Preventing Sick Calves Flashcards
What are some other names for BRDC?
Shipping fever or pneumonia
Why are we still struggling with this disease if animals are being vaccinated before coming to the feedlot?
Environment and stress
Why are producers still buying crappy calves to try to turn a profit if they are all getting sick?
Feeding them is cheap and so are antibiotics
What are the bacteria and virus involved in BRDC?
Bacteria:
Pasturella Multiocida
Mannhemia Haemolytica
Histolpalus Somni
Mycoplasma Bovis
Virus:
BRSV
PI3
BVD
IBR
What is the most commonly isolated bacteria in BRD complex in the lungs?
Mannhemia Haemolytica
(Usually only one thing isolated)
What is the most commonly isolated bug in the URT?
Pasturella Multocida
(Nasal swabs not very great at catching it)
What is the most economically important disease in feeders?
BRDC
(Cost of prevention, treatment, death, Chronics, decrease ROG, decreased Feed conversion, decreased carcass value and labor costs)
What are some of the factors in this multifactorial diease (BRDC)?
Weaning, marketing, shipping, comingling, weather, nutrition and respiratory virus (Stress!)
What is the BRDC sequence of events?
Susceptible animal is exposed, incubation, primary BRD average 3 days then secondary averaged 3-5 days
Virus destroys cells that protect URT and lung, move down to the lung and have lots of food there to be happy
Why cant viruses be killed with antibiotics?
Not alive and in cells causing the cell to do the dirty work
What is the commonly lung pattern found on necropsy?
Cranioventral bronchopneumonia
(very consolidated lung)
Where is manhemia found?
tonsils of cows (most cows already have it so low pathoniginisty but great as secondary after initial insult or stress
What are the goals of stocker cattle?
<10-33% sick
1-4% death loss
1.5lb ADG
What goes into receiving cattle?
Purchansing, arrival feeding and enviroment, arrical processing program and disease recognition and treatment
What is the key to cattle purchasing?
Make sure the cattle you buy match the resources and ability of the farm
Stop purchasing when in a train wreck
What kind of environment does BRDC love?
Many calves in a crowded environment
What is most important when trying to prevent BRDC?
Calf purchasing choice, nutrition and stressor reduction
What is a category 1 calf?
Preconditioned - vaccinated and weaned >48 days before
What is a category 2 calf?
Calves bought straight from the farm (not comingled)
What is a category 3 calf?
Fresh market calves
What is a category 4 calf?
Stale calves
What does preconditioning mean?
Had all vaccines 2 weeks before stressors, home raised not comingled, have a defined vaccination program and other requirements (eat from trough)
How long should a calf be weaned before shipping it?
45 days
What vaccines should preconditioned calves get?
Respiratory: BVD, BRSV, PI3, IBR, Mannheim and Blackleg
If vaccine needs a booster when does it need to be administered to prevent BRDC?
Needs to be administered 2 weeks prior to exposure (not vaccinating while stressing)
What does double vaccinated mean?
Been vaccinated twice (one MLV and one killed)
What is conditioning?
Wean 45 days before shipped
Eating something that is not mommas milk and grass (Grain)
How do we rate preconditioned calves?
- Weaned calve, vaccinated and from 1 source or calves comingled prior to purchase
- Weaned calves, vaccinated from multiple sources
- Unweaned calves, vaccinated from single source
- Unweaned vaccinated calves from multiple sources
What kind of processing do category 1 preconditioned calves need?
No need for more vaccine or metaphylaxis
-Parasite control is needed (deworm, delice and coccidostat), implant
What kind of processing do category 2 preconditioned calves need?
Vaccinate in 24 hours, no metaphylaxis needed, parasite control deworm and delice coccidiostat
(5 way MLV, blackleg, parasite nad implant)
What kind of processing do category 3 preconditioned calves need?
Depends
- do you have more time or money?
Parasite -deworm, delice and coccidiostat
-Remove from market ASAP, fresh clean water and free choice excellent quality grass hay
Vac: 5 way MLV, Blackleg, parasite control, pasturella an dmannhemia, selenium, grain and consider metaphalaxis
What kind of processing do category 4 preconditioned calves need?
Metaphylaxis would be beneficial, deworm, delice and coccidiostat
What other considerations should be made when it comes to receiving cattle?
Water, palatable feed(clean out bunk)
Why may bull calves have more stressed than heifers during transition?
Castration
What percent of beef cow herds have at least 1 BVD PI animal in them?
4-10% (pretty high likelihood of buying one)
How do you test for BVD?
Ear notch, Elisa and IHC
Should you used a cheap pooled sample to detect BVD?
NO! - dont know who it is, where it came from and have to go test again (costly)
What does a positive BVD test mean?
BVD PI, TI or false positive (check again with serial serology to tell
What should you do if you are having a lot of sick calve?
Change cattle buying practice to match environment
What is metaphylaxis?
Treating all calves at high risk, mass medication and treat em all
(expensive and resistance occurs)
Always on high dollar cattle
expect >33% calves get sick
treat >15% in one day
>25-30% of claves treated in 3 consecutive days
What is a consequence of metaphylaxis?
Moves the sick period to when calf older in life so need to watch carefully longer (20 days)
