Effect of different decoquinate treatments on cryptosporidiosis in naturally infected cashmere goat kids

Abstract

NEONATAL diarrhoea is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in young ruminants, especially goat kids, and Cryptosporidium parvum is considered to be one of the main causal agents of diarrhoea in animals of this age (de Graaf and others 1999). To date, no effective treatment for cryptosporidial diarrhoea has been identified, although some drugs, such as halofuginone lactate, paromomycin and decoquinate, have been reported to reduce oocyst shedding, or to prevent episodes of diarrhoea or improve stool consistency in experimentally infected goat kids (Mancassola and others 1995, 1997), lambs (Naciri and Yvoré 1989) and calves (Redman and Fox 1994). This short communication describes a study to evaluate the efficacy of decoquinate in preventing naturally acquired cryptosporidiosis in cashmere goat kids, when administered by two different strategies: medication of the kids themselves and medication of pregnant goats before kidding.