In the intricate landscape that is animal health, one challenge stands as a significant roadblock to not only an animal’s overall health, performance and productivity, but also a dairy producer’s bottom line: Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD). BRD continues to be the major cause of death in weaned calves and can lead to poor performance as an adult cow.1
Sound management practices are key to reducing the impact of BRD and the emotional and financial frustrations that come with it. Implementing the following management practices early in a calf’s life can reduce its exposure to disease-causing pathogens, boost immunity and contribute to the calf’s health, well-being and future success in the milking herd.
Keep the calving area clean
The maternity pen is a calf’s first exposure to a new environment. For the health of both the cow and new calf, ensure maternity pens are clean, dry and well-ventilated. Dirty pens are loaded with disease-causing pathogens. Proper temperature control is also essential, especially during winter and extreme heat, as heat and cold stress can negatively affect calf health. Once a calf is on the ground, there should be minimal exposure to adult cattle and the calf should be removed from the mother and taken to a clean, dry nursery where the navel should be dipped in an iodine solution. This inhibits pathogens from entering the bloodstream through the open navel.
Provide safe and high-quality nutrition
Proper colostrum management is critical for BRD prevention because it provides essential antibodies needed for the calf’s developing immune system. When handling, feeding and storing colostrum consider the following:
- Begin by reducing stressors such as heat and cold stress, overcrowding and external pests for the cow during the dry phase to ensure she can produce high-quality colostrum for her calf.
- Containers used to collect and feed colostrum should be sanitized and stored in a dry place to minimize risk of bacterial growth.
- After collecting the colostrum, it is recommended to test the quality of the colostrum with a Brix refractometer. Poorer quality colostrum can be discarded, pooled with higher quality colostrum or supported with a quality colostrum replacer.
- When storing colostrum, using single-use bags allows more surface area for the colostrum to freeze quickly and evenly, which mitigates the risk of bacteria growth.
Without proper colostrum management, pathogens can take hold, which can increase the risk of contracting diseases such as calf scours or BRD.
Feed calves a volume of high-quality colostrum from a sanitized container that is 10% of their body weight within 1 hour of birth, followed by an additional feeding within 12 hours. Research shows that timing matters and a calf’s absorption of antibodies decreases as time goes by.2 After a calf receives colostrum, common practice is to feed a milk replacer or waste milk for 6 to 8 weeks to help the calf grow and maintain energy levels. A starter feed should also be introduced on day one and fed throughout the preweaning phase to prepare and develop the digestive system for a TMR. Always ensure calves have unlimited access to clean drinking water. Ideally, calves should double their birth weight by the time of weaning at 8 weeks of age.3
Implement a vaccination protocol
Vaccinations are a great tool for disease prevention. However, they are not a substitute for good management practices. Vaccination is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and its recommended producers work closely with their veterinarian to make appropriate vaccine choices and timing within protocols.
Fly control
Flies can increase stress, reduce growth rates and spread disease if not properly controlled. Implement sanitation protocols and effective fly control methods to reduce fly populations, in turn, lowering the incidence of BRD caused by fly induced stressors.
Align on a diagnostic approach
BRD is often difficult to diagnose and is frequently misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. Working with your veterinarian to properly identify and treat BRD can help operations be more effective in their treatment success. This, in turn, can reduce antibiotic use. Work with your herd veterinarian to determine the causative factors of a BRD outbreak so effective preventive measures can be reviewed and implemented.
To learn more about tools to help prevent, treat and control BRD in your operation, talk with your Elanco representative today or visit ElancoBRD.com.
References:
1 Gorden PJ, Plummer P. Control, management and prevention of bovine respiratory disease in dairy calves and cows. Vet Clin North Am Anim Food Pract. 2010:26(2):243-259.
2 Chase CC, Hurley DJ, Reber AJ. Neonatal immune development in the calf and its impact on vaccine response. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2008:24(1):87-104.
3 Palczynski L, Bleach E, Brennan M, Robinson P. Appropriate dairy calf feeding from birth to weaning: It’s an investment for the future. National Center for Biotechnology Information. 2020:10(1)116.
About Elanco
Elanco Animal Health (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders, and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we’re driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our approach to sustainability, Elanco Healthy Purpose™– all to advance the health of animals, people, the planet and our enterprise. Learn more at www.elanco.com.
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