Veterinarians examine calves for a multitude of problems during calving season.
Some of these problems are herd related, but many are individual problems of no concern to the rest of the herd.
Most cases fall into a few broad categories, and each category has a much different treatment regime. Knowing these categories will make it easier to determine proper treatment.
With calves, we need to determine whether the condition involves the lungs (pneumonia), intestines (scours), navel (omphalophlebitis) or several problems at the same time.
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The two main diseases are scours and pneumonia. They are often treated much differently and may not be as easy to tell apart as one thinks.
Scours may initially present as a dopey, heavy breathing calf. It may be acidotic and is attempting to blow off the acid through an increased respiratory rate, fooling producers into thinking it has pneumonia.
A calf born selenium deficient may have heart issues if the heart muscle is affected. The lungs will start to fill with fluid because of the heart failure and, again, the respiratory rate will increase.
Specific antibiotics have been developed for pneumonia, but they often are not the same ones that are used to treat scours. Replacement fluid is the best initial treatment for scours because it is dehydration that kills the calf. Many causes of scours are viral, which means antibiotics don’t work.
Making the distinction between which organ system is involved can be difficult, even for veterinarians.
I can’t stress enough the importance of quality colostrum in giving calves a head start in life. Calves that receive colostrum are better able to fight off disease. Many cases of pneumonia, scours and septicemia (blood born infections) can be attributed to not receiving adequate colostrum.
The navel is a common point of entry for infectious organisms into the body and thus deserves attention. Again, adequate colostrum is the best defence.
Watch the area for signs of swelling and an arched back.
Visible pain when grabbed in the navel area is a telltale sign infection is present.
Calves’ navels are ripped off short when they are delivered backward or born by caesarean section, which makes them more susceptible to navel infection. At our clinic we purposely separate the navel by hand farther down the cord in calves that are born by caesarean section so that they have a decently long navel cord.
Some producers will provide prophylactic antibiotics at birth under the supervision of their veterinarian to counteract navel ill. If the navel infection spreads internally it has a good chance of landing in the joints, resulting in severe arthritis.
Make sure to differentiate between navel infection and a simple hernia, which may require surgery.
Lameness is another common condition with young calves. Producers need to know whether it is arthritis from a navel infection, trauma causing a sprain or trauma causing a broken leg. Each condition requires a specific treatment.
The navel infection must be treated with drugs, the sprains are left to convalesce and broken legs need veterinarian attention.
Prognosis and chances for recovery are good if breaks are caught soon enough. The lower the break the better. Young growing calves heal fast and build bone quickly, so complete recovery is often possible in three to four weeks.
Cows in heat often step on calves so it is good to have creep areas where calves can gather away from the cow herd.
Calves in creep areas can be provided with creep feed fortified with preventives for coccidiosis such as deccox. Providing products such as diatomaceous earth give naturally inquisitive calves something to lick on rather than dirt, roughage and stagnant water, where their odds of picking up something harmful is much greater.
Older calves become stronger and more resistant to diseases such as scours or pneumonia. As they reach four to eight weeks, intestinal accidents and stomach ulcers can develop. They are likely individual fluke-type cases.
It is important to have a post-mortem done on sudden deaths to rule out infectious causes that could spread to other herd mates.
This spring, try to identify these categories of problems with young calves. You will then be treating the right problem and your success rate will drastically improve.
Roy Lewis is a veterinarian practising in Westlock, Alta.
