Lecture 5: Dairy 1- Can Diseases and Health Management

Question 1

1. What is perinatal mortality? 2. What are potential causes? 3. Who are more susceptible?

Answer 1

1. A calf carried to term (260d min) is born dead or dying within 24-48h of birth.
2. Related to dystocia (abnormal calving), anoxia (Inability to get O2), congenital issues (born with)
3. More common in first time calvers (bc pelvis is smaller)

Question 2

1. What is dystocia? 2. What factors cause it?

Answer 2

1. Difficult or abnormal calving (70min average anything longer = dystocia.)
2. -Feto-pelvic disproportion (most common when fetus is larger then the pelvic canal of the dam)
   -Breed (Holstein is higher risk bc genetics)
   -Calf presentation (how calf is coming out superman=normal head 2 hooves)
   -Insufficient dilation if cervix
   -Uterine torsion (uterus twists which causes calf to get suck and can pull)

Question 3

TRUE OR FALSE: There are only short term impacts of dystocia.

Answer 3

FALSE.
There are many different impacts of dystocia, internal, impaired breathing and thermoregulation, can’t get enough O2 ie hypoxia.

There are short term AND long term affects for dystocia.
Short term- Mortality, failed transfer of passive immunity
Long term- Reduced milk production

Question 4

How can we prevent dystocia for the cow?

Answer 4

-Breeding/genetics- selecting a bull with good calving ease
-Nutrition- fat can go to pelvic area if obese and block opening
-Observation- watch close to calving check every 30 mins
-Appropriate intervention- use of chains and not pulling too hard

Question 5

How can we prevent dystocia for the calf?

Answer 5

-Respiratory and thermal support
-Non-sterodial anti-inflammatory
-Manual feeding of colostrum

Question 6

What is colostrum and why is it so important?

Answer 6

-First milk after calving
-Produced by the dam during 5 weeks before calving
-“liquid gold” for calves
-High in protective antibodies (IgG)
-Large # of calories and other nutrients

Question 7

1. What is passive immunity? 2. Why do calves need it?

Answer 7

1. Absorption of maternal immunogolbin from colostrum after birth in small intestine of calf
2. The placenta if cow separates serial blood supply, calf relies absorption of material Ig from colostrum

Question 8

What are 4 components of Colostrum Management?

Answer 8

-Cleanliness
-Quickness
-Quantity
-Quality

Question 9

What are important concepts in the quality component of colostrum management?

Answer 9

-Variable quality (IgG content) each cow is different
-Affected by vaccination (5w before calving), breed (Holstein worst), age (older more younger less bc exposed to less), nutrition of dam(sufficient energy), heat stress(cool them so they don’t waste energy), leaking(decrease quality), cleanliness of harvest.
-Colostrum can be tested for quality (specific gravity of colostrum), high quality colostrum= IgG >50g/L

Question 10

What are important concepts in the quantity component of colostrum management?

Answer 10

-Deliver and absorb immunoglobulin (Ig) to protect against disease
-Target = 10g/L IgG in bood serum (at 7d) total protein=>5.2g/dL
-Need to deliver > or = 100g IgG (150-200g IgG is better)
-Based on typical Holstein colostrum [IgG] the calf must ingest~10-12% of their body weight in colostrum during the first feeding (4L for Holstein and 3L for Jerseys)

Question 11

What are important concepts in the quickness component of colostrum management?

Answer 11

-IgG in rumen only functional for the first 24h of life, therefore absorption declines over 24h and highest immediately after calving
-Colostrum delivered to the calf later after birth reduced intestinal Ig absorption capacity
-IgG is reabsorbed back into the mother if not used

Question 12

What are important concepts in the cleaness component of colostrum management?

Answer 12

-Bad Bacteria in colostrum interfere with passive absorption of colostrum
-If bacteria is bad will cause it to bind molecules that are too big to be absorbed

Question 13

What are alternatives to fresh colostrum?

Answer 13

-Refrigerated colostrum- up to 48h after will grow bacteria
-Frozen colostrum- up to 1yr- as long as constantly frozen
-Colostrum replacer- Absorption of IgG is less with replacers. 2 packages (200 g IgG). Therefore feed higher levels to make sure animal is getting enough

Question 14

What are colostrum feeding strategies?

Answer 14

1. Esophageal tube feeder
2. Nipple bottle
3. Suckle from the dam

1 and 2 no difference between them (whatever works faster on farm)
3 no idea how much Is getting into calf and increase in bacterial diseases.

Question 15

What are places that contamination can occur? Which one is the most common?

Answer 15

-Udder: make sure to clean before milking
-Collection bucket: If left out increase in bacteria and can touch other cows etc
-Storage: Make sure feeding right away or storing correctly
-Feeding equipment: Cleaning nipples, bottles and tube feeders correctly

Question 16

TRUE OR FALSE: The proper way to clean equipment is to use HOT water first and then clean with soap and scrub.

Answer 16

FALSE: Using hot water to start can cause the proteins in the milk residue to coagulated and stick in the doors of the plastic and cause bacteria.
1. Take hoses, lids, nipples etc apart
2. Rise with WARM (105-110F) water
3. Soak in HOT(>140-180) with detergent or soap
4. Scrub all surfaces using bottle brushes
5. Rinse with hot water acid is optional
6.Drain and air dry

Question 17

What is a complete epidemiological triad for calf diarrhea?

Answer 17

Host
-Colostrum

Agent
-E. coli, coronavirus, salmonella, cryptosporidium

Environment
-Cleanliness (dry, ventilated, isolated)

Question 18

What are important diseases of dairy cattle from birth- weaning?

Answer 18

1. Neonatal caf diarrhea
2. Pneumonia
3. Septicemia
4. Omphalophlebitis (navel ill)
   5.Umbilical Hernia

Question 19

What are the timings of certain calf diseases?

Answer 19

-Septicemia= 24h–> 7d
-Undifferentiated calf diarrhea= birth (14d)–>2m
-Coccidiosis= 1m—>6m
-Enzootic pneumonia= 1m–>6m

Question 20

What is Septicemia?

Answer 20

-Bacteria (step, staph, E. coli) invade orally to navel, multiplies in blood stream can lead to: meningitis, septic arthritis(painful joints)
-Generally due to failure of transfer of passive immunity
-Clinical signs:
- < 7 days of age
-Severe depression
-Fever or hypothermic
- +/- diarrhea
-Treatment: antibiotics +/- IV fluids
-Poor prognosis: many will die

Question 21

TRUE OR FLASE: The most common causes of unweaned dairy heifer calf deaths is scours, diarrhea and other digestive problems?

Answer 21

TRUE: About 56.5% are causes by Scours, diarrhea and other digestive problems. reparatory being the second.

Question 22

What are causes of calf diarrhea? And what is the timeline for identification?

Answer 22

ETEC: Birth-1w
Rotavirus: 1-2w
C.perfingens B,C: 1-2w
Coronavirus:1-5w
Salmonella:1-6w
Eimeria (Coccidia): 3.5w/month-contiuned

Question 23

What are 1. clinical signs of Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)? and 2. Pathogenesis?

Answer 23

1. Clinical signs
   -Sudden onset
   - < 7 days of age
   -Watery diarrhea leading to
   -Severe depression
   -Severe dehydration (kills calf)
2. Pathogesis
   -Hyper-secretory diarrhea
   -adheres to enterocytes and releases entertains
   -Enterotxins induce intestinal epithelia cell to secrete water and salt into the GI lumen (watery poop)

Question 24

What are 1. clinical signs of Rotavirus and Coronavirus? and 2. Pathogenesis?

Answer 24

1. Clinical signs
   -Rotavirus: 5-15d of age, mild to severe diarrhea
   -Coronavirus: 1-21d of age, moderate to severe diarrhea, blood in stool

2.Pathogenesis
-Malabsorptive/maldigestied diarrhea (physical loss of villus cells and lack of digestion)
-Tips of villi are destroyed by virus so milk is not digested and pull out fluid by osmosis may see blood

Question 25

What are 1. clinical signs of Cryptosporidia? and 2. Pathogenesis?
Note* a type of parasite

Answer 25

1. Clinical sings
   -5-35d of age very extended
   -Moderate to severe diarrhea
   -wasting
2. Pathogenesis
   -Malabsorptive/maldigestive diarrhea (villus atrophy) no/poor absorption of fluid
   -No effective treatment
   -Not host specific-zoonotic (humans can get it)

Question 26

What are 1. clinical signs of Salmonellosis? and 2. Pathogenesis?

Answer 26

-Various strains (typhimurium most common <2 m of age)
-5d to mature rumen function (can affect adults)
1. Clinical signs
-High fever
-Severe depression
-Severe diarrhea
-Blood/fibrin in stool (yellow strains indicate inflammation)
2. Pathogenesis
-Invasive/damaging to intestinal epithelium

Question 27

What is the primary therapy for calf diarrhea?

Answer 27

1. Fluid Replacement Therapy
   -Correct fluid loss-calf is 50% water
   Depending on severity of dehydration:
   -Mild-moderate-oral fluid therapy with commercial electrolyte solutions (nursing bottle or esophageal tube feeder)
   -Severe-Intravenous (IV) fluid therapy; prognosis is good

Question 28

What are the other 2 types of therapy for calf diarrhea?

Answer 28

2. Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatories (Meloxicam)
   -Reduces recovery time when provided in connection with fluid therapy
   -Aimed at reducing discomfort and inflammation in gut
3. Antimicrobial treatment
   -Indicated if bacteria is present (1/3 moderate server cases)
   -Difficult to ascertain clinically
   -Resistent bacteria
   -No effect if viral or cryptosporidia
   -May inhibit competitive “good” bacteria

Question 29

How to prevent calf diarrhea through the host?

Answer 29

COLOSTRUM
-Maximize immunity of calf via colostrum
-imporve specific immunity of colostrum by vaccinating pregnant cows with E. coli fax
-Improve nutrition
-Whole milk or good milk quality milk replacer
-Pasteurization (heats milk to rid of bacteria)

Question 30

How do you prevent calf diarrhea through the environment?

Answer 30

-Minimize pathogen load/exposure in:
1. Claving area
2. Equipment
3. Calf Housing
-Isolation facilities for sick calves
-All in-all out group pens after weaning

Question 31

TRUE OR FALSE: Diarrhea has no later impact on the performance of the calf

Answer 31

FLASE:
1. Increased risk of being sold prior to weaning (Dying)
2. Increased age of first calving (want earlier age)
3. Lower first lactation corrected milk (325 lower)

Question 32

What is Enzotic Pneumonia?

Answer 32

-Upper respiratory to bronchopneumonia
-Many agents can cause- viruses or bacteria
-Mild to high fever
-Coughing, nasal dischage
-poorer growth in some

Question 33

What is Omphalophlebitis (Navel ill)?

Answer 33

-Umbilicus contains: 2 arteries to the liver, 1 vein to liver, Urachus to bladder
-If poor passive immunity + poor calving area hygiene can cause
-Ascending infection
-Local in “cord”
-Abscesses in abdomen up to liver
-Patient urachus
-Infection can disseminate to other areas ex joints
-Treatment: Local irrigation, antibiotics, surgery
-Prevention: clean dry calving area, disinfection of navel with 7% iodine (prof doesn’t think it works most important calf area and colostrum)
-Reduction in growth

Question 34

What is an umbilical hernia?

Answer 34

-Defect in ventral abdominal wall around umbilicus
-Inherited? Not proven, if you have an infection there more likely to get
-Treatment if no infection; Tape if small (>3fingers) and pre-ruminant
-Large or late; surgery

Question 35

Why is dehorning done?

Answer 35

-To prevent injury to; self, other cattle, humans
-Majority of dairy calves born with horn buds
-Earliest as possible to minimize error and trauma/stress (1-3w of age) is wait 2 m then area of dehorning is increased a lot which creates more problems

Question 36

What can you give a calf to use best practice for dehorning?

Answer 36

-Disbud with a small burner, while giving local anaesthetic and meloxicam (an NSAID) +/- sedation