There are many factors that contribute to pinkeye, but usually the bacterium moraxela bovis is involved.
Pinkeye is an eye infection that starts with the reddening of the eyeball and swelling of the eyelid. This leads to a water discharge and excessive blinking in bright sunlight in either one or both eyes.
Pinkeye must be differentiated from foreign material in the eye, cancer eye and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis.
“Many factors contribute to pinkeye,” says Bill Grabowsky, beef specialist with Alberta Agriculture.
Factors that predispose cattle to pinkeye and contribute to the incidence and severity of pinkeye include:
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- Sunlight or ultraviolet light damaging the cornea of the eye.
- A lack of pigmentation of the eyelid which can vary among and within breeds of cattle.
- Horn and face flies irritating the eyes and transferring bacteria from infected to non-infected animals.
- The age of cattle, since calves are more susceptible than older cattle that may have developed immunity from previous exposure.
- Eye irritants such as tall pasture grasses, dusty conditions and rough forage.
If an animal goes untreated in the early stages, the centre of the cornea becomes white or yellow in color and may become elevated and ulcerated. Some eyes may rupture, resulting in blindness. Treatment of infected animals usually involves antibiotics and removal from direct sunlight to shaded and cooler areas. Reducing horn and face fly populations is also beneficial. This can be done by using one or two insecticide cattle ear tags per animal.
