It is crucial to protect
new-born calves against diseases as their bodies aren’t yet fully
developed to a level that they can to ward off illnesses on their
own. Managing young calves is equally important as other as other aspects of Animal Husbandry. Let’s go through the list of a few extended diseases
occurring in young calves and the necessary measures that could be
taken to relieve them.
- Scours
A scour is a clinical
symptom characterized by diarrhea that prevents the absorption of
fluids in the intestine. The bowel lining is damaged resulting in
body fluids passing into the gut causing rapid dehydration. Scour is
caused by bacteria (E. coli, salmonella), viruses (rotavirus,
coronavirus), and parasites (Cryptosporidium, coccidiosis in older
calves). These agents are passed out in excrement from other
heard-mates in the housing area, build up as infections and picked up
by young calves only to make them ill. Hence, the cow pens must be
cleaned and disinfected regularly.
How
to treat? The first step when you notice a calf with a scour must
be to separate it and its mother from the rest of the herd and keep
them away in a different barn. It is to avoid the infection from
spreading amongst the healthy calves. Make sure to not take the calf
off of its mother’s milk. Serve extra fluids or electrolyte
solution to the calf to substitute the body fluids lost by the calf.
A minimum one dose of electrolyte solution must be fed to the calf in
a day. The frequency of dosage can be increased depending on the
severity of the scour infection. The antibiotics aren’t useful if
viruses and parasites cause the scour. It is needed when calf’s
temperature is beyond the normal range (38.5°C to 39.5°C), it is
weak or incapable to stand, doesn’t feed on milk, or passes out
blood in its excrement. Suitable vaccinations can also be given to
the calf to prevent scour but must not be considered the sole method
of prevention.
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- Pneumonia
The typical symptoms of
pneumonia include coughing, fever, heavy breathing, nasal discharge,
reduced appetite, dullness, and dropped ears. The disease is caused
by bacteria (Pasteurella, Haemophilus and Mycoplasma) and viruses
(RSV, PI3, IBR, BRCV and BVDV). As it is a communicable disease, the
infection is spread amongst the calves by exhaling nasal droplets
from other animals. A few other factors favoring pneumonia include
calves getting too little colostrum, ventilation-deprived housing,
stress, abrupt changes in weather, and keeping cows of all ages and
breed together.
How
to treat? Firstly, separate the sick calf and its mother and
group them in a different barn to prevent dispersal of pneumonia
amongst other animals. Treat the sick calves under the instructions
and supervision of a veterinary. Anti-inflammatories are given as
prevention beforehand. Antibiotics treat only bacterial infections.
Therefore, an early and accurate diagnosis along with the help of
your vet is suggested to enable strategic treatment using vaccines.
- Navel Ill/Joint Ill
Navel ill is a disease
affecting the umbilical cord of the young calves. The umbilical cord
is made up of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the
calf during gestation. At the time of birth, the cord is cut which
makes it open and exposed to the environmental infections. Though the
disease remains confined to the navel cord, it is likely that the
bacterial contamination spreads throughout the calf’s body, often
proving fatal if the cord is not sealed. At times, the infection
settles down in the joints of the body causing pain and damage to
cartilage, joints and ligaments. Such condition is called ‘Joint
Ill’.
How
to treat? The infection in and around the navel might also result
in an abscess. Thus, draining the abscess along with an appropriate
antibiotic medication will clear out the infection. The veterinarians
recommend improving the hygiene of the calf’s housing. One must
ensure that the bedding is in place, clean, warm, and dry. There
should be ample drinking water sources around to keep the calves
dehydrated. The teats and naval of the cows and calves must be
cleaned and dipped in iodine disinfectants during and post the birth.
- Coccidiosis
The disease is caused by
protozoan parasites that rapidly multiply and rupture the lining of
the intestinal wall. Such situation occurs following any stressful
events like sudden weather changes or if the calves are living in an
unhygienic condition like poorly ventilated sheds, wet and dirty
bedding, overcrowding, impure feed and water containers, etc. The
symptoms of coccidiosis comprise of watery diarrhea (often
blood-stained), dehydration, strain, anorexia, and weight loss.
How to treat? Isolate the affected calf to prevent other
animals from getting affected by the disease. Provide antibiotics and
fluids to the cows to fight off the infection. Sulfonamides and
Amprolium drugs are given in medication. The animals may not consume
the medicines introduced through feed or water, and profoundly
affected animals may have to be treated individually. If there is one
infected animal in the herd, it is highly probable that other animals
too might be exposed to the contamination in intermediary stages of
development. Anticoccidial preventive therapies are used as
preventive measures and administered through cattle ration and
supplements.
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