We lost 2 rounds of litters from 4 does to the heat except 5 I butchered of the older group and 3 kits that were alive yesterday. Over 20 rabbits. We never had a problem last year and certain rabbit groups are just fine so I think the problem lies in a cocci infection. I've been getting a lot of bad livers lately. The ones infected are too weak to handle the heat. Putting corid in their water isn't working though. It reacts with our well water making a disgusting film and then they don't want to drink. I think I'm going to have to hand dose each rabbit once we are sure no one else is pregnant but we only go to the stable every other day. Would a month of corid (amprolium) every other day take care of it or would it be a waste of time?
Lost nearly 2 generations- coccidiosis questions
- Thread starter akane
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Are the infected rabbits in your colony, Akane? We butchered an older doe and two six month old bucks recently, and two of the three had slightly spotted livers. First time it has happened here in years. I hadn't noticed any difference in their health, but have been wondering if I will need to treat all the rabbits or if stepping up sanitation will be enough to counter it.
Yes, the cage rabbits are fine and the netherland pen is fine. I also haven't lost any adults but I do have 2 that lost a ton of weight. It's just been so humid and some overcrowding led to messy hay areas and bedding. I butchered the odd adult here and there as I cull and they have fine livers. About 1 in 5 young have fine livers too. That other 4 out of 5 are the juniors I lost and then as the kits hit old enough to start weaning and lose mom's protection they started to die until we are down to 2 that used to be in a cage until weaning and 1 from the colony. Then add in condensation from frozen water containers and I just can't keep the place dry enough. It started with the odd spotted liver here and there and it just spread out of control.
We are redoing everything with fresh bedding early when we have some extra cash but the rabbits are already infected and I'm told they can shed cocci for 30days after recovering. It will do us no good if we don't treat them along with cleaning out but putting it in the water just causes nastiness that they refuse to drink. Seems to encourage some type of black mold as well if the containers aren't dumped and mixed fresh even when they are still mostly full. I suppose I could add some bleach and make it chlorinated or haul in city water that is chlorinated and see if that keeps the film and black mold from developing. With the loss of the entire upcoming generation of meat rabbits though I could easily hand dose everyone every other day. It would be good for my new show rabbits to get handled that much.
We are redoing everything with fresh bedding early when we have some extra cash but the rabbits are already infected and I'm told they can shed cocci for 30days after recovering. It will do us no good if we don't treat them along with cleaning out but putting it in the water just causes nastiness that they refuse to drink. Seems to encourage some type of black mold as well if the containers aren't dumped and mixed fresh even when they are still mostly full. I suppose I could add some bleach and make it chlorinated or haul in city water that is chlorinated and see if that keeps the film and black mold from developing. With the loss of the entire upcoming generation of meat rabbits though I could easily hand dose everyone every other day. It would be good for my new show rabbits to get handled that much.
I hope the individual dosing works. I'll have to look into it... I am woefully ignorant of medications because we rarely have problems with just a few rabbits.
There are plants that are supposed to help treat/prevent coccidiosis in rabbits and chickens. I'm going to step up the willow leaves and the lamb's quarters etc. They get such greens anyway, but I will feed more of the ones that can help. I found this article interesting:
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=w ... 4Q&cad=rja
There are plants that are supposed to help treat/prevent coccidiosis in rabbits and chickens. I'm going to step up the willow leaves and the lamb's quarters etc. They get such greens anyway, but I will feed more of the ones that can help. I found this article interesting:
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=w ... 4Q&cad=rja
akane,
How goes the dosing? I am so sorry to hear you lost so much of your meat rabbits!
I am putting all my rabbits into large runout pens and have had issues with biting flies being drawn by the massive amounts of poops LOL One thing that I have found that has worked for me is to actually let the ground dry out overnight and then sweeping the poops in the morning before I wet the pens down for the day. Is there any way you could sweep away the pellets?
As for getting the buns to drink their daily dose of medicine, have you thought about taking up their water just before you go to bed at night and then offering them a dosed waterer in the morning that you can then take up and replace with the regular waterer? Since they will be without water overnight when it is cooler, it shouldn't harm them, and just about guarantees they will all drink a good dose in the morning. And, if you are concerned about them having moisture at night, perhaps give a bundle of fresh greens when you take the water up ... they will get some moisture from the greens, but still be thirsty in the morning.
As for the cocci being shed on the ground, can you dose with DE or Sevin dust once per week?
I am not sure any of these ideas will be doable for you, but just thought I would throw them out there just in case.
How goes the dosing? I am so sorry to hear you lost so much of your meat rabbits!
I am putting all my rabbits into large runout pens and have had issues with biting flies being drawn by the massive amounts of poops LOL One thing that I have found that has worked for me is to actually let the ground dry out overnight and then sweeping the poops in the morning before I wet the pens down for the day. Is there any way you could sweep away the pellets?
As for getting the buns to drink their daily dose of medicine, have you thought about taking up their water just before you go to bed at night and then offering them a dosed waterer in the morning that you can then take up and replace with the regular waterer? Since they will be without water overnight when it is cooler, it shouldn't harm them, and just about guarantees they will all drink a good dose in the morning. And, if you are concerned about them having moisture at night, perhaps give a bundle of fresh greens when you take the water up ... they will get some moisture from the greens, but still be thirsty in the morning.
As for the cocci being shed on the ground, can you dose with DE or Sevin dust once per week?
I am not sure any of these ideas will be doable for you, but just thought I would throw them out there just in case.
