Management of coccidiosis in an organized goat farm

Coccidiosis is contagious disease caused by a unicellular protozoan Eimeria spp., transmitted from animal to animal by faecal-oral rout. Mortality of five kids in a week was reported from goat farm. On postmortem examination, the impression smear from the intestinal walls was taken. A loss of 1.5±0.3 k.g body weight and symptoms like bloody diarrhea, loss of appetite was observed in other twenty kids. Fecal sample from the three dead kids and live twenty kids revealed that the kids were severely affected with coccidiosis. The animals in the farm were dewormed and the kids were segregated. The animals were treated with Sulfadimidine intravenously along with vitamin supplements for seven days. Strict hygienic measures like scrubbing and washing the floors, equipment and disinfection of the premises by lime were followed. Uneventful recovery of kids and considerable gain in weight after the treatment was noted. Regular cleaning and disinfection of the sheds, hygienic practices in feed and water supply, reduction in the density of stock and isolation of the carrier animals reduced the exposure of kids to coccidian oocysts.