Level II Agricultural Business Operations

 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

 Heifers have significant rearing costs  More than 15% of heifers born don’t reach 1 st lactation.

 Important to maximise calf’s early growth potential and good feed conversion efficiencies

Farmer Dirty udder

Housing and ventilation

utensils Feed and water Feeding

Contact with other stock

 Check calves at least twice per day.

 What to look for;

Faeces/ dung

Nose dryness or discharge

Ear position / alertness

Posture of calf Eyes - dehydration

Navel and joint ill

 Also check...

◦ Coat condition ◦ Breathing ◦ Temperature ◦ Heart rate ◦ Eating habits

 Calves born with no immunity  The three Q’s of colostrum feeding ◦ Quantity ◦ Quality ◦ Quickly

 10 % of calf’s birth weight.

 Generally 3 to 6 litres  20 min suckling = 3 litres intake!!

 Volume required is dependant on colostrum quality

 Quality varies from cow to cow  Cow Body Condition Score of 2.5 - 3 prior to calving  Minimum five weeks dry cow period  Cows exposed to pathogens on farm

 Colostrum from 2 nd – 3 rd lactation cows, usually best quality.

 Colostrum hygiene also important – collection and feeding utensils  Assess quality using colostrometer

Assess at room temperature (22  C )

Component Total solid % Fat % Protein % Antibodies % Lactose % Mineral % Vitamin A ug/dl Feed value of colostrum falls quickly 1 Colostrum 23.9

6.7

14.0

6.0

2.7

1.11

295 Milking Number 2 3 Transitional milk 17.9

5.4

14.1

3.9

8.4

4.2

5.1

2.4

3.9

0.95

190 4.4

0.87

1.13

Antibody levels fall quickly 11 Whole milk 12.5

3.9

3.1

0.09

4.9

0.74

34

 Within first 4-6 hours.

 Feed 50 % within 60 minutes of birth  Antibody absorption decreases after birth and stops by 24hrs  Feed for 3-4 days minimum

 Suckle the dam  Suckle from teat on bucket  Stomach tube  Commercial substitutes

 Biggest killer of calves under 1 month  1 in 10 calves suffer from scour  All outbreaks should be investigated  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

 Diarrhoea of varying severity  Dehydration  Calves dull/depressed  Poor appetite  Occasional high temperature

 Two main categories of scour ◦ Non- infectious e.g. nutritional ◦ Infectious

 Irregular feeding times  Incorrect temperature and strength of milk substitute  Poor hygiene  Incorrect positioning of feed buckets/teats – oesophageal groove

 Calves rumen is undeveloped at birth  Develops fully at 3-8 weeks  Milk digested by 4 th compartment of stomach – abomasum  Oesophageal groove allows milk to pass from oesophagus to abomasum  Milk “leaking” into rumen can cause scour

Reticulum Rumen Oesophagus

 Organisms causing infectious scour ◦ Rotavirus ◦ Cryptosporidia ◦ Coccidia ◦ Coronavirus ◦ E.coli K99 ◦ Salmonella

 Mortality  Cost of veterinary treatment  Loss of condition  Additional labour

 Consult vet early in an outbreak  Isolate, dry bedding and heat lamp  Depending on severity - Stop or reduce milk for 12 - 24 hours (vet advice)  Electrolytes and fluids for dehydration and temporary nutrients - stomach tube

 Symptoms of dehydration ◦ Sunken eye, skin fold stays up, skin tight  Antibiotics to combat primary or secondary infection  Gradually re-introduce milk with electrolyte

 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!

 Vaccinate cows prior to calving – antibodies in colostrum  Diagnose causes of scours and put control plan in place (different causes = different treatments)  Prevents losses due to treatment costs, stunted growths and additional labour

 Hygiene in calving pens and of feeding utensils  Housing – drainage, ventilation, air space.

 COLOSTRUM

 Multifactorial disease  ◦ ◦ ◦ Caused by one or more organisms Viruses Bacteria Mycoplasms  Most common cause of death in 1-6 month calves

 Mixing cattle from different sources and/or ages  Stress often triggers respiratory diseases  Inadequate ventilation  BVD lowers resistance  Inadequate colostrum

Animal Health Ireland

 Being “off form” - Dullness  Reduced feed intake  Fever (over 39.5

 C)  Increased respiratory rate  Frequent chesty coughs (not always)  Discharge from nose and eyes

 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

 Mortality  Cost of veterinary treatment  Loss of condition  Production loss due to residual lung damage

Image: www.fwi.co.uk

 Consult vet early in an outbreak  Isolate, dry bedding and draught free  Antibiotics to combat primary or secondary infection

 Anti-inflammatory drugs lower temperature and reduce inflammation of lungs  Steroids may help in severe cases  Handle gently – stress can kill  Preventative treatment of group

 Vaccination – maximise immunity  Adequate colostrum intake  Ensure a dry bed (fall of 1:20)  Avoid mixing stock  Optimise stocking density  Adequate ventilation – no draughts  Medicate with antibiotics

 Painful infection of navel within first week of life  Hygiene of calving pens important  At calving spray with antibiotic aerosol or iodine

 Lameness, and later swelling of joints  From 2-4 weeks old  Infection via the navel  Bacteria gather in joints causing inflammation