Effect of decoquinate on the control of coccidiosis in young ruminating calves.

Twenty-five 6-week-old Holstein male calves were each inoculated with 500,000 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria bovis. Two nontreated (control) and 3 treated calves (1.5 mg of decoquinate/kg of body weight in feed) were necropsied 7 days after inoculation. Similar groups of calves were necropsied at 12, 18, 22, and 28 days after inoculation. Treated calves were started on medicated feed 2 days before inoculation or at 7, 12, or 15 days after inoculation or were on continuous medication from the day of inoculation. Control calves were not given medication. Early schizonts were in the small intestines of control calves at 7 days after inoculation, but none was in the treated calves that were started on medicated feed 2 days before inoculation. Schizonts were present in the small intestine of both treated and control calves at 12 days after inoculation. At 18 days after inoculation, control calves had schizonts in the small intestine and gamonts and oocysts in the cecum and large intestines, but treated calves only had schizonts in the small intestine. At 22 days, control calves had schizonts in the small intestine and gamonts and oocysts in the large intestine; treated calves had schizonts in the small intestine. At 28 days, controls still had schizonts in the small intestine and gamonts and oocysts in the cecum and large intestine; the treated calves that had been on continuous medication did not have schizonts, gamonts, or oocysts in the tissues. Decoquinate apparently kills sporozoites or arrests development and release of merozoites from the schizonts when fed at 1.5 mg/kg of body weight in the feed.