia
and gastrointestinal nematodes in weaned goats. Veterinary
Parasitology. Vol. 204, No. 3–4. p. 191–198.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.04.017
Lee, J.H., M. Vanguru, G. Kannan, D.A. Moore, T.H.
Terrill, and B. Kouakou. 2009. Influence of dietary condensed tannins from sericea lespedeza on bacterial loads in
gastrointestinal tracts of meat goats. Livestock Science. Vol.
126, No. 1-3. p. 314–317.

www.attra.ncat.org

Miller, Dr. James, DVM. Louisiana State University.
Personal communication with author, August 2014.
Min, B.R. Assistant Professor, Tuskegee University.
Personal communication with author, October 2013.
Pugh, D.G. (ed.). 2002. Sheep and Goat Medicine.
Saunders, an Imprint of Elsevier Science, Philadelphia, PA.
p. 84–86.
Rook, J. No date. Coccidiosis in Lambs. Michigan State
University. http://old.cvm.msu.edu/extension/Rook/
ROOKpdf/coccidia.PDF
Schivera, Diane. 2009. Oregano Oil for Internal Parasite Control in Sheep, Goats, and Beef Cattle. Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) final report.
Project Number ONE08-088. http://mysare.sare.org/
mySARE/ProjectReport.aspx?do=viewRept&pn=ONE08088&y=2009&t=1
Smith, M. C. and D.M. Sherman. 1994. Goat Medicine.
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA.
p. 312–318.
Terrill, Thomas. Forage Specialist, Fort Valley State
University. Personal communication with author,
May 2014.

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Coccidiosis: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment in
Sheep, Goats, and Calves
By Linda Coffey, NCAT Agriculture Specialist
Published December 2014 ©NCAT
Tracy Mumma, Editor • Amy Smith, Production
This publication is available on the Web at:
www.attra.ncat.org
IP491
Slot 503
Version 122314

Page 8

Coccidiosis: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment in Sheep, Goats, and Calves