Calf Problems: Stillbirth and Neonatal Care

Question 1

Define stillbirth.

Answer 1

Gestation >270 days i.e. viable.
- Includes deaths to 24 hours after birth. - - Calves may be stillborn or born weak and die shortly afterwards.
- Includes the ‘weak calf syndrome’.
– Calf is born alive but either fails to breathe or breathes for less than 10 minutes.
- The ‘lazy calving syndrome’/‘uterine inertia syndrome’ in which labour does not progress in spite of an open cervix and no evidence of clinical hypocalcaemia is also included in this heading.

Question 2

1. Stillbirth incidence.
2. Causes of stillbirth.

Answer 2

1. Up to 50% of calf deaths in first week.
2. • Dystocia / anoxia.
     - Infection pre-partum.
     - Hypocalcaemia.
     - Twinning.
     - Iodine deficiency.
     - Vitamin E/selenium?

Question 3

Main areas for investigation of stillbirths.

Answer 3

• Hx and available data.
• PM exam – corneal opacity.
• Clinical pathology.

Question 4

Prevention of stillbirths.

Answer 4

• Multifactorial.
• Bull selection.
• Cow nutrition.
• Supervision of labour.
• Exercise dams.
• Induction or delay of parturition.
• CCTV.

Question 5

Critical are of the new born calf.

Answer 5

• Normal delivery results in temporary acidosis.
• Abnormal delivery results in severe acidosis and a number of other clinical signs.
• Assessment of calf often vital to its survival.
• Resuscitation is by combo of physical efforts, mechanical aids and drugs.

Question 6

1. What is acute neonatal respiratory distress syndrome?
2. Differential diagnoses?

Answer 6

1. Decreased surfactant, severe respiratory distress.
2. • Broken ribs or other trauma.
     - Inhalation of meconium.
     - Congenital defects.

Question 7

Treatment of acute neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Answer 7

• O2 via nasal tube.
• Corticosteroids.
• Doxapram.
• ABX.
• Careful nursing incl. administration of colostrum.

Question 8

1. What is VSD?
2. Most common form of VSD?
3. Clinical signs of VSD?

Answer 8

1. Ventricular septal defect.
2. Left to right shunting.
3. Stunting (impaired growth).
   Reduced exercise tolerance.
   Listlessness.
   Systolic murmur on both sides of chest.
   Acute heart failure and pulmonary oedema.
   Can present normally.

Question 9

1. What is seen if a calf has multiple cardiac defects?
2. What do congenital cardiac defects exacerbate signs of?
3. What is defective as a result of CCDs?

Answer 9

1. Cyanosis, weakness.
2. Respiratory disease.
3. Pulmonary circulation.

Question 10

Other cardiac defects?

Answer 10

• Right ventricular hypertrophy.
• Pulmonary stenosis.
• Dextroaorta.

Question 11

1. What is colostrum a source of?
2. Importance of successful immune transfer in the calf.

Answer 11

1. Energy, vitamins, minerals, antibodies.
2. • Absorption by pinocytosis for first 24-36hrs.
     - Linear decline in absorption, must first suckle by 6hrs old.
     - Approx. 50% UK calves fail to absorb adequate amounts.
     - Mortality rate in most neonatal infectious diseases directly linked to hypogammaglobulinaemia.
     - Colostral antibodies will NOT replace enteropathogens already attached to intestinal mucosal cells.
     - Some limited protection against enzootic pneumonia.

Question 12

Factors affecting transfer of colostral antibodies.

Answer 12

• Poor maternal nutrition.
• Parity.
• Pre-partum leakage/milking.
• Premature calving.
• Movement of dam in late pregnancy.
• Interval from calving to removal of calf.
• Maternal and calf behaviour.
• Inadequate mothering.
• Failure of calf to suck.

Question 13

1. From what point of gestation is there an in utero immune response?
2. Over how long does immunoglobulin transfer to colostrum from plasma?

Answer 13

1. 120 days.
2. 2 months.

Question 14

1. IgG1 mg/100ml in serum.
2. IgG1 mg/100ml in colostral whey.
3. IgG1 mg/100ml in milk whey.

Answer 14

1. 1400.
2. 4-9000.
3. 40.

Question 15

1. IgG2 mg/100ml in serum.
2. IgG2 mg/100ml in colostral whey.
3. IgG2 mg/100ml in milk whey.
4. IgA mg/100ml in serum.
5. IgA mg/100ml in colostral whey.
6. IgA mg/100ml in milk whey

Answer 15

2. 250.
6. 11.

Question 16

1. IgM mg/100ml in serum.
2. IgM mg/100ml in colostral whey.
3. IgM mg/100ml in milk whey.

Answer 16

2. 540.
3. 9.

Question 17

Non-specific immune factors in colostrum.

Answer 17

Humoral
- Complement.
- Lysozyme.
- Lactoferrin.
- Interferon.
- Acute phase protein.
- Lactoperoxidase.
Cellular
- Neutrophils – protects udder.
- Macrophages. – protects udder.

Question 18

Dam factors affecting immunoglobulin concentration.

Answer 18

• Yield – increased yield –> lower quality.
• Parity heifers – reduced quality and quantity.
• Breed – Jersey better than Friesian.
• Genotype.
• Age – IgG1 transfer starts earlier in heifers and older cows have higher IgG2 levels.
• Quarter – increased in hind quarters.
• Abortion – reduced quality.

Question 19

Management factors affecting immunoglobulin concentration.

Answer 19

• Time after parturition ~>9hrs.
• Length of dry period.
• Prepartum milking.
• Vaccination e.g. “Rotavec Corona, MSD”.
• Induction.
• Feeding – affects yield, not Ig concentration.
• BCS – poor condition = poor quality and quantity.

Question 20

Absorption timings and orders of immunoglobulins.

Answer 20

Absorbed w/ lag of 2hrs via lymphatics.
IgG (90%) before IgM (59%) before IgA (48%).
Peak absorption 24-48hrs, then declines w/ half-life:
- IgG = 20-12d.
- IgM = 4d.
- IgA = 2.5d.

Question 21

1. When does gut closure start in the calf.
2. Is colostrum curative?
3. Within what time frame is colostrum excreted from the gut?

Answer 21

1. Moment of birth.
2. No it is prophylactic.
3. <5 days.

Question 22

1. ZST test.
2. Plasma proteins.

Answer 22

1. Zinc sulphate turbidity test.
   <10 units = septicaemia.
   10-20 units = diarrhoea.
   >30 units = health.
2. Should be >5.6g/dl (refractometry).

Question 23

1. How much colostrum does a calf need in the first 6hrs of life?
2. What factors can aid a calf’s ability to suckle and gain colostrum?
3. Concentration of Ig in 1L natural colostrum.
4. Concentration of Ig in substitutes.

Answer 23

1. 10% of their bodyweight.
2. • Stomach tubing.
     - Presence of dam.
     - Quiet and clean environment.
     - Good bedding.
     - Good lighting.
     - Acceptance from the dam.
     - Good udder shape.
3. 60-70g/L.
4. <30g. (supplement not alternative).

Question 24

Sources of colostrum.

Answer 24

• Dam.
• Other freshly calved cows.
• Stored colostrum.
• Frozen colostrum.
• Freeze dried substitutes.

Question 25

Bovine Neonatal Pancytopenia.

Answer 25

• Thromocytopenia dominates clinical presentation – “bleeding calf syndrome”.
• Alloimmune syndrome caused by vaccine-induced alloreactive antibodies.
  – BVD vaccine.
  –> was withdrawn.

Question 26

Management of calves >1 day old.

Answer 26

• Small groups until weaning.
• No age mixing.
• Clean and dry beds w/ minimal draughts.
• Avoid high stocking rate.
• Keep adequate number of feeding buckets clean.
• Feed colostrum for up to 1 week or longer.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions for mild replacers.
• Provide pellets and barley straw (or hay).
• Treat clinical problems promptly.
• Avoid synchronisation of stressful procedures.
• Apply biosecurity / biocontainment principles.