1. The Dry Cow Program. 2. The importance of colostrum 3. Proper nutrition 4. A comprehensive vaccination program

Transcription

1 Review your calf health practices against these four critical calf health principles Principle 1: Maximize resistance to disease» Principle 2: Reduce exposure to disease» Principle 3: Reduce stress among calves» Principle 4: Monitor calf health» PRINCIPLE 1: Maximize resistance to disease A robust immune system is a calf s best defense against disease. Its naïve immune system must be switched on by a transfer of immunity from its mother. Here are four ways to maximize your calves resistance to disease: 1. The dry cow program 2. The importance of colostrum 3. Proper nutrition 4. A comprehensive vaccination program 1. The Dry Cow Program Extra attention to the mother cow prior to calving helps ensure a healthy calf and a return to normal, productive health as soon as possible. There are two key parts to a dry cow program that is useful to both dam and calf. First, always provide the dam with adequate levels of calories, vitamins and minerals to help prevent problems at calving and to maintain her conditioning. Make sure dry cows consume a daily ration appropriate to their stage of gestation. Consult your veterinarian or herd nutritionist to develop a feeding program that optimizes the dams body weight and condition and prepares them for calving. Second, as with all cattle, make sure the dams annual vaccination routines include all diseases to which their calves are likely to be exposed (IBR, BVD, PI-3, etc.). Pregnant dairy cows and heifers may receive boosters for key vaccines at least six

2 to seven weeks prior to calving. Vaccinations boost immunity in cows and spike antibody levels in the colostrum, a process called colostrogenesis. Optimizing antibodies in the colostrum transfers increased immunity to the calves. 2. The Importance of Colostrum The essential first step to calf health Calves are born with almost no natural resistance to disease. Receiving enough high quality colostrum, immediately after birth, is essential to safeguard the health of newborn calves. That s because colostrum carries maternal antibodies, which enter and activate a calf s immune system, a process called transfer of passive immunity. The high quality colostrum required to provide transfer of immunity comes only from the first milking/nursing after freshening. Milk from the second milking and for the next two and a half days is called transitional milk and is NOT a substitute for true, first milking colostrum. Colostrum is a calf s most important meal Colostrum contains twice as much dry matter and solids, over twice as much mineral content and five times as much protein as whole milk. It also contains various hormones and growth factors necessary for growth and development of the digestive tract. Colostrum is lower in lactose, thereby decreasing the incidence of diarrhea. All of these advantages underline the importance of providing sufficient quantities of high quality colostrum to newborns. Develop a colostrum management program First, ensure (through the dry cow program) the dam is properly conditioned and has had annual or pre-natal vaccinations so her first milking produces high quality antibody-and-nutrient-rich colostrum. For dairy calves, disinfect the teats, milk the dam into a sanitized bucket, retaining the colostrum in sanitized, labeled containers (dam/calf numbers, date of collection). Sanitation is essential during the colostrum collection process. If the colostrum is contaminated, calves can be infected before transfer of immunity occurs.

3 Excess colostrum may be preserved up to one year in a freezer. Proper attention to sanitation is also important during the thawing process to prevent contamination. The thawing temperature is also crucial. Frozen colostrum should be allowed to thaw in warm water (approximately 120 ) to prevent destruction of vital components. For beef calves, know which dams may not produce high quality colostrum or do not show the maternal behavior that leads to effective nursing. Calves of these cows may need colostrum supplements or to be raised as orphans. Be aware that different cows can produce different qualities of colostrum and colostrum from heifers is generally lower quality than from mature cows. Quality colostrum should have a thick, creamy texture and color. Do not feed thin, watery colostrum or colostrum from mastitic cows or from cows testing positive for bovine leukosis, persistently infected bovine viral diarrhea or Johne s disease (mycobacterium paratuberculosis). In the event the first milking does not produce an adequate quantity or quality of colostrum, supplement with the colostrum of another healthy cow or a high quality colostrum replacer. The antibody concentration of colostrum can be measured using a colostrometer or Brix refractometer. The colostrometer can be relatively simple to use (read the instructions to ensure accurate readings). Place the colostrometer in the cylinder filled with colostrum at normal room temperature (approximately 75 F) and observe the color reading. The Brix refractometer is not temperature dependent and scores the quality of the colostrum on a numerical scale.

4 Best practice: Feed quality colostrum within one hour of birth Timing of the first feeding is critical. It should occur within one hour of birth, with the calf receiving 12 to 15% of its weight in first milking colostrum. For a 90-pound calf, this is about four quarts. An additional two to four quarts should be fed no later than 12 hours after calving. For dairy calves, hand feed the first two feedings, via bottle or esophageal tube, to ensure the proper amount of colostrum is received. For beef calves be sure all calves are standing and nursing strongly. For those that aren t, supplement nursing with hand feeding of sanitary, hand-milked colostrum or colostrum replacer. The timing of colostrum intake is critical to effective transfer of passive immunity. Within six hours of birth, the gut begins to close and the antibodies it will absorb are reduced as much as one-third. At 24 hours, it absorbs about 10% of what it would have absorbed at birth. After the first two feedings of colostrum, calves should receive transition milk from the dam or other cows in the herd (which have been found to be free of Johne s disease) for the next two and a half days. 3. Proper Nutrition Proper nutrition is essential to a healthy calf Until they are weaned, after the initial feedings of colostrum, colostrum supplements and transition milk, calves receive most of their nutrition from sanitary whole milk or its equivalent. Beef calves stay with their mothers if they are nursing normally; dairy calves can be fed non-saleable milk or quality milk replacement products containing proteins

5 derived from dried skim milk or whey products. They should be fed twice daily. Sanitation is critical when handling all milk fed to calves, as contaminated milk is a common route of infection. For best performance, calves should consume whole milk or milk replacer equal to 10% of their body weight. For example, a 100-pound calf should receive 10 pounds or five quarts of milk per day (one quart equals approximately two pounds), spread over two feedings. Underfeeding milk during this period can result in poor weight gain while overfeeding can cause scouring. Overfeeding milk also reduces intake of calf starter and water, and delays weaning. On the fourth day, while calves are still receiving a full ration of milk, water and a small quantity of calf starter should be freely available. Water and calf starter begins to develop the calf s complex digestive system in a way milk alone cannot. In fact, milk bypasses the rumen entirely and goes directly into the abomasum to be digested. Only water and calf starter enter the rumen and begin to develop the mature digestive system. Each morning, collect unconsumed calf starter and feed it to older calves replacing it with a fresh ration and clean water. Discard any moldy or wet feed. When calves are consuming one and a half to two pounds of starter per day you may wean them from milk. The weaning process can take place abruptly or gradually over a period of up to seven days.

6 4. A Comprehensive Vaccination Program Develop a comprehensive vaccination program A comprehensive vaccination program considers your region, type of operation, re-stocking practices and shipping requirements, as well as diseases in your area. Consult your veterinarian for a vaccination program tailored to your needs. Colostrum provides passive immunity by transferring antibodies from the dam to the calf. This transfer is critical since a calf s immune system has no exposure to the disease-producing organisms in its environment and it may take several weeks for the calf s immune system to begin producing its own antibodies. Until then, provided exposure to the pathogens is not too great and it is otherwise well managed, a calf can usually ward off disease using its mother s antibodies. For all dams, make sure the annual vaccination regimen is current and addresses all local disease organisms. For dairy cows, vaccinate or booster the dry cow at least six to seven weeks prior to calving. This ensures the level of antibodies in the colostrum is at maximum level. As weaning nears and passive immunity fades, a vaccination program provides specific immunity by introducing the immune system to killed or modified live copies of local pathogens, teaching it to produce antibodies against them.

7 Sample calf vaccination protocol Dairy calves may be candidates for Rota-Corona or E. coli vaccines. Pre-breeding, consider vaccination with Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis, Bovine Viral Diarrhea, Para-influenza virus (PI3) and Leptospirosis vaccines. Consult your veterinarian for a vaccination program suited to your herd and locality.

8 PRINCIPLE 2: Reduce Your Calves Exposure to Disease Prolonged exposure to disease agents and adverse conditions can overwhelm immunity. Disease can be spread in manure, urine, and respirations of infected animals, even common pests. Follow these approaches to reduce exposure: 1. Isolation 2. Sanitation 3. Biosecurity 1. Isolation Isolation begins even before calving Adult cows, including dams, and their waste products are the primary source of infection among newborn calves. Prior to calving, it is a best practice to move dairy cows to a clean, dry and draft free maternity area. Maternity pens should be separated from dry cow areas and cleaned after each calving. In beef operations, move cows to a well-drained maternity pasture that has adequate shelter from the wind. Newborn calves tolerate cold conditions if they are kept dry and sheltered from the wind. Cold, wet calves are stressed calves and more susceptible to disease. Whether beef or dairy, one of the biggest health threats to newborns is a buildup of manure. Take steps to prevent as much calf/manure contact as possible. After calving, allow the calf to stand on its own. If the mother does not lick the calf dry, use clean towels to dry it. This will promote circulation in the newborn. Once the calf is dry, it is a best practice among dairy herds to remove it from the mother. Continued presence of the mother increases the calf s risk of exposure to pathogens shed in her manure. Place the calf in a clean, dry and draft free area with plenty of bedding to keep it warm until it can maintain its own body temperature. Colostrum or quality colostrum replacer should be hand-fed at this time. Beef calves stay with their mothers to nurse. It is a best practice for the cow and its calf to remain separated from other adult cows. Should a calf in the cow/calf area show signs of disease, it should be further isolated in a sick calf area.

9 Dairy calves remain separated, often in calf hutches. Place hutches on clean, dry and level ground and provide clean bedding. In the winter, a southern exposure will warm the hutch; in the summer, provide shade as necessary. Thoroughly clean, disinfect and relocate hutches between occupants. 2. Sanitation Sanitation is cleaner than clean Beyond removing buildups of manure and urine in stalls and pens, decontaminate equipment and utensils that come in contact with newborn calves. This includes bottles, nipples, feeding tubes and buckets, instruments used for tagging, dehorning and tattooing and other items that have come in contact with a herd mate. Washing with soap and very hot water removes organic contaminants, such as dirt, saliva, milk residue or manure. Use a brush to clean bottles, nipples and tubes inside and out. Best practice: For best results, use water at temperatures between 140 to 160 F and a germicidal soap. Never use water at a temperature less than 120 F. Next, dip all items in a commercial disinfectant for the label-recommended time required to kill microbial contaminants. A bleach solution mixed at 10 parts water to one part bleach is a suitable disinfectant. Re-mix bleach solutions daily. Rinse utensils thoroughly with clean water and air dry. Repeat this procedure between uses. 3. Biosecurity Biosecurity begins with you Biosecurity means preventing contaminants originating outside the herd from reaching newborn calves. Disease may be carried in manure on boots, clothing or hands or on the tires of equipment moving in and out or about the farm. A written biosecurity plan is more thorough and likely to be enforced than an informal set of guidelines.

10 Step one in biosecurity is personal hygiene. Wash and disinfect your hands between each contact with a cow or calf. A commercial hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol is ideal for this purpose. Clean manure off your boots, disinfect them and change clothing, especially if you have been treating a sick animal. This rule applies to visitors, as well. It is a best practice to work with sick calves last. Confine vehicles and equipment entering the farm to designated areas, especially the deadstock truck and operator. Visitors should wear clean plastic boots or sanitize their footwear in a disinfectant bath. Livestock transporters should be disinfected between uses and before entering your farm. Finally, flies, rodents and birds can spread contagion. Examine all practical methods to isolate them from maternity pens and newborn calf areas. Consult your veterinarian for help with writing an effective biosecurity plan. PRINCIPLE 3: Eliminate Stress to Improve Resistance to Disease Stress depresses a calf s immune system, making it less effective in preventing disease. Stress in calves occurs in three major ways. First, changes in surroundings create stress. While it is essential to isolate calves from their mothers, move them to a hutch or cow/calf area to nurse, minimize the number of moves. Second, changes in diet or feeding times can be stressful. Switching from hand feeding to nursing or from colostrum/transition milk to whole milk and calf starter are necessary, but avoid a diet change on top of a feeding routine change or a change in location. Third, the greatest source of stress among newborn calves is weather. Above all, calves need to be kept clean, dry and out of drafts. Once a calf is dry, it can tolerate colder temperatures provided it is kept out of the wind. Provide clean bedding material to insulate the calf from the ground or cold cement and windbreaks to reduce drafts. But cold temperatures signal a need for diet supplementation. While calves are tolerant of temperatures from 50 to 75 F, below 50 they begin to transfer energy

11 from weight gain to generating heat. Calves experience a 1% energy loss for each degree the temperature drops below 50 (25 = 25% increased calorie need). So follow the sweatshirt rule. If you need to wear a sweatshirt as you work, look to providing additional calories to your calves through supplemental feeding. PRINCIPLE 4: Monitor Calf Health Daily Despite your best efforts, calves may become ill. Quick recognition and response help them recover and return to full performance. It is important to not only recognize the symptoms but also to understand the underlying disease and its cause. Then you can correct the exposure conditions that led to the infection. Early identification of sick calves Successful treatment of sick calves depends on quick recognition of illness. Here are signals a calf needs help: Early morning rectal temperature in excess of 103 F. Normal = F. Slow, reduced or no intake of milk/milk replacer Watery or bloody feces Symptoms of dehydration Normal eyes bright, not sunken; moist mouth Mild dehydration eyes mildly sunken in; sticky, paler mouth Moderate to severe dehydration sunken eyes; inability to stand; dry, pale mouth; cold extremities; not suckling Cough, nasal discharge or labored breathing Head tilt Swelling in the umbilicus or joints Weakness, inability to rise Lameness Develop a wellness checklist and make daily observations. Observation of any of these symptoms is an alert to separate the sick animal from its dam and other cows and calves and to make more detailed observations. Illness results when the level of exposure overwhelms the immune system. So it is just as important to eliminate the source of the infection as it is to treat the symptoms.

12 Illness within five days of birth usually has the dam or calving environment as its source. After seven days, problems develop from sources in the calf s environment. Once the source is identified it can generally eliminated or reduced by: Better ventilation Bedding changes Increased exposure to sunlight Freezing temperatures Disinfectants Time and space between occupants Reduced stress factors Be sure to keep accurate records The basic information that needs to be kept for any calf is: Birth date (or date of entry into farm and source of replacement calf) Tag/tattoo number Tag numbers of sire (if possible) and dam Types and dates of vaccinations given Dates and details of the onset of any illness Treatments administered, types, dates and, importantly, by whom The article above was developed using information found in the following resources: Calf Health Management, Sandra Godden, DVM, DVSc, University of Minnesota Calf Diseases and Prevention, Sheila McGuirk, DVM, PhD and Pamela Ruegg, DVM, MPVM, University of Wisconsin-Madison Feeding and Managing Baby Calves from Birth to 3 Months of Age, Donna M. Amaral- Phillips, Patty B. Scharko, John T. Johns, Sharon Franklin, University of Kentucky Prevention of Baby Calf Diseases, extracted from the Beef Cattle Handbook (BCH 3052), Marie S. Bulgin, DVM; V. Michael Lane, DVM and Bruce Anderson, DVM, extension veterinarians from the Caine Veterinary Research and Teaching Center, University of Idaho Beef Cattle Herd Health Vaccination Schedule, article, Livestock Health Series (FSA 3009), Jeremy Powell DVM and associate professor, Steven Jones, associate professor livestock; Shane Gadberry, assistant professor nutrition; Tom Troxel, professor beef cattle, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture

13 Newborn Calf Health Best Practices Best Practices to Improve and Maintain Calf Health These best practices were contributed by large animal veterinarians and other cattle industry experts to help beef and dairy cattle operators improve their calf health protocols and practices. Since good calf health is the foundation of a successful herd it is worth a few minutes to review these suggestions and see which ones might make a difference when applied to your own herd. Best Practices General Wellness An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Ask your veterinarian to visit once a year to review your calf health practices and help you write or update your calf health plan. Have a written biosecurity plan consult your veterinarian Create a dry cow program to prepare cows for birthing and to keep them in top condition afterwards Have your large animal veterinarian develop a vaccination protocol that is appropriate for your herd and location Check newborn calves daily Have a wellness checklist Keep accurate records of illnesses and the treatments you employ Prolonged, intense exposure to disease agents can overwhelm an immune system To prevent infection (and to avoid reinfection among calves recovering from illness) know these 7 ways to mitigate the effects of disease-causing factors Increase the amount of sunlight reaching bedding areas and their occupants Change bedding when soiled Allow enough time to pass between occupants of calving and bedding areas Use disinfectants, according to label directions, to sanitize all calf management utensils and equipment between uses Reduce stress factors (weather, handling, changes in diet and location) Keep calves dry and out of the wind during periods of extreme temperature Better ventilation

14 Know the clinical signs of scours: Slower or no intake of milk. Production of thin, watery feces. Signs of dehydration. Calf extremities cold to the touch. Difficulty getting up. Unable to rise. Loss of consciousness. Sanitation is the first defense against infection. Thoroughly clean anything that has touched a calf before it touches the next one. For best results, use water at temperatures between 140 to 160 F and a germicidal soap. Never use water at a temperature less than 120 F. Best Practices Newborns Contaminated colostrum and milk is probably the most frequent source of infection. Practice extreme sanitation when collecting and feeding colostrum and milk. Develop a colostrum-management program that ensures you have an adequate supply of very high quality colostrum. Feed quality colostrum within one hour of birth. A calf s stomach lining begins to close shortly after it is born, limiting its ability to absorb the large antibody proteins. 24 hours after birth, a calf can only absorb 10% of the antibodies it could have absorbed within one hour of birth. At the time of a calf s first feeding, attach ear tags and dip the umbilicus into a 7% iodine solution (do not spray). Once the calf is dry, it is a best practice among dairy herds to remove it from the mother. Since manure, urine and the respirations of infected cows are the primary vectors for disease it is a best practice for the cow and its calf to remain separated from other adult cows. Calves should be kept dry and protected from cold, windy conditions. Stress weakens a calf s immune system. Changes in location, diet, weather, even handling the calf in its earliest hours, creates potentially harmful stress. Try to avoid piling one stress factor (moving, diet, handling, etc) on top of another. Best Practices Calf Nutrition After four days, make water and calf starter ration freely available. Wean calves based upon their consumption of starter ration, not age. Follow the sweatshirt rule to help calves thrive in cold conditions.

15