Jerry Bertoldo, DVM

Extension Dairy Specialist

NWNY Team CCE/ Pro-Dairy

Keeping Calves Healthy

Dairy Skills Training

Calf ManagementPractices

Health Triad

Causes of Mortality

scours respiratory

Wet calves 56.5% 22.5%

Weaned calves 12.6% 46.5%

NAHMS 2007

Does Infection = Disease?

NO!

Does Vaccination = Immunity?

NO!

Primary and Secondary Immune ResponseT

iter

R

esp

onse

Time in days from 1st antigen exposure0 14 21 28

Memory Cells

(Anamnestic or Booster Response)

35

2nd exposure

Vaccination

Immunization

Protection

The Act of Administering a Vaccine

Occurs following vaccination when a response can be measured.

Occurs when a properly immunized animal is protected

against a specific disease following vaccination.

Vaccine use

Maternal antibody interference is largely dissipated by 2 months of age

Vaccination programs should be based on history and risk of disease introduction

Calf raisers adopt early administration by necessity

MLV Vaccines

AdvantagesRapid protection

One dose?

No adjuvant

Better CMI and mucosal

“Cleaner” product

Less expensive

DisadvantagesMay cause abortion

No sunlight exposure

Mix and use rapidly

Inactivation with residues

Possible viral contamination

Killed Viral Vaccines

AdvantagesSafe on all

pregnancies

Stability

Ready to use

Use as needed

DisadvantagesMore

hypersensitivity

Multiple doses needed for protection

Little or no CMI or mucosal protection

More expensive

Vaccination precautions

The 1st time use of E.coli, Salmonella, Pasturella, Hemophilus and Moraxella vaccines can be associated with delayed allergic reactions particularly in Holstein and Jersey cattle

Limit vaccinating to two bacterial components per time

Separate from next one by 7 daysDo not use 5 way Lepto on calves

GOOD IMMUNITY CAN BE

OVERCOME BY

POOR MANAGEMENT!!

Vaccination failures – 5 to 15%

Maternal antibody interference

Age – under 5 days old

Stress (cortisol) – too hot, dehorning

Poor nutrition

Improper vaccine handling

Following directions – IM, SQ, how deep???

Vaccination alternatives

Intranasal – Nasalgen, OnsetLittle maternal antibody interferenceQuick responseSafe at very young agePossible wider spectrum of effect

Oral – Calf Guard, First DefenseTiming just like colostrum

Behavioral patterns for wet

calves vary by ageLying down (73-81%) with age

(55% lying in daylight vs. near 100% at night) Standing (4.4-11.4%) with ageEating (1.4-5.5%) levels off after 2nd wkGrooming (2.5–4.5%) with ageInvestigating (0.2-2.9%) with ageContacting pen (2.7-9.0%) peaks in 3rd wk

JDS 87, No 11, 2004

Bedding Choices

Wood shavingsStrawSawdustPea gravelSandCrusher finesPaper by-productsHarvest by-products

Wood shavings

(+)Absorbent

Comfortable

Insulating

Low initial pH

Limited fly support

Clean hair coats

(-)Variability

Availability

Cost

Supports coliform growth

Sawdust

(+)Absorbent +/-

Comfortable

Insulating

Low initial pH

Limited fly support

Cheaper than shavings

(-)Variability

Lung irritation

Supports coliform growth

Less nesting ability

Dirtier calves

Straw (wheat is best)

(+)Fairly absorbent

Comfortable

Best nesting

Best insulating

Low initial pH

Clean calves

(-)Worst for flies

High streptococcal growth

Availability

Cost

Sand &Pea gravel

(+)Comfortable

Cheap?

Does not support bacterial growth

Good drainage

Best for fly control

Great base material

(-)Dirty calves

Not for cool to cold weather

Weight dictates mechanical handling

Variability of quality

Paper by-products

(+)Comfortable +/-Cheap?AbsorbentCan use with straw

and shavings

(-)Dirty calvesCompresses readilyWet surfaceVariability of qualityDusty at times

Baby calves and parasites

Nematodes, lice, mange and ringworm can be transmitted from adults or their environment, but are less problematic than flies

Exposure to sunlight, nutritional status, whether housed in groups or alone and contact with older cattle determines infection

Flies are dependent on environment alone

Flies

House (Musca domestica) and Stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) are the major problems around buildings

Horn, face, horse, grub and deer flies are most prevalent in pastured cattle

House fly

Stable fly

Horn fly

Face fly

Cattle grub fly

Horse fly

Deer fly

Diagnostic Work

Quantitative bacterial counts on colostrum, waste milk, pasteurized milk and rinse water from cleaned feeding equipment

Culture potential contaminated areas such as calf “hot box”, transport vehicle, area under feed and water

Diagnostic Work

Check for water hardness and coliforms

Check forages for mycotoxins, pH and digestibility

How many deaths are posted and sampled?

Live calf sampling for pathogens

Screening for BVD, BLV, mycoplasma, salmonella

Zoonotic Diseasesfor man and beast!

Crypto

Campylobacter

Salmonella

Lepto

Ringworm

Mange

Feed Additives

Milk replacer antibiotic (NT) inclusion rates to changeEarly and late wet period strategies

Better to have cocci control in milk replacer than antibiotic

MOS products generally give payback

Probiotics can be helpful

Feed Additives

AS700, Aureomycin, Aureo+BovatecGood management or crutch?

Organic/chelated minerals up to 50%High iron, hydrogen sulfide or sulfates

Animal source proteinsSerum, blood meal

Welfare Issues

Depends on your perception

Ease of identification and visibility by public increases concern

Dairy world has an acclimated view of many welfare issues

Includes trucking, handling, noise, teat removal, vaccinating

Tail Docking

Aid or substitute for cleanliness?

Public views as mutilation and unnecessary (like dogs?)

No research to show any benefit

A loosing battle?

Tail Docking - Banding

Best < 21 days of age – shorter sensitivity period

Close-up heifers minimal effectLocal/epidural anesthetic of little valueCortisol (stress) response no different

than restraint responsePossible chronic pain – neuromas number of flies on hind quarters

Dehorning

Great variation in possible effect

Younger the better

Restraint is as big a player as pain

Easier position to defend than tails

Paste Dehorning

Used to be a sloppy, poor method

Newer products have better consistency

Key = early, clip, right spot and amount

Minimal stress, mostly from restraint

Hot Iron Dehorning

Younger is better

Painful and stressful without medications

Lidocaine = 2-3 hours of pain relief

The effect of restraint is equal to that of pain

Need sedative, local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory to stop impact

Mediating Pain

Little effort in the industry to deal with post procedural discomfort

Banamine (fluniximine) only practical drug

IV should be only administration route

Half life is only 8 hours

Must be repeated every 24 hours

Raising baby calves is one of the toughest challenges on the

dairy!Special nutritionNaïve immune

systemPathogen exposureWeather variationsA host of stressful

eventsThey are bovine

infants!!