Bovine Diseases Flashcards
What is the alternative name for Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex?
Shipping fever.
What are the symptoms of shipping fever?
Depression, anorexia, fever, lowered ears/head, abnormal lung sounds, soft cough. Upper airway (pharynx, trachea, nose) and lower airway (cranioventral lung lobes) are affected.
What are the 4 major viral agents that cause BRDC?
- BRSV.
- IBR.
- PI-3.
- BVD.
*Serves as the primary infection that allows for the secondary bacterial infection to occur.
What are the 4 major bacterial agents that cause BRDC?
- Mycoplasma bovis.
- Histophilius somnus.
- Pasteurella multocida.
- Mannheimia hemolytica (releases leukotoxin).
What are the 8 contributing factors to the development of BRDC?
- Stress prior to shipping.
- Processing and handling (close quarters in a livestock trailer, ventilation on the trailer).
- Poor nutrition.
- Time w/o food or water (contributes to poor nutrition).
- Weather stressors.
- Concurrent diseases (ex: parasites).
- Transport.
- Co-mingling (auctions, stockers).
What are some stressors that occur prior to shipping?
- Weaning.
- Vaccination.
- Castration.
- Dehorning.
- Anti-parasitic treatment.
- Creep feeding.
In what ways is BRDC minimized at cow-calf operations?
- Ensuring adequate colostrum intake.
- Optimal energy/protein intake prior to calving.
- Having a calving-friendly environment.
- Substitute colostrum when needed.
- Vaccinating pregnant cows to increase the number of antibodies in the colostrum.
- Conditioning calves prior to shipping by doing weaning and health procedures more than 3 weeks prior to shipping.
- Farm biosecurity.
- Proper parasite control.
What are the three considerations that need to be taken when vaccinating against BRDC?
- Booster (follow recommended timing and frequency on the label.
- Timing (Vaccines don’t work instantly and the immune system needs time to respond. Also, maternal antibodies need time to clear the system).
- MLV v. Killed (Some MLV vaccines cannot be used in pregnant/nursing cows and some can, better immune response. Killed vaccines are safer, but cause a weaker immune response.
What are the symptoms of leptospirosis in cattle?
Abortions, weak calves, stillbirths, agalactia, liver failure, hemolytic crisis, kidney failure.
Where is leptospirosis found?
It is ubiquitous in wet environments, including the urinary tract .
What are the reservoirs for leptospirosis?
Wildlife, domestic animals, rodents, humans.
*Zoonotic.
What is the description of the Leptospira bacteria?
An aerobic spirochete with 180 serovars.
*We vaccinated against the 5 most common
How is leptospirosis transmitted?
Infected animals shed bacteria from their urinary tracts and animals drink the contaminated water. The bacteria penetrates the oral mucosa. Can be shed with aborted fetuses.
Are the vaccines cross protective for the serovars?
No, must vaccinate for multiple serovars.
What is the vaccine protocol for leptospirosis?
Initial vx, booster 4 wks. later, then annually or biannually. 1-2 months before breeding.
What is a bacterin?
A piece of bacteria that is placed in vaccines to stimulate an immune response. Short duration of immunity.
What are the characteristics of clostridial bacteria?
- Anaerobic.
- Spore forming.
- Gas producing.
- Produce toxins in their vegetative form.
- Ubiquitous in the environment, but especially prevalent in the intestinal tract of mammals and in the soil.
- All have a high mortality rate.
- Different species cause different clinical symptoms.
What is the alternative name for Clostridium chauvoie?
Blackleg.
What are the symptoms of blackleg?
- Lameness.
- Fever.
- Swelling over the affected muscle with crepitus.
- Acute death.
- Lesions may or may not appear.
What age group does blackleg commonly occur in?
Cattle that are < 2 years of age and higher yield (fast growing and well-muscled).