Neonate Calf Diarrhoea

Question 1

Which diagnostic tests do you request?

Answer 1

• Enteric disease 6-21 days (PC0070)
• Worm egg/coccidial oocyt count (TC0060)
• Salmonella microbiology (TC0025)
• 6 samples (3 affected and 3 not)

Question 2

You decide to blood sample several newborn calves and perform a Zinc Sulphate Turbidity test

What is this test for?

Answer 2

Ig - tests for passive transfer of antibodies

Question 3

You decide to blood sample several newborn calves and perform a Zinc Sulphate Turbidity test

What calf age range can you sample? Why?

Answer 3

24hrs–> 10days old (after passive transfer and before calf’s immunity develops)

Question 4

What is the use of a KRUUSE Colostrum Densimeter?

Answer 4

Evaluates Ig levels in colostrum

Does this by measuring specific gravity

BUT affected by protein and fat content

Want it to be green (red= Ig levels too low)

If poor levels of Ig in colostrum then will get poor passive transfer

Question 5

What will you select for clinically affected calves for

A) Fluids?

B) Antimicrobials?

C) ANti-inflammatory?

Answer 5

A)

• 4th generation- glucose, HCO3, Na, K, Glutamine (gluatlyte)
• BID for 1à3 days (up to 7 days)
• Can give oral fluids (as can lift heads)

B) NO

C) NSAIDs – meloxicam

Question 6

How do you interpret?

Answer 6

• No salmonella and no coronavirus
• 1 of the 4 calves has rotavirus
• All have crypto

WE HAVE A CRYPTO PROBLEM

Question 7

How can you prevent crypto?

Answer 7

• Isolate affected calves
• Treat affected calvesà fluids and NSAIDs
• Maintain clean environment (must put fresh straw on regularly)
  
  • Clean environment
  • Don’t keep buckets at height where they can poo in it/ have buckets on outisde of pen
• Colostrum management (currently get 2L in first 24hrs)
  
  • 3L in first 2hrs + 3L within next 22hrs (so 6L in 24hrs)
• Halofuginone lactate (halocure) can be used as a prophylactic and treatment fro crypto in calves
• Maybe keep in pairs rather than small groups if possible (welfare?)

Question 8

How can we control future crypto outbreaks?

Answer 8

• Isolate affected calves
• Treat affected calvesà fluids and NSAIDs
• Maintain clean environment (must put fresh straw on regularly)
  
  • Clean environment
  • Don’t keep buckets at height where they can poo in it/ have buckets on outisde of pen
• Colostrum management (currently get 2L in first 24hrs)
• 3L in first 2hrs + 3L within next 22hrs (so 6L in 24hrs)
• Halofuginone lactate (halocure) can be used as a prophylactic and treatment fro crypto in calves
• Maybe keep in pairs rather than small groups if possible (welfare?)
• Keep vaccinatingà will work if can improve passive transfer
• Check colostrum quality – to evaluate Ig levels e.g. KRUUSE Colostrum Densimeter