Common Diseases of the calves and their prevention

VIVIAN
Background:
Dairy Industry has its foundation on a ready availability of stock of calves. The future of
any farm depends on a successful programme of raising healthy calves. It has however,
been observed that in our country, a significantly high number of calves die at an early
age due to various diseases, leading to a distributed economy of the dairy farm. The
calves are very susceptible to various infections up to the age of 3-4 months, resulting in
high mortality rates. If proper preventive and control measure are adopted during this
early period, mortality can be reduced substantially. The main infectious diseases of
calves are described in brief as under.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is one of the important diseases of neonatal calves, which affects the herd health
and economy adversely. The etiologycal agents of diarrhea are E.coli, Salmonella spp.,
rotavirus, cornavirus and cryptosporidium acting singly or in combination with other
agents. Among these agents, rotavirus responsible for 70% cases of neonatal calf diarrhea.
Specially in cross bred or exotic animals.

The disease attacks calves within few days of their birth up to 2 months of age and causes
heavy mortality due to loss of fluid and dehydration. There is necrosis and desquamation
of villous epithelium in the small intestine, leading to maldigestion, malabsorption and
dehydration in calves. Affected calves show fever, watery yellowish diarrhea and
weakness. Finally, the caves lie down and death ensues within 6-7 days of the illness.

The recovered calves show poor growth and are not able to attain maturity in time, thus
leading to economic loss to the farmers. Such calves can be treated with antibiotics and
intervenous fluid therapy with supporting therapy like vitamins, etc. For prevention of
diarrhea, calves must be given colostrum for upto-3-4 days of their birth which protects
them from diseases. Probiotic therapy ia aso useful.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is one of the important disease conditions of calves seen within a few weeks
of their life and is caused by several organisms like pasteurella spp., Actinomyces
pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, E.coli, bovine herps virus, respiratory syncytial virus
and/or Para influenza virus-3. In some cases, it was found to be associated with
chlamydia or mucoplasma infections. The pneumonia in calves is characterized by fever,
serus or purulent nasal discharge, dysponiea, enlargement of lymph nodes, coughing and
weakness.

If the affected calves are not treated properly, it may lead to death. At necropcy,
congestion and consolidation of lungs can be observed. The diagnosis can be done on the
basis of clinical signs and pathological lesions. Pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics
and antihistaminic drugs. For prevention, calves must be protected from exposure to wind
and cold. All hygienic conditions should be maintained at the farm.

Joint-ill

It is also called as naval ill or polyathritis and affects

the calves during their early life. The joint ill is caused
by streptococcus spp., pasturella spp., and/or
chlamydia and characterized by abscess formation at
the umblicus and in some joints of the body. The
infection enters the body through naval route. The joints are found swollen at birth or the
diseases may arise at any time up to 6 months of age. The calves become dull and do not
suck the milk.

On examination of umbilicus, blood stained serous fluid can be seen oozing out and/or
there is abscess formation at the umblicus. The main affected joints are generally stiffs,
hip, knee, hock, shoulder and elbow joints. The swollen joints are painful and
oedematous. Isolation of causative organisms from fluid from naval abscess or joints
provides confirmatory diagnosis, which can be treated with proper use of antibiotic
therapy. As a preventive measure all aseptic precautions should be taken while cutting
naval cord. It should be disinfected with the tincture of lodine, so that infection can not be
established.

Calf diphtheria
Diphtheria is a disease of calves affecting at the age of 6-8 weeks and caused by
Fusobacterium necrophorum bacteria. The affected calf ceases to suck milk because of
the formation of a greyish patchy pseudo membrane over the mucous membrane of mouth
and throat. If the calves are not treated at this stage, it may lead to pneumonia.

The removal of pseudo membrane leaves the reddened and inflamed mucosa, which is the
cause of irritation while eating food or sucking milk. Diphtheria can be treated with
antibiotic therapy. For prevention, strict hygiene conditions should be maintained on the
farm.

Meningo- encephalitis

Meningo-encephalitis is caused by chlamydia and is characterized by chlamydia,

Haemophilus spp;, or E-coli organisms and is characterized by fever, weakness, loss of
appetite, ataxia and death. The recovered calf has poor growth during its life and is unable
to walk and stand. Death occurs within 7 days if the affected calf is not treated properly.
The meninges and brain are severally congested in necropcy examination. Such calves
should be treated with antibiotics and nervine tonics. Hygiene conditions should be
maintained on the farm as a preventive measure.

Theileriosis

Theileriosis is caused by Theileria annulata, a protozoan parasite and transmitted by ticks

present on skin of animals. The parasites can be seen in the blood cells of the affected
calves after Giemsa staining. The affected calves show signs of fever, enlargement of
superficial lymph, nodes, dysponea, weakness and death. Clinically, the disease can be
diagnosed by plaptaning the subscapsular lymph nodes for their enlargement and
examination of blood smears for Theilerria parasite in the red blood cells.

It can be treated with tetracy cylines or bupaqrvaquine drugs under the advice of a
qualified veterinarian. As a of a preventive measure, half does of bupervaquine is given to
susceptible animals. Of Control of ticks is also advisable to prevent the disease in
animals.

Round worm infection

Round worm infection in young calves is economically very important as it may lead to
poor growth of the calves. In severe infection, the calf may even die. Ascaris spp. is the
main parasite involved especially in buffalo calves, where the parasite is transmitted from
dam in the uterus itself.

The parasites derive their nutrition from the intestine of the calves. And sometimes, they
may damage the liver of the affected calves. The calves become weak, anemic and show
oedema at the lower parts of body. It can be diagonosed by faecal examination and can be
treated with suitable antihelmintic drugs like albendazole. To prevent and control the
parasitic infection in animals, proper hygienic condition should be administered to
animals regularly at 6-months intervals.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is caused by acid fast bacteria Mycobacterium bovis in calves and is

characterized by coughing, low fever, weakness, loss of appetite and presence of
tuberculosis lesions in lungs on necropcy examination, the lung alveoli are found filled
with caseous cheesy material along with nodular protrusions in the lungs. The bronchial
and mediastinal lymph nodes may be hard and filled with caseated material. Acid fast
bacilli can be demonstrated in the impression smears of lungs and mediastianly lymph
nodes.

In calves, the tuberculosis is transmitted from cows through milk or contact. The calves
should be tested at 5-6 months of age with tuberculin testing, and animals tested positive
should be separated to check is further spread.

Prevention and control

The diseases of calves, especially in first few months of their age can be reduced or
checked by maintaining strict hygienic conditions at the farm. The calves should be kept
separately in pens so that they can not lick each other. The excreta of calves and the
surface of floor washed with detergents and/or disinfectants.

Soon after the birth of calves, they should be given colostrum up to 1/10th of their body
weight

For at least 3 days so that passive immunity can be implanted in the calves. If the calves
are kept under weaning system, the milk should be boiled and cooled before being fed to
calves. The affected calves should be isolated from looked after separately. Attendants
should first work in the healthy calf houses and then in the calf houses maintaining ill
calves.
The calves should also be saved from adverse environment conditions. At one month of
age, the calves should be dewormed to reduce the load of parasite in the gasdtrointestine
tract. To keep away files and other ectoparasite, a routine insecticidal spraying should be
carried out. If the calves are found ill, they should be treated immediately with
appropriate drugs. Calves should be vaccinated for foot and mouth disease, hemorrhagic
septicemia, black quarter and other diseases as per the schedule given in the table.

The vaccination for hemorrhagic septicemia (H.S.) and black quarter (B.Q.) should be
carried out annually in May and June. The foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine should
be given at every 6 months.

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