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The extent to which oocysts of the coccidian parasite Eimeria alabamensiscan survive the winter and cause clinical coccidiosis in different parts of Sweden was investigated. Fecal samples were collected between May and July 1993 from calves on 59 farms where calves had grazed the same pasture for at least 5 consecutive years. The farms were situated in 9 regions of Sweden with different climatic conditions in the winter. On each farm, 5 samples of feces were collected from the floor of the calf-house before the calves were turned out in the spring, and again from the pasture on days 4 or 5, 8 or 9 and 10 or 11 after they were turned out. Overwintering of oocysts of E. alabamensiswas considered to have occurred if an increase in the excretion rate of oocysts of this species could be demonstrated 8 to 11 days after calves had been turned out to pastures that had not been grazed since the previous autumn. Oocysts were shown to have overwintered on 27 farms, representing all 9 regions. Samples from 20 (34%) of the farms representing all the climatic regions contained more than 850000 oocysts per g of feces. This was comparable with the numbers found in animals with clinical coccidiosis due to E. alabamensis. Delaying turnout until the beginning of July did not affect the infection rate of the calves. However, calves which were turned out to pastures that had been grazed by older cattle or horses, either earlier in the spring or in previous years, excreted significantly fewer oocysts than calves which were turned out to pastures that had been grazed only by calves. A questionnaire answered by 321 dairy farmers revealed that of the 298 farmers who turned their first-season grazing cattle out to traditional pastures, 179 (60%) had used the same pasture for at least 5 years. These 179 farmers had experienced a significantly higher incidence of diarrhoea in their calves during the first 2 weeks at pasture than those farmers who had used different pastures.

The numbers of Eimeriaoocysts per gram (opg) and the dry matter content of 449 faecal samples taken from 54 calves in 8 herds in south west Sweden were determined during the last 2 weeks before and the first 3 weeks after the animals were turned out to pasture. While they were housed only between 0 and 580 opg were found and in 2 of the herds the numbers of oocysts remained low after turn-out. In the other 6 herds the numbers of oocysts increased after 8 to 10 days and reached a peak of between 1080 and 80 803 opg 9 to 18 days after turnout. By 21 to 24 days after turn-out the opg-values had declined to their initial levels. Eimeria alabamensisaccounted for most of the increase, but small numbers of oocysts of E. auburnensis, E. bovis, E. bukidnonensis, E. cylindrica, E. ellipsoidalis, E. pellita, E. subspherica, E. wyomingensisand E. zuerniiwere also observed. The interval between turn-out and the start of the increase in excretion of oocysts corresponded closely to the prepatent period of E. alabamensisand overwintered oocysts were therefore the most likely source of the infection. In 6 of the herds the dry matter content of the faeces of the calves decreased after turn-out and 56 % of the calves had clinical diarrhoea. Although it cannot be excluded that change of diet may have contributed to these symptoms, E. alabamensisinfection is suggested as a potential cause of diarrhoea and loss of condition in calves in Sweden during their first weeks on pasture.

The objective of this study conducted in 75 herds was to investigate the presence and significance of Cryptosporidium parvumand Giardia intestinalisin Swedish dairy calves in comparison with rotavirus, coronavirus and Escherichia coliK99+. The farmers were asked to collect faecal samples from each heifer calf that had diarrhoea between birth and 90 days of age, and also from a healthy calf of the same age. In total, 270 samples were collected and analysed. C. parvum, either alone or together with G. intestinalisand/or rotavirus, was detected in 16 (11%) and 6 (5%) of the samples from diarrhoeic and healthy calves, respectively. Even though a higher proportion of diarrhoeic calves shed C. parvum, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.067), possibly due to the low number of positive samples. G. intestinaliswas found in 42 (29%) of the diarrhoea samples and in 29 (23%) of the samples from healthy calves. Rotavirus and coronavirus were demonstrated in 24% and 3% of the diarrhoea samples, respectively, whereas E. coliK99+ was only found in samples from 2 healthy calves. C. parvumand G. intestinaliswere found in samples from calves 7 to 84 days of age and during all seasons. The results confirm that C. parvumis present in Swedish dairy herds and might have clinical significance. G. intestinaliswas the most common agent found but the importance of this parasite remains unclear. Both parasites have suggested zoonotic potential and thus warrant further attention. In addition, rotavirus is a major pathogen in neonatal enteritis in Sweden, whereas coronavirus and E. coliK99+ seem to be of less importance.