PA Calves

Prevention of calf scour

Boost calf immunity \= good colostrum management
Minimise infectious agents in environment \= housing, hygiene, all-in-all-out, quarantine/isolation

3 types of diarrhoea

Secretory \= electrolytes excreted, drawing out water
Osmotic \= water drawn into GI lumen
Malabsorptive \= GI lining damaged \= no absorption

Why is acidosis seen with calf scour

Bacterial fermentation

Ddx for calf diarrhoea

Bacterial
Salmonella
E. coli
Campylobacter
(Yersinia - older calves)
Viral
Rotavirus
Coronavirus
Parasitic
Coccidiosis
Cryptosporidium
GI nematodes

Is E.coli gram negative or positive?

negative

E. coli scour in calves

Secretory or malabsorptive scour

Salmonella scour in calves

Secretory or malabsorptive scour

Rotavirus scour in calves

Most common cause of calf scour
Secretory diarrhoea due to damaged vili
5-21d
White scour

Coronavirus scour in calves

Secretory diarrhoea
5-21d
Also causes winter dysentery and respiratory disease

Cryptosporidium scour in calves

Malabsorptive or osmotic diarrhoea
3w - 3mth
Bloody scour, tenesmus and abdominal pain
Very resistant in environment \= ammonia-based disinfectant

Necrotic enteritis of beef calves

7-10wk
Acute diarrhoea, pyrexia, dysentery and anaemia
Very high mortality

Calf scour: diagnosis

Faecal sample taken from within rectum
Test 6 untreated calves for all major pathogens
Faecal culture/virology/parasitology
ELISA
PM
Check for FPT in young calves

Calf scour: treatment

FLUIDS
Antibiotics (if pyrexic or depressed - use TMPS or oxytetracycline)
NSAIDs (not if dehydrated)
Nursing care (isolate, warmth, feed)
Specific treatements
Cryptosporidium \= Halofuginone
Coccidiosis \= Decoquinoate/Diclazuril

Fluid therapy in calves

Oral if standing
IVFT if recumbent (with bicarbonate if signs of acidosis)
80ml/kg/hr for and hour and then 30-50ml/kg/hr
Still need to feed milk (not mixed with electrolytes)

Acidosis treatment in calves

Mild \= lactated Ringers (Hartmann's)
Moderate \= lactated Ringers and 15g bicarbonate
Severe \= lactated Ringers and 35g bicarbonate or 10ml/kg of 8.4% bicarbonate as a bolus

BRD

Bovine Respiratory Disease

Calf pneumonia: signs

Dull
Tachypnoea, hyperpneoea and dyspnoea
Ocular/nasal discharge
Coughing
Pyrexia
Harsh or adventitious lung sounds
URT noise

Ddx for calf pneumonia

Viral
IBR
PI3
RSV
BVD
Bacterial
Mannheimia haemolytica
Pasteurella multocida
Histophilus somni
Mycoplasma dispar or bovis
Lungworm (dictyocaulus viviparus)

Calf pneumonia: diagnosis

Serology (\>6 cases - paired samples)
Sulture (nasal or occular, BAL)
PM

Classifications of bovine pneumonia

Chronic cuffing/mycoplasmal pnemonia
Enzootic/viral pneumonia
Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis
Pneumonic pasteurellosis (Transit/shipping fever)
Parasitic bronchitis (Husk)
Chronic suppurative pneumonia (Respiratory Cripples)

Chronic cuffing/mycoplasmal pneumonia: signs

Cough
Tachypnoea and dyspnoea
Decreased exercise tolerance
Decreased growth rate
Cranioventral adentitious lung sounds
Pyrexia

Chronic cuffing/mycoplasmal pneumonia: causative agents

Mycoplasma dispar or bovirhinis
Ureaplasma diverssum

Chronic necrotising pneumonia: pathology

Weel-demarked foci of caseous necrosis

Chronic necrotising pneumonia: causative agent

Mycoplasma bovis

Acute enzootic/viral pneumonia: signs

Dull, anorexic
Tachypnoeic (\>100) and hyperpnoeic
Pyrexic
Frequent cough
Nasal dishcarge
Crackles orver cranioventral lungfields
Ill thrift/weight loss

Pneumonic pasteurellosis/Shipping fever/Transit fever: causative agents

Mannheimia haemolytica
Pasteurella multocida
Histophilus somni

Pneumonic pasteurellosis/Shipping fever/Transit fever: signs

Dull, anorexic
Tachypnoeic (60-100) and hyperpnoeic
Pyrexic
May not have adventitious lung sounds

Pneumonic pasteurellosis/Shipping fever/Transit fever: control/prevention

Decrease stress and good managemnt/housing
Vaccination

Chronic suppurative pneumonia: signs

Bouts of 'acute' pneumonia
Ill thrift

Calf pneumonia: treatment

Antibiotics (if required, but remeber secondary infection likely)
NSAIDS or steroids
VAccination (if available)
Nursing
FLuids and diuretics if required
Mucolytic (e.g. bromohexine)

BRD investigation questions

Farm disease status
Source of calves
Previous outbreaks
Current and previous medication, vaccines and wormers (including drug management)
Colostrum management
Routine management

Why is ventilation required in calf housing

Removal of moisture, pathogens and noxious gases

Omphalitis

Umbilicus infection

Omphaloarteritis

Umbilical artery infection

Omphalophlebitis

Umbilical vein infection

Common causative agents of umbilical infection

E.coli
Staphylococcus
Proteus
Salmonella
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Mannheimia haemolytica
A. pyogenes

Umbilical infection: signs

Hot, swollen and painful umbilicus
+/- purulent discharge
Systemically ill
+/- urianry signs

Umbilical infection:: treatment

Systemic antibiotics for 2-3w
NSAIDS and fluids if required

Umbilical infection:: consequences

Abcessation
Septicaemia
Joint ill/polyarthritis
Hypopyon in the eye

Umbilical infection:: prevention

Dipping in strong iodine
Colostrum
Hygeien and good environment

Umbilical hernia: dignosis

Palpation of umbilical ring

Umbilical hernia: complications

Adhesions
Bowel strangulation

Umbilical hernia: treatment

Leave alone
Surgical repair
Do not breed from (hereditary condition)

Septic arthritis/Joint ill: common causative agents

Trueperella pyogenes
Streptococcus
E.coli
Staphylococcus
Mycoplasma

Septic arthritis/Joint ill: signs

One + joint swellings
Lameness
Pyrexia
+/- swollen umbilicus

Septic arthritis/Joint ill: diagnosis

History
Arthrocentesis
U/S

Septic arthritis/Joint ill: treatment

Broad spectrum antibiotics (pref. I/V) for 3w
NSAIDs

:Septicaemia in calves: main causative agents

Salmonella
E.coli
CAmpylobacter
Klebsiella
Staphylococcus

Septicaemia in calves: pathogenesis

Shock \= organ failure \= death

Septicaemia in calves: treatment

I/V antibiotics
NSAIDs (esp. flunixin)
Supportive (fluids, warmth, nursing)

Meningitis in calves: signs

Systemically ill
Decreased suckling
Neck pain
Bkindness
Slow, deep respiration
Star gazing
Head pressing
Opisthotenous
Ataxia
Pyrexia
Hypopyon
Hyperasthesia
Spasticity

Meningitis in calves: diagnosis

Clinical signs
CSF

Meningitis in calves: traeatment

Broad spectrum antibiotics which cross BBB (e.g. Penicillin, TMPS) for 2 weeks
NSAIDs or sedation

3 common mineral deficiencies in calves

Selenium/Vitamin E
Iodine
Vitamine A

Ruminal drinking: causes

Inconsistant milk feeding regime
Poor quality milk replacer
Tube feeding

Ruminal drinking: signs

Failure to thrive
Bloat/pot-bellied
Decreased appetite
Acidosis signs
Fluids splashing on ballotment

Ruminal drinking: treatment

Remove milk feed (if developed enoogh - pear-shaped abdomen)
Alter feeding (use teats)
Give electolytes/bicarb to correct inbalances

Common congential issues in calves

Ventricular septal defect
Chondrodystrophy
Hydrocephalus
Hypospadia
Contraced tendons
Hypotrichosis
Cleft palate
Atresia ani

Abomasitis and abomasal bloat: signs

Rapid abdominal distension
Depression
+/- colic
Teeth grinding and salivation
+/- diarrhoea

Abomasitis and abomasal bloat: PM findings

Gas-filled and inflammed abomasum with foul-smelling milk clots

Abomasitis and abomasal bloat: risk factors

Erratic fedding schedule
Contaminated milk/colostrum
FPT
Inadequate water
Hyperconcentrated/inadequate milk replacer

Ideal BCS of cows at calving

2.5-3

Feed face space for cows

0.7m if simultaneous
0.3m if ad lib

When should pre-calving BCS be done

6-8w pre-calving

Preventing dystocia

Sire selection
Pre-partum management (appropriate BCS)
Only breeding heifers that are at target weight

Target length for beef calving period

9 weeks

Target for perinatal mortality when calving

Target for cow mortality when calving

Target for heifer mortality when calving

Target for neonatal morbidity

What type of diet develops rumen papillae the best

Grain

What is the ideal crude protein of a weaned calf diet

25-27%

Temperature requirements for calves

Neonates \= 15-25C

Feed face space for calves

0.3m

Average DLWG in calves

700-900g/day (more in beef calves)
(Want double weight in 6 weeks)

Target calf mortality

What can male dairy calves be reared for

rose veal

How many dairy cows should require assistance at calving

Lower critical temperature for calves

How long should gradual weaning of dairy calves take

2 weeks

What should be used to decide when to wean dairy calves

Concentrate intake (2kg/d)

LA block used for dehorning calves

Corneal block

Methods of dehorning

< thumbnail size \= chemical or hot-iron
< thumb \= dehorning cups
\> thumb \= dehorning guillotine

Chemical dis-budding in calves

< 1 week old
< thumbnail size horn
No requirement for LA
Must separate from cow for an hour afterwards

Hot-iron dis-budding in calves

LA required
Test iron is hot enough on a piece of wood
Press onto bud, move in circular motion and gouge out horn base

How is haemostasis achieved when dehorning cattle

Hot-iron to cauterise
Pull and twist vessels

After what age should de-horning cattle not be a routine procedure

2 months

When is anaesthesia legally required for calf castration

\>2 months

Use of burdizzos to castrate calves

Ideally want to crush spermatic cord in 2 locations on each side, however want to make sure that these crushed regions do not overlap

How is castration performed in the bull

Emasculators
Crush and ligate (in same way as dog)

How long does it take for a castrated male calf/bull to become infertile

3 weeks

When should umbilical surgery be performed in youngstock

6 weeks

Where is the most common location of uroliths in tups

Urethral appendage

How are uroliths in the urethral appendage of tups treated

Removal of the urethral appendage

Spastic paresis in youngstock

Treatment of entropion

Manual eversion
Eye lid clips
If chronic - surgery to remove some skin and pull eyelid open

Signs of atresia ani in youngstock

No passage of meconium
Swollen abdomen
Lack of anal opening

Treatment of atresia ani in youngstock

Epidural
Stretch perineum by bringing all legs together
If bulge seen were anus should be, incise
If no bulge seen, incise over anal scar and locate blind-ending rectum and attach to new opening

Procedure for placement of a trochar

LA
Skin incision
Stab trochar through muscle over paralumbar fossa and twist into rumen
Suture in place
Slowly remove stylet

Legally required records on a sheep farm

Medicine books (kept for 5yr)
Mortality records
Flock register (born/died/sold/bought)
Movement records