Cryptosporidiosis can have a devastating effect in neonatal calves, resulting in diarrhoea, dehydration and, in severe cases, death of the animal. The disease is caused by Cryptosporidium spp. and is one of the most common causes of calf enteritis in the UK. The parasite is very difficult to remove from the farm, as the oocysts have a tough outer wall which enables the parasite to survive for several months in moist temperate environmental conditions and it is difficult to kill oocysts with common disinfectants used on a farm. If appropriate management practises are applied, the disease is usually self-limiting and most calves will recover. It has been shown, in studies with children and in lambs, that severe clinical cryptosporidiosis can result in long-term growth and cognitive impairment compared with individuals with no obvious signs of the disease. This study measured the long-term growth rate of beef calves on farm by comparing groups of animals that had suffered differing degrees of clinical severity of cryptosporidiosis as neonates. A group of 27 beef calves were enrolled in the study and monitored from birth to 6 months of age. The calves were scored for severity of cryptosporidiosis and weighed at regular intervals. The average difference in weight gain, at 6 months, between a group of calves that had severe cryptosporidiosis as neonates and a group of calves with no clinical signs of infection was 34 kg. Those calves that had experienced severe cryptosporidiosis as neonates showed a significantly reduced live weight gain compared with those calves showing no clinical signs of infection (P = 0.034). Therefore, the impact of severe cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves has longer term effects on weight gain and production efficiency, resulting in the parasite having a greater impact on cattle production than previously thought.

隐孢子虫病会对新生牛犊产生毁灭性影响，导致腹泻，脱水，严重时还会导致动物死亡。该病是由隐孢子虫引起的spp。并且是英国小牛肠炎的最常见原因之一。寄生虫很难从养殖场中清除，因为卵囊的坚硬外壁使寄生虫能够在潮湿的温和环境条件下存活数月，并且很难用养殖场中常用的消毒剂杀死卵囊。如果采取适当的管理措施，这种疾病通常是自限性的，大多数小牛都会康复。在对儿童和羔羊的研究中，与没有明显疾病迹象的个体相比，严重的临床隐孢子虫病可导致长期生长和认知障碍。这项研究通过比较在新生儿中隐孢子虫病的临床严重程度不同的动物组，测量了农场牛犊的长期生长率。一组27只牛犊被纳入研究并从出生到6个月大时进行监测。对小牛进行隐孢子虫病严重程度评分并定期称重。6个月时，一组重度隐孢子虫病严重的新生牛犊与一组没有临床感染迹象的犊牛的体重增加平均差异为34 kg。与那些没有临床感染迹象的小牛相比，那些新生婴儿经历严重隐孢子虫病的小牛的活体增重显着降低（一组27只牛犊被纳入研究并从出生到6个月大时进行监测。对小牛进行隐孢子虫病严重程度评分并定期称重。6个月时，一组重度隐孢子虫病严重的新生牛犊与一组没有临床感染迹象的犊牛的体重增加平均差异为34 kg。与那些没有临床感染迹象的小牛相比，那些患有严重隐孢子虫病的小牛的活体增重显着降低（一组27只牛犊被纳入研究并从出生到6个月大时进行监测。对小牛进行隐孢子虫病严重程度评分并定期称重。一组患有严重隐孢子虫病的新生牛犊与一组没有临床感染迹象的犊牛在6个月时的体重增加平均差异为34 kg。与那些没有临床感染迹象的小牛相比，那些新生婴儿经历严重隐孢子虫病的小牛的活体增重显着降低（P  = 0.034）。因此，严重的隐孢子虫病对新生牛犊的影响对体重增加和生产效率具有长期影响，导致该寄生虫对牛的生产产生的影响比以前认为的要大。