Pneumonia causes inflammation and damage to the lung tissue and airways of calves, which ultimately results in comprised lung function.
The autumn-calving season is well underway on farms, meaning by now, a key focus is on keeping calves healthy.
Pneumonia is a complicated, multi-factorial disease, caused by a range of bacteria, viruses and mycoplasmas.
The damage it can cause to lungs can lead to reduced production, reduced liveweight gain and possibly even death.
Clinical signs include:
- Dull and depressed animals;
- A temperature of greater than 39.5°;
- Increased breathing rate and effort;
- Coughing;
- A nasal discharge which is initially clear and watery but becomes thick and pus-like as the disease progresses.
Pneumonia
There are a number of possible causes for pneumonia in calves, including the presence of bacteria and viruses.
Environmental factors include low temperatures, high humidity, poor ventilation and direct draughts.
Most, if not all of the possible causes can be prevented with changes in management or by making small changes to the calves’ housing.
The quality and quantity of colostrum provided to the calf also has an impact on the its ability to fight off infection.
Prevention
To prevent outbreaks from occurring within the calf shed, any possible sources should be identified first.
Controlling temperature in a shed can be difficult at this time of year, with such variations in air temperatures. Because of this, ensuring that there is adequate bedding in the pen to allow calves to nest in the straw is smart.
Another option is to put calf jackets on your calves, as these are also a good way of helping calves to control their temperatures.
A vaccination programme may also be beneficial, but it will not help solve issues that exist in the shed such as draft or presence of bacteria.
So, vaccination should be discussed with a vet to ensure that it would have benefits on to the farm.
Ultimately, multiple measures are needed to prevent outbreaks from occurring on farms or in sheds. These should be discussed with a vet.