Page 5 - Cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves

Cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves PAGE 5

Disease preventon

Good hygiene and animal management are most important in reducing the incidence of cryptosporidiosis.
Calving pens and calf rearing pens/houses should be thoroughly cleansed and lef free of animals for at least 3-4
months before the new calving season.

Recommended procedure for cleaning calving and calf rearing pens
and houses

(i) All dried faeces and other dirt should be removed from the walls, foors and rails of the pens
(ii) All surfaces steam cleaned or power-hosed with an efectve disinfectant e.g the amine based Keno™ Cox
(CIDLines N.V., Belgium), p-chloro-m-cresol (Neopredisan (Vertriab GMBH, Germany)), hydrogen peroxide
with peracetc acid (Ox-Virin,( Ox-Oxcta, Spain)), 3% hydrogen peroxide.

(iii) All surfaces should be washed with one of the aforementoned ant-protozoan disinfectants taking care to
remove dirt from within cracks and crevices on the walls and foors allowing at least one hour of contact
tme with the disinfectant.

(iv) A fnal rinse with water and lef to dry.
(v) Once dry the houses and pens should be lef empty of livestock for at least 3-4 months.

This last point is critcal to the control and preventon of cryptosporidiosis as desiccaton is important in inactvatng
C. parvum oocysts. Oocysts are protected somewhat from dehydraton in dried faeces, so any faeces remaining from
the previous year’s calves need to be removed.