Parasites are the leading cause of death in goats. Although people usually think of intestinal worms immediately, coccidia are intestinal protozoa that can cause death in kids, as well as diarrhea and overall poor body condition. Just as over-reliance on drugs has caused problems with dewormer resistance, some people are seeing drug-resistant coccidia. In both cases, this happens because people use drugs more often than is needed or they use drugs rather than management to keep their goats healthy.
With only three types of drugs available to treat coccidiosis — sulfa drugs, amprolium, and toltrazuril — it is not hard to find yourself with a resistance problem. Like other health issues, including worms, you will never be able to get control of it by only using drugs. You need a coccidia prevention plan based upon management.
Prevent infection
First, you have to eliminate the source of infection as much as possible. All adults have some level of coccidia in their intestines. Kids get infected when they nibble on soiled bedding, hay, or other food. This is why many people who bottle-feed will house all kids separately from adults. Even then, coccidiosis is a common occurrence in most herds with bottle-fed kids. It can be spread from adult areas to kid areas on the bottom of your shoes because stepping on poop in unavoidable.
Years ago when one of my mentors tried to impress upon me the importance of a clean barn, I thought she was nuts. Seriously, how can you keep a barn totally clean? I cringe when I think of what my barn bedding used to look like — lots of exposed goat berries. Today, I tell all of our interns that if they don’t think a stall is clean enough for them to sit in, it needs more straw. In other words, cover up all the exposed poop.
Since goats poop little berries, most of it slips through the straw. You don’t wind up with a lot being exposed if you give it daily attention. Depending upon how many goats are in a stall overnight, we usually need to add one or two flakes of straw every day or two. If you have lots of poop all over the bedding every morning, you either need more bedding or you simply have too many goats in that space.
Excellent nutrition
Second, kids need the antibodies in their mother’s milk because they are born with a very immature immune system. I’ve heard far too many people talk about cutting back on bottles or separating kids from their mother nightly when they are only a few weeks old. They assume that since the kid is eating hay or grain, they don’t need the milk that much. That’s just not true. Milk has an entirely different nutrient profile than other foods. It contains easily digestible protein and calcium for their fast-growing bodies. A well-fed kid will increase its birth weight three to ten times by the time it’s two months old, depending upon breed. The larger breeds don’t seem to multiply their weight as much as smaller breeds. My Nigerian dwarf kids grow from 2 or 3 pounds to 15 to 25 pounds, increasing their birth weight by seven to ten times in two months, while my friend with Kikos only sees her goats triple or quadruple their birth weight by the time she weans at three months. But milk is far more than simply a way to get nutrients into a kid. It’s the cornerstone of good health.
When I was new to goats, I gave kids a maximum of 24 ounces of raw milk a day because that was the most common practice at the time. Through years of experimentation, I’ve learned that Nigerian dwarf kids do best if they’re getting 32 to 36 ounces a day of raw milk either with mom or in a bottle. If bottle-feeding, you need to split this into three or four bottles throughout the day to avoid diarrhea. People who want to get kids down to only two bottles a day as quickly as possible wind up giving the kids less milk than they need because kids will get diarrhea if they drink too much milk in a single bottle.
At 24 ounces a day, kids will grow well, but you might have a problem with coccidiosis. At 16 ounces, the kids’ growth will be slow, and they will have big problems with coccidiosis and worms. People who bottle-feed at that level or use milk replacer also start kids on coccidiostats at three weeks of age. This is why I don’t let a first freshener feed triplets (I bottle-feed one) and why a doe has to have a good milking history for me to let her raise quadruplets. Even then, I weigh the kids regularly for the first two weeks and constantly re-evaluate their body condition for the first two months. For a Nigerian dwarf doe to adequately nourish triplets, she needs to produce at least 4 pounds a day (1/2 gallon) for good growth. The more she produces beyond that, the healthier the kids will be.
Avoid stress
Stress is the third part of the coccidiosis picture. If goats are stressed by weaning or moving to a new farm, they are more likely to have a problem. For this reason, we never wean doelings that are staying on our farm. We separate them from their mothers overnight starting at two months of age so that we can milk the dam in the morning, but they spend the day on the pasture with each other. By doing this, we no longer have a problem with coccidiosis or worms in our doelings, and they usually grow fast enough to breed for kidding as yearlings.What NOT to do …
Most of the drugs that are sold to treat coccidiosis also have instructions on the label providing dosages for using the drugs as a preventative. This is a bad idea because if you are giving one of those drugs, and your goats get coccidiosis in spite of it, then the coccidia is resistant to that drug.
Remember, there are only three different types of drugs in the US, so you need to avoid using them as much as possible. You want those drugs to work when you really need them. If you know you have a chronic problem, have not been able to get a handle on the management yet, and you want to use a chemical preventative, you can use a feed additive or medicated feed. These alternatives have a completely different mode of action than the drugs that are used to treat an active infection.
People often worry about kids dying from coccidiosis, but the reality is that a low-grade chronic infection can be just as devastating. It can do permanent damage to the intestines so that the goat will always have trouble absorbing nutrients and will never grow to its full potential.
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Years ago, seeing diarrhea-covered kids seemed an inevitable part of spring. But by changing our management practices, kids with coccidiosis have become the exception rather than the norm.
Paul Badon says
Amen
Amanda Goad says
Thank you for sharing this information. When I first started raising goats, I went through some very difficult loses due to having little knowledge myself and not being able to find helpful accurate information. I love your site. You are a wealth of information.
thriftyhomesteader says
You’re welcome! I’m so happy to hear you’ve found it helpful!
Tiffani says
Thank you! Very helpful!
Melinda Pepper says
Good article! Thanks.
S. Selvage says
Am going to give a copy of this to EVERY person I sell a goat to. Thank you.
Melinda says
Are you saying a well fed kid of any breed should increase its birth weight 7-10 times by two months old? So my 8-pound Sable newborns should weigh 56-80 pounds at 8 weeks? I feed my kids milk free choice and do intense rotational grazing with their pens (to virtually eliminate risk of parasite exposure) and have never, ever come anywhere close to that kind of growth rate. I don’t know that such a statement can be broadly applied to all breeds.
thriftyhomesteader says
Thanks for pointing that out. Even though I used to have LaManchas, I sometimes forget that I’m writing for an audience that has other breeds. I’ve edited the post to include weight gains of larger breeds.
Tonia says
I agree they need that milk! Bottle babies seem yo be more vulnerable. I prevent cocci in my bottle babies by using cinnamon. I start adding it to their bottlea when they are about 1-2 weeks old. About a 1/4tsp per bottle. IF I get a case of actual cocci I treat them at least 3 times a day with a larger dose of cinnamon, if its really bad it can be given every 15 minutes. Never had to gjve it that often.
I figured this out several years ago. Had a bottle baby I brought home, he got diarrhea, so I did a fecal. I quit counting eggs at 130, treated him with cinnamon for 4 times a day for 3 days. Diarrhea was gone with in 24 hours and ran a second fecal on the 3rd day and he had less than 10 eggs on the slide.. I also give electrolytes when babies especially get diarrhea.
My momma babies rarely get it. Most feed pans are up off the ground and hayracks too.
I enjoy reading your page. Its nice to read common sense goat info.
barb oliver says
what does the cinnamon do I have a baby that has cocci
Sheryl says
Hi Deborah,
Do you recommend starting young kids on a feed that includes a coccidiostat? What is the “mode of action” of a coccidiostat? I understand the object is to reduce cocci not to eliminate them. What is the difference between Rumensin and Decoquinate? What are the pros and cons of each? Are both toxic to horses and donkeys?? I, too, would like to know how cinnamon affects cocci!?
Thank you for the information.
thriftyhomesteader says
Drugs should NEVER be a routine part of goat management, and medicated feed is a drug. Drugs should only be used when necessary. The only time I use medicated feed is when weaning bucklings that are not in excellent body condition because the stress of weaning will cause an increase in the coccidia, resulting in coccidiosis. This is why I work so hard to be sure my kids get plenty of milk from mom — so that they grow big as quickly as possible, which is really important for any kid that will be kept as a buck because he’s going to have to be separated from mom by 2-3 months. A big healthy buckling can handle the stress of weaning just fine.
Coccidiostats do not kill coccidia. They simply slow down reproduction so that you don’t get an overabundance of them, which is what leads to coccidiosis. Rumensin and Decoquinate are just different brands of coccidiostat, and this study showed no difference in their efficacy: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.4141/A00-063.
Both are toxic to equines.
I can’t speak for the person who posted the comment about cinnamon, but I have not been able to find any research in mammals on cinnamon and coccidia, and since I’m on a university faculty, I searched the academic database. There is a study published with chickens in Portuguese that used oregano, rosemary, cinnamon essential oil, and pepper extract, but I can’t get enough info from the English summary to even figure out how much cinnamon they used. There is also a study done in vitro, which means in test tubes, so who knows if that would translate to goats or any other mammals. You can kill lots of things in test tubes, but it doesn’t actually work in living creatures.
Susan van Dijk says
What you posted is so true~ I have also eliminated problems this way…. I just want to add though that if there is ever a problem, while treating, giving 3×60 cc of blended banana/ apple juice(twice a day) will offer a natural electrolyte as well as stool thickner… can easily save animals while being treated. Give it until animal is recuperated. I use a 60 cc syringe with the poin cut off so sucking up blended mixture is easy; I place the syringe directly into the mouth to the back teeth and with head level, squeeze gently as the goat swallows. After a couple servings the goats will come running for it… they love it
Kim Ogden says
Thank you great information!!
How can I tell if my goats have this parasite???
They have had their immunizations, I only have 3 wethers, that are a year old
Registered Pygmies. I got them when they were 4 weeks old and bottle feed them, they have been routinely dewormed and eat medicated grain from Purina, Timothy Grass, have Goat Minerals, Salt Blocks, And Mineral Block In their pen.
Durning the day they are outside , pen is cleaned 1-2 times a day.
At night they are placed inside for safety that cage is cleaned daily and bedding is replaced daily.
thriftyhomesteader says
All goats normally have it, and it’s fine. It’s only a problem for adults if they are otherwise sick and their immune system is suppressed. I’ve only had one or two adults in 17 years need to be treated for this. There is not an immunization for this, and it is not a worm.
You should NOT be giving dewormer on a regular basis, or it will stop working when you do need it.
https://thriftyhomesteader.com/dewormer-resistance-in-goats/
Medicated grain is for coccidia, but it should ONLY be given during times of stress, such as weaning. If given long term, it has been linked to vitamin E deficiency, so you should stop giving that to them.
Also, no salt block — that will cause them to consume less of their minerals, which have salt in them. They should have loose minerals — not a block because their tongues are soft, so they can’t get enough from a block.
https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-minerals/
More is not always better, and you could be killing them with kindness. All wethers need is a good grass hay, a loose mineral free choice, and pasture and fresh water.
Melissa says
So i think you’ve said triplets, wait to separate until,they’re a month
old?
thriftyhomesteader says
No. With triplets, you wait until they are two months old before separating. Here is more info on that:
https://thriftyhomesteader.com/how-many-kids-can-doe-feed/
Nancy Love says
Hi, I have a problem I don’t know what to do about. I determined that my goats (myotonics approx.8 months old) were probably copper deficient, which Iam treating. But, in addition, they have bloated looking bellies. They are not in any distress but their bellies right up next to the spine looks bloated. It also seems like they aren’t gaining muscle like they should. Thank you!
thriftyhomesteader says
That’s a great description of a hay belly. They are stuffing themselves because they are essentially starving due to parasites, probably worms, which are either sucking their blood (barber pole) or consuming the food in their digestive tract. If you pull down their eyelids and they are pale pink or white inside, that’s barber pole worm. If the eyelids are bright pink or red, they are not anemic, so it’s probably a different roundworm. All of the roundworms are treated with the same dewormers though. Here is more info on deworming:
https://thriftyhomesteader.com/deworming-goats/
Aasiya says
Just thought id share a tip; when you want to wean kids, you might try securely putting bandaging micropore tape around the dam’s teats. be careful not to be too tight so circulation is not cut off. you can remove it gently when milking. it worked quite well for me because although the kid was confused and couldnt drink, he wasnt stressed as he wasnt separated from his mom.
i dont claim it will work for everyone, but it did for me; i have had goats only 3years but havent had a case of cocci in kids in this time
*i dont recommend duct tape/other tapes as they completely stop air reaching the teats. also, clean the teats thoroughly before taping them and make sure its dry.
thriftyhomesteader says
You didn’t mention what age you’re weaning or how many goats you have, and that can make a huge difference. Weaning at two months is riskier than weaning at six months when the kid’s immune system is more developed. Having only 3-4 goats puts your kids at less risk than having 20 goats. Having goats on pasture puts them at less risk for coccidiosis than keeping them in a barn most of the time (which is the opposite for worm risk).
Another reason we quit weaning kids is because we realized that within a few days of not letting kids nurse, the doe’s milk supply would fall dramatically — sometimes by as much as half. So we realized that if we just let the kids keep nursing, we could get almost a much milk and only need to milk once a day — in the morning after having the kids separated overnight. A European study explained what we learned from our goats — when kids nurse, they cause the release of oxytocin. That does not happen when we milk a goat, which means we will get less milk because oxytocin is responsible for the milk ejection reflex. This is why you may have felt like a goat was holding back on you. She’s not doing it on purpose, but you’re right if you think that you’re not getting all of the milk. That inhibited milk ejection does seem to diminish with time, but by then, the supply is down. So letting the kids continue to nurse is a win-win for the kid and us.
Taping teats does reduce stress on kids, but there is the risk of the tape coming off and being swallowed by a kid, which could end badly.
Aasiya says
Thanks for pointing these out!. its true that i have a small herd only, that makes it much easier to keep things clean and probably accounts for less parasite load overall. Also, i dont usually wean kids until they are about 3 months old, only once did i wean a 2 month old when his dam became accidentally pregnant again, so that might also have a hand in coccidia prevention. although i never had a problem yet with the tape thing, i will be more cautious when using it again. now that you mention the risk of accidental swallowing,that does sound scary! i got this advice from a breeder but never considered the risks….
thriftyhomesteader says
For future reference, there is no need to wean kids when a doe get pregnant until she is three months pregnant. Just because you saw a goat get bred when her kid was only 2 months old does not mean she got pregnant. It’s not impossible, but the odds are against a doe getting pregnant again when she’s nursing two month old kids. Although there are rare exceptions, most does dry up when they are 2-3 months pregnant.
Aasiya says
thanks for the advice! I would not normally have weaned the kids that early, but the mom was also a bit underweight and needed to be dewormed etc….i thought the kid would put more strain on her. She did turn out to be pregnant with twins later on. good to know that its rare
Daisy says
Hello
Our 2 new kids have Coccidiosis. One had scours and we took fecals to our vet and our vet prescribed Corid. Today is their last treatment. We cleaned the heck out of everything and it was a new goat house and large pen, so it wasn’t our lack of cleaning/care. They are both acting normal and playing, eating, and drinking. We have probiotics, but I can’t get vitamin b until next week. We have some brewers yeast and I read that a very small amount may help. What should we do next? Another fecal? What preventative care can we do? Kind of overwhelming first week of goat ownership. Thank you!
thriftyhomesteader says
I am so sorry to hear this! It definitely wasn’t your fault if they were diagnosed with coccidiosis the first week. If the diarrhea is gone, they should be fine. And since you’ve cleaned everything, they shouldn’t have any trouble with it again. I have never given brewer’s yeast to a goat, so I have no idea what kind of effect it might have, positive or negative. If the kids are otherwise healthy, I don’t worry about vitamin B. A goat with a healthy rumen produces its own thiamine, which is what Corid depletes, and I have not heard of an otherwise healthy goat having a problem after a 5-day treatment at the prescribed dose.
Congratulations on your new goats! I’m sure they’ll steal your heart in no time. Feel free to pop in here anytime you have questions!