# Cleaning barn with Ammonia- Darn Coccidia



## Spamela (Nov 23, 2013)

So we are going to start spring cleaning in our barn (hopefully spring decides to show up this year...) And I have two big calf pens in my barn and the last two years my calves have gotten coccidia:sob: so my pens are just loaded with the nasty little protozoas.

It is my understanding that the only thing that will kill the oocysts is ammonia.

I have never used it so I was wondering if anyone has any experience with it. How much should I dilute it and do I really have to soak everything or will a light spray be enough? What safety procautions are needed?

I realize *sigh* that the barn yard and fields will still be full of it but... at least this will be something.

Thanks in advance.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Never heard about using ammonia for this.

I know cleanliness is important. I would strip the stall of all bedding, spray down with a clorox/water mix (about 10% clorox, the rest water), let it air out until all odor is gone, then put down lime (the loose, powdery type) and rebed with fresh straw. 

Are you using Corid in the calves' water? If so, add Strawberry Koolaid to the water to get them to drink more. Are they eating any grain? If so, you can get calf starter with lasalocid as a preventive...it takes a few days to get them transitioned from the unmedicated grain, but it does work.

Lastly, has a fecal test confirmed it's coccidia?

Edited to add: I would NOT use ammonia around the cattle; google ammonia toxicity. Also, be aware that lasalocid (rumensin, bovatec) can be deadly to equines. It's probably advisable to run your plans by the vet to be sure you're not doing more harm than good.


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

I think i would google bleach as mentioned and white vinegar. I am finding white vinegar diluted or peroxide diluted kill many organisms. If not one of them, usually diluted bleach will do the job. Somewhere in my reading I have read how to destroy the oocysts. Dry is important. Chickens tend to transmit coccidia, too. ACV given to calves is a remedy some swear by.


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## Spamela (Nov 23, 2013)

G. Seddon said:


> Never heard about using ammonia for this.
> 
> I know cleanliness is important. I would strip the stall of all bedding, spray down with a clorox/water mix (about 10% clorox, the rest water), let it air out until all odor is gone, then put down lime (the loose, powdery type) and rebed with fresh straw.
> 
> ...


Yes I know all about corid and the pellets.

We cleaned the pens exactly as you described after it happened the first year.... then it happened again the second year. After doing more research on the subject I learned that the only thing that will kill the oocysts is ammonia, bleach doesn't do anything.

I was planning on locking everybody out of the barn until the smell was gone and the pens will be empty till next fall.

And yes it was confirmed coccidia.


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## Spamela (Nov 23, 2013)

tab said:


> I think i would google bleach as mentioned and white vinegar. I am finding white vinegar diluted or peroxide diluted kill many organisms. If not one of them, usually diluted bleach will do the job. Somewhere in my reading I have read how to destroy the oocysts. Dry is important. Chickens tend to transmit coccidia, too. ACV given to calves is a remedy some swear by.


Coccidia is host specific. There is a lot of conflicting data on that subject and my own vet told me that my chickens gave it to the calves. Finally I messaged a vet who teaches a parasitology course to pre-vet students. He told me that it is 100% scientific prooven fact that coccidia is host specific. Chicken coccidia is different from cattle coccidia, goat coccidia, and even people coccidia. He said that it's an old misconception thats been allowed to linger.


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## Phil V. (May 31, 2013)

Dairy farmer that I worked for used it to clean the milking parlor.


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Very true that it is host specific. I cannot remember all of the details as I have been through the cocci battle, too. Chickens, IIRC, host something like 9 different species, some of which may/may not overlap with other animals. Wild animals and insects can spread oocyts, too. Somewhere I have a book that delves into this in detail. New research may lean towards other understsndings but, I have played the animal game long enough to know that research can flip flop. It pays to look at all of it with a bit of a skeptical eye if following the accepted protocols are not yielding results. Your results may vary but btdt..


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## tsd6813 (Oct 20, 2020)

G. Seddon said:


> Never heard about using ammonia for this.
> 
> I know cleanliness is important. I would strip the stall of all bedding, spray down with a clorox/water mix (about 10% clorox, the rest water), let it air out until all odor is gone, then put down lime (the loose, powdery type) and rebed with fresh straw.
> 
> ...


From what I have read, Clorox will not kill coccidia. Only ammonia will help control it.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Freaking old post again.


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## secondhandacres (Nov 6, 2017)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Freaking old post again.


Lol.... this drives you nuts don’t it. Been several old posts dug up in the past few weeks


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Furious. I don't always remember to check the date on the original post. If I don't, then I've wasted time researching, composing an answer, and posting a reply. THEN, catching it and deleting the reply so that no one else goes down the freaking rabbit hole. 

The owners should be ashamed.


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