Jake, interesting that you are feeding Bovatec to your replacements for cocciodisis. It is widely known that ionorphores such a Bovatec do help prevent outbreaks of coccidosis. However, did your salesman tell you that they have to eat 280 mg. per head per day of Bovatech in order to accomplish this?
Irritates me that people selling processed feed don't tell the whole story. I'm very happy your calves are getting along so well on the program you are using. That is not my point, to tear down anyones program. My point is feed salesmen loosly saying Bovatch prevents coccidosis. It will, IF you get enough in them.
I never heard of coccidosis until I moved to this country. I think it warrants a little discussion because there are so many misconceptions about it.
I will share some of my LIMITED knowledge:
All cattle have coccidia in their system. Coccidia is an opportunist that takes advantage and attacks stressed cattle-whether it be feed stress, weather stress or the blue heeler dog stress.
Where the confusion comes from is that there is coccidia (the bug) and coccidiosis (the disease). When feed is changed drastically on cattle they can get acidosis from an upset rumen. When their intestines start to heal up from the acidosis, they will shed some lining of their stomach. This shedding looks like blood in the manure. This frightens the producer. So he takes a sample in to the vet. Upon examination the vet finds coccidia and BINGO, the diagnosis is coccidosis. But the diagnosis is not always correct. The cattle may show coccidia but not have coccidosis, the disease.
Now, if the cattle are sick, go off feed, stagger, etc., that is common symptoms of coccidosis. And coccidosis is a scary disease. But it gets blamed in a lot of instances that isn't quite accurate.
One other thing, Decquinate, the preventative for coccidosis, is to be fed for 28 days. We have found that you are better off feeding it for 30 days because not all the cattle get the dequinate in them the first day or two. It's pretty good insurance to feed it another couple of days.
I hope I have shed a bit of light on this subject. Of course, if you really want to delve into it, there is no way to cover it in a short post here and especially from a woman who has just come to learn about it in the last 10 years. However, I certainly think it is an important subject and one not to be treated lightly.