Control cryptosporidiosis in calves

The parasite is resistant to all recommended disinfectants making it particularly difficult to control. We have shown that slaked lime decreases the viability of C. parvum in the laboratory. When slaked lime treatment of the calf pens was used as a complement to the standard cleaning procedures in two herds with long-lasting cryptosporidosis problems the farmers reported a lower incidence and less severe diarrhea in the calves. This indicates that slaked lime treatment might be an effective control measure in cattle herds. However, before the method can be recommended the efficacy has to be confirmed in a controlled study.

The aim of this study is to investigate if treatment of calf pens with slaked lime will prevent spread of C. parvum and improve the calf health in herds with C. parvum associated diarrhea problems.

Dairy herds with ongoing problems with diarrhea in the young calves will be recruited to the study. Each herd will during a 6-7 month period use hydrated lime should as disinfectant in half of the pens used for non-weaned calves while the remaining pens should be left without lime treatment. The farmers will keep records of the calves, their management and health. A veterinarian will regularly visit the herds for sampling and health registration.

Financier: Swedish Farmers´Foundation for Agricultural Research
Co-applicant: Catarina Svensson, SLU och Charlotte Axén, SVA
Collaborator:: Växa Sverige, Svenska Djurhälsovården, Statens vetermedicinska anstalt (SVA)