Transcript CAFRE Development Service

Level II Agricultural
Business Operations
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This session will include
◦ Sources & signs of infection and sickness
◦ Colostrum feeding
◦ Calf diseases
◦ Animal welfare
◦ Biosecurity and health plans
◦ Safe use of veterinary medicines
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Heifers have significant rearing costs
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More than 15% of heifers born don’t
reach 1st lactation.
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Important to maximise calf’s early
growth potential and good feed
conversion efficiencies
Farmer
Dirty udder
Housing and ventilation
Feed and water
Feeding
utensils
Contact with other stock
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Check calves at least twice per day.
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What to look for;
Faeces/ dung
Nose dryness or discharge
Ear position / alertness
Posture of calf
Eyes - dehydration
Navel and joint ill
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Also check...
◦ Coat condition
◦ Breathing
◦ Temperature
◦ Heart rate
◦ Eating habits
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Calves born with no immunity
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The three Q’s of colostrum feeding
◦ Quantity
◦ Quality
◦ Quickly
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10 % of calf’s birth weight.
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Generally 3 to 6 litres
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20 min suckling = 3 litres intake!!
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Volume required is dependant on
colostrum quality
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Quality varies from cow to cow
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Cow Body Condition Score of 2.5 - 3
prior to calving
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Minimum five weeks dry cow period
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Cows exposed to pathogens on farm
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Colostrum from 2nd – 3rd lactation
cows, usually best quality.
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Colostrum hygiene also important –
collection and feeding utensils
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Assess quality using colostrometer
Assess at
room
temperature
(22C)
Feed value of
colostrum falls
quickly
Component
Milking Number
1
Colostrum
Total solid %
2
3
Transitional milk
11
Whole milk
23.9
17.9
14.1
12.5
6.7
5.4
3.9
3.9
14.0
8.4
5.1
3.1
Antibodies %
6.0
4.2
2.4
0.09
Lactose %
2.7
3.9
4.4
4.9
Mineral %
1.11
0.95
0.87
0.74
Vitamin A ug/dl
295
190
1.13
34
Fat %
Protein %
Antibody
Adapted from Folley & Otterby 1978
levels fall
quickly
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Within first 4-6 hours.
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Feed 50 % within 60 minutes of birth
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Antibody absorption decreases after
birth and stops by 24hrs
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Feed for 3-4 days minimum
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Suckle the dam
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Suckle from teat on bucket
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Stomach tube
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Commercial substitutes
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Biggest killer of calves under 1 month
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1 in 10 calves suffer from scour
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All outbreaks should be investigated
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Half of deaths < 1 month due to scour
1.
Wet and dirty bedding
2.
Pens not disinfected between calves
3.
Insufficient colostrum
4.
Communal rearing
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Diarrhoea of varying severity
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Dehydration
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Calves dull/depressed
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Poor appetite
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Occasional high temperature
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Two main categories of scour
◦ Non- infectious e.g. nutritional
◦ Infectious
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Irregular feeding times
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Incorrect temperature and strength of milk
substitute
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Poor hygiene
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Incorrect positioning of feed buckets/teats
– oesophageal groove
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Calves rumen is undeveloped at birth
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Develops fully at 3-8 weeks
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Milk digested by 4th compartment of
stomach – abomasum
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Oesophageal groove allows milk to pass
from oesophagus to abomasum
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Milk “leaking” into rumen can cause scour
Oesophagus
Reticulum
Rumen
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Organisms causing infectious scour
◦ Rotavirus
◦ Cryptosporidia
◦ Coccidia
◦ Coronavirus
◦ E.coli K99
◦ Salmonella
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Mortality
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Cost of veterinary treatment
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Loss of condition
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Additional labour
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Consult vet early in an outbreak
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Isolate, dry bedding and heat lamp
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Depending on severity - Stop or reduce
milk for 12 - 24 hours (vet advice)
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Electrolytes and fluids for dehydration and
temporary nutrients - stomach tube
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Symptoms of dehydration
◦ Sunken eye, skin fold stays up, skin tight
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Antibiotics to combat primary or secondary
infection
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Gradually re-introduce milk with electrolyte
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Involves collecting a scour sample to send to
the lab to identify the cause
Samples should be taken before animals are
treated with antibiotics
Must be taken from the calf
and not the floor!
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Vaccinate cows prior to calving – antibodies
in colostrum
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Diagnose causes of scours and put control
plan in place (different causes = different
treatments)
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Prevents losses due to treatment costs,
stunted growths and additional labour
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Hygiene in calving pens and of feeding
utensils
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Housing – drainage, ventilation, air space.
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COLOSTRUM
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Multifactorial disease
Caused by one or more organisms
◦ Viruses
◦ Bacteria
◦ Mycoplasms
Most common cause of death in 1-6 month
calves
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Mixing cattle from different sources and/or
ages
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Stress often triggers respiratory diseases
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Inadequate ventilation
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BVD lowers resistance
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Inadequate colostrum
Animal Health Ireland
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Being “off form” - Dullness
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Reduced feed intake
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Fever (over 39.5C)
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Increased respiratory rate
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Frequent chesty coughs (not always)
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Discharge from nose and eyes
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Most cases are mixed infections. However,
the main organisms that start the disease
are;
◦ Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
◦ Para-influenza type 3 (PI3)
◦ Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR)
◦ Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD)
◦ Coronaviruses
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Mortality
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Cost of veterinary treatment
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Loss of condition
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Production loss due to residual lung
damage
Image: www.fwi.co.uk
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Consult vet early in an outbreak
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Isolate, dry bedding and draught free
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Antibiotics to combat primary or
secondary infection
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Anti-inflammatory drugs lower
temperature and reduce inflammation
of lungs
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Steroids may help in severe cases
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Handle gently – stress can kill
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Preventative treatment of group
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Vaccination – maximise immunity
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Adequate colostrum intake
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Ensure a dry bed (fall of 1:20)
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Avoid mixing stock
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Optimise stocking density
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Adequate ventilation – no draughts
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Medicate with antibiotics
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Painful infection of navel within first
week of life
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Hygiene of calving pens important
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At calving spray with antibiotic aerosol
or iodine
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Lameness, and later swelling of joints
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From 2-4 weeks old
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Infection via the navel
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Bacteria gather in joints
causing inflammation