Livestock
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Major animal welfare concern
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| Swift and accurate diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease are essential |
RESPIRATORY disease is estimated conservatively to cost the UK cattle industry £60 million annually (between £30 for mild cases to £500 when the animal dies).
Losses result from mortality, treatment costs but most importantly, weight loss during illness and often protracted convalescence. Respiratory disease is a major animal welfare concern.
Respiratory disease in cattle is an interaction between the infectious agent(s) (whether bacterial, viral or both), the environment and immunity of the individual animal. The important viral causes of respiratory disease are infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV); parainfluenza-3 virus is much less important. These viruses can cause disease by themselves or damage the defence mechanisms of the upper respiratory tract and predispose to secondary bacterial infections of the lungs. There are a large number of bacteria that can cause either primary lung disease or secondary to viral compromise of the lung defence mechanisms.
Accurate diagnosis of the cause(s) of respiratory disease is essential so that steps can be taken to prevent future diseases and will involve your veterinary surgeon. Laboratory confirmation may be necessary before embarking upon a vaccination protocol in the face of infection, and to prevent a similar problem during the following year. Antibiotic selection is very important and will be carefully considered by your veterinary surgeon.
BRSV infection: The clinical signs attributable to BRSV infection are highly variable. In severe outbreaks some animals may be found in respiratory distress with mouth-breathing and rapid abdominal movements leading rapidly to death. In some studies involving housed calves infection has occurred without any clinical signs of respiratory disease.
Secondary bacterial invasion of the damaged respiratory tract frequently occurs which makes treatment difficult. In many situations selection of cattle for treatment based upon raised rectal temperature is the most cost-effective practice. Ninety to 120 cattle can be checked within one hour in well-organised units. The choice of antibiotic treatment is based upon veterinary advice and knowledge of previous outbreaks of respiratory disease on the unit. Recurrence of bacterial infections is common often necessitating repeat antibiotic treatments five-14 days later - this is not antibiotic treatment failure, simply re-infection of the physically compromised respiratory tract.
Respiratory disease is a major animal welfare concern. A calf affected by severe respiratory disease caused by BRSV was normal 12 hours earlier.
There are a number of vaccines widely used to control BRSV-induced respiratory disease and veterinary advice should be sought for the most appropriate prevention strategy.
Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR): Clinical signs generally first appear either two-three weeks following housing or other stressful event such as calving. In its most severe form when first recognised in the UK during the late 1970s the morbidity rate (percentage of cattle affected) could be 100% with up to 5% deaths. The first two or three cattle to show clinical signs are invariably the worst affected. Affected animals do not eat, are very depressed, slow to rise and stand with the head held lowered. There is a purulent discharge from the eyes and nostrils.
Treatment is based upon veterinary advice. It is essential that the vet is contacted as soon as disease is suspected because the first cattle affected are the most severely affected and accurate diagnosis, treatment and timely vaccination are essential to prevent further losses.
Routine vaccination of all animals as they arrive on the farm should be performed on beef finishing units. Homebred dairy cattle are typically vaccinated before the start of the breeding programme. Such vaccination protocols will be an integral part of most veterinary herd health programmes. Single vaccination affords life-long protection and costs £2-3.
General control of respiratory disease: Control of respiratory disease is likely to be best achieved by attention to general husbandry practices, especially the ventilation system which is often wholly inadequate and correctly-timed administration of vaccines.
Reducing stocking density, wherever possible, would improve the disease situation on most units. Details of these measures must be included in the veterinary herd health plan. Expert advice on ventilation of buildings may be necessary.
NADIS is sponsored by Meat and Livestock Commission, Elanco Animal Health, Merial Animal Health, English Beef and Lamb Executive.
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