The identity and prevalence of coccidia species in sheep and cattle in New Zealand

Authors: McKenna PB
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 20, Issue 12, pp 225-228, Dec 1972
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Abdomen, Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Biosecurity, Protozoa, Infectious disease, Disease/defect, Disease surveillance, Parasites - internal, Species description
Article class: Scientific Article

---

Abstract: Coccidiosis has long been recognized as a disease entity in sheep and cattle in many countries, particularly in Europe and the United States. In New Zealand there is some doubt as to the significance of ruminant coccidiosis. Osborne and Ensor (1954) have implicated coccidial infections in scouring calves while Salisbury et al (1953) suggest that coccidiosis may be responsible for mortalities and unthriftiness in lambs in this country. Whitten (1953, 1956), on the other hand, is of the opinion that coccidiosis is not a common cause of poor growth in lambs in New Zealand. The coccidia of importance in domestic ruminants all belong to the genus Eimeria and it is generally accepted that 9 or 10 species may occur in sheep and 12 in cattle (Joyner et al 1966). It has been suggested by several workers (Levine, 1961; Soulsby, 1968; Mahrt, 1969) that some of these species are more pathogenic than others. Pout (1969), however, considers that this notion, particularly in regard to sheep species, appears to have been inferred by a general consensus of opinion and has not been clearly substantiated by field evidence. Data relating to the identity and prevalence of coccidia species in cattle and sheep have been reported from many countries but as yet no such information has been recorded for New Zealand. The present investigation was undertaken to provide these data.

---