Health and Disease in Calves and Heifers

1. Health and Disease in Calves and Heifers

2. Overview • Common Disease Problems • Neonatal Calf Diarrhea (Scours) • Bovine Respiratory Disease (Pneumonia) • Other Common Diseases (Navel ill, Arthritis, … ) • Dehorning • Vaccination Programs • Impacts of Disease on Future Performance • Take Home Messages

3. Common Calf Diseases • Scours (Diarrhea) • Pneumonia (BRD) • Septicemia • Joint ill (Arthritis) • Navel ill (Omphalophlebitis) • Meningitis • Bloat • Deficiencies • Malformations www.canadianhay.com

4. Studies on the Incidence of Calf Disease

5. Scours (Neonatal Calf Diarrhea) • Case Definition? • Age groups usually affected? • How to identify severity?

6. Case Definition – Calf Diarrhea • Neonatal Calf Diarrhea (scours) • Manure of looser consistency than normal, that persists for 2 or more days • Decreased appetite, dullness, fever and dehydration

7. Assessing the Severity of Diarrhea

8. Fecal Scoring System 0 1 2 3 • Scale 0 – 3 • 0 = normal • 1 = semi-formed, pasty • 2 = loose • 3 = watery • From Sheila McGuirk’s Calf Health Scoring Chart • http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/dms/fapm/fapmtools/8calf/calf_health_scoring_chart.pdf

9. Assessing the Severity of Dehydration

10. Assessing the Severity of Dehydration Mild to Moderate Dehydration – Needs Oral Electrolytes Severe Dehydration – Needs IV Fluids Normal

11. Scours – Common Pathogens • E. coli • 0-3 days of age • Rotavirus • 2-3 weeks of age • Coronavirus • 2-3 weeks of age • Salmonella • 1–5 weeks of age • Cryptosporidium parvum • 2-4 Weeks of age E. coli Rotavirus Coronavirus Salmonella C. parvum

12. Cryptosporidium parvumin calves • Main cause of diarrhea in young calves (2-4 weeks) • High morbidity (dehydration, decreased weight gain) • Low mortality • Self-limiting diarrhea • Oocysts very resistant • No effective, specific treatment • Prevention can be achieved with a high plane of nutrition • Halocur oral preparation can be used for prevention

13. Scours - Treatment • Electrolytes • IV vs oral rehydration • What about feeding milk? • Stop feeding milk?? • Separate feedings of electrolytes and milk?? • Antibiotics – for E. coli diarrhea in very young calves • Metacam for abdominal pain

14. Scours – Prevention/Proactive Approach • Vaccine for pregnant cows • Provide adequate amount of good quality, clean colostrum • Decrease contact between calves • Cleaning and disinfection of calf housing

15. Economic Impact of Calf Scours • Treatment costs • Some death loss: • 12.8% ( < 1 week old) • 5.1% ( > 1 week old) • Decreased weight gain • Increased risk of getting pneumonia/other illnesses

16. Pneumonia – Respiratory Disease • Definition: • Age groups usually affected? • How to identify sick calves? • Symptoms • Behaviour

17. Case Definition - Pneumonia • Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) • Increased respiratory rate, effort and sound • Fever • Dullness or depression • Decreased appetite • Rough hair coat • Nasal and/or ocular discharge • Coughing

18. Assessing the Nasal Discharge

19. Pneumonia – Causes • Pneumonia is a multifactorial disease • Environment, immunity of calf, pathogens • Common pathogens include: • Mycoplasma • Pasteurella • Mannheimia • IBR • BVD • BRSV • PI3

20. Environmental Contributors • Season • Crowding • Mixing • Poor Ventilation • Contact with older animals

21. Pneumonia - Treatment • Careful Observation and Early Treatment • Systemic Antibiotic Treatment • Several effective products • Resflor, Excede, Ceftiofur, Baytril, Draxxin • Appropriate housing and nursing care • Consider metaphylactic group treatment • Limited evidence for oral medication

22. Potential Solutions for BRD • Environment • Management • Calving • Colostrum • Hygiene • Housing • Nutrition • Disease monitoring • Genetics • Vaccination

23. Costs of Respiratory Disease • Medication, labour, veterinary services • Premature culling • Decreased growth • Delayed age at first calving • Increased calving difficulties • Lifetime profitability • WELFARE CONCERNS

24. Questions about Vaccination Programs • Vaccination to pregnant cows – diarrhea ?? • Vaccines for respiratory disease • Inforce3, Bovishield, many other products …. • When to vaccinate? • How many times? • Benefits ??

25. Window of Susceptibility

26. . . 10-way MLV booster 10-way MLV Pre-breeding Scour Prevention Vaccine and E.coli (J-5) At entry to dry pen and booster 3 weeks before calving . 10-way MLV booster at 6 and 7 months 5-way MLV (BRD) At 6 weeks . 15 Months Birth 2 Weeks Weaning Six Months 1 Year 7 Mo Gest First Calving 4 Months Fresh Preg Check 4 Weeks Calf and Herd Vaccination Program Inforce 3 IN

27. Other Calf Diseases • Scours (Diarrhea) • Pneumonia (BRD) • Septicemia • Joint ill (Arthritis) • Navel ill (Omphalophlebitis) • Meningitis • Bloat • Deficiencies • Malformations

28. Questions on Dehorning Dairy Calves • When/what age? • Methods of dehorning – • Caustic paste • Burning horn buds • Most effective method? • Should pain relief be provided? • Analgesic, anaesthetics, pain relief

29. Pain at Dehorning Did this calf have a Lidocaine Block ???? Did this calf have a Lidocaine Block ????

30. Dehorning Methods and Results Portasol Caustic Paste Caustic Stick

31. Recommendations for Dehorning • Canadian code of practice for dairy cattle • recommends local anesthetic for dehorning • Dehorn calves as young as possible • Use NSAID’s (Metacam) if dehorning older than 4 weeks

32. Disease Control for Replacement Heifers: • PARASITE CONTROL • MASTITIS CONTROL • LAMENESS • PINK-EYE

33. Take Home Message • Calf Diarrhea is common and can be managed for minimal long-term impact • It is critical to prevent calf respiratory disease to avoid profound long-term impacts • Vaccination programs can be very effective • Housing and management is important

34. Questions !!!