Level II Agricultural Business Operations

 To recognise animal signs of good and ill health  To know how to prevent and treat calf scours and pneumonia  To identify on-farm biosecurity measures

 Shiny coat  Bright eyes  Clear warm nose  Pricked ears  Normal faeces  Steady breathing  Body temperature  Normal behaviour  Feed intake  Thrive

 Dull coat  Sunken eyes  Runny nose  Droopy ears  Diarrhoea  Laboured breathing  High/Low temp  On its own  Off feed  Hunched

 Loss of production  Welfare issues  Loss of health status  Antibiotic use / resistance  Financial losses  Sickness/death  Consumer perception

There are moral, ethical and economic reasons for taking animal welfare seriously Animal Welfare

 Freedom from hunger and thirst  Freedom from discomfort  Freedom from pain, injury or disease  Freedom from fear or distress  Freedom to express normal behaviour Welfare – 5 Freedoms

Welfare Codes of Practice welfare/farmed-animal-welfare.htm

Biosecurity is the prevention of disease causing agents entering or leaving any place where they can pose a risk to farm animals, other animals, humans, or the safety and quality of a food product. The same principles apply within the farm, preventing disease spreading between animals and groups Biosecurity

Water Stock Animals Weather Feed People Vehicles

 A neighbour to borrow your bull  Visitors, without disinfection  Meal to be stored uncovered  A neighbour to use your cattle trailer  A dead lorry near your cattle  Cattle to drink downstream from another herd Would you allow?

Guidance on Biosecurity control-prevention/biosecurity.htm

 Safeguard the herd against disease reducing stress on animals and farmer  Safeguard human health  Improve production efficiency by reducing the spread of disease within farm  Stops the spread of disease to other farms  Protects export markets Why Bother with Biosecurity?

 Maintain a closed herd  Pre-test and isolate purchased animals  Restrict visitor access  Provide boot washing/disinfection facilities  Use common sense when moving around farm  Restrict access to water courses/neighbouring stock What Can You Do?

Important points:  Buy from as few sources as possible  Buy from reliable source (know health history if possible)  Quarantine bought-in animals for at least 2 weeks  Screening: Ideally, test for main diseases (e.g. BVD) before mixing with the rest of your herd  Treatments: Vaccinations, Dose for fluke/worms Buying in Cattle

Common Diseases on Beef Farms  Name some common diseases on beef farms  The diseases looked at will provide a general guide to animal health  Starting with neonatal (new born) calf

HOST ENVIRONMENT AGENT/ PATHOGEN Principles of Disease Disease is multifactorial

Calf Scour (Neonatal calf diarrhoea)  Accounts for ~50% of deaths in calves < 1 month old Symptoms  Diarrhoea  Temperature (fever)  Dull  Weak  Reluctant to eat or drink  Dehydration o Sunken eye o Skin elasticity

Nutritional Calf Scour If calves are bucket fed ensure :  Regular feeding times  Milk substitute is fed at correct strength & temperature  Correct positioning of feed buckets  Buckets are thoroughly cleaned after use  Feeding through a teat can help

Infectious Causes of Calf Scour  Cryptosporidium (parasite) more common  Rotavirus virus  Coronavirus  Salmonella bacteria  E. Coli K99 less common } }

How Infectious Agents Cause Calf Scour 1.Agents attacks gut wall. 2.Gut cannot absorb milk 3.Scour 4.Dehydration 5.Collapse / prolonged recovery

Early Diagnosis is Important  Take a dung sample o So appropriate treatment can be started and losses saved o Cause has often disappeared by the time you go to look for it, although damage is done and symptoms remain

Treatment of Calf Scours 1.Rehydration  Manage milk intake  Alternate electrolyte and milk feeds (4 per day)  Intravenous fluids if very weak 2.Antibacterials etc to combat agents Consult Vet 3.Isolate, dry bedding & heat lamp

Host Factors 1.Age – younger calves more susceptible 2.Nutrition – high milk intake, milk replacer, erratic feeding, overfeeding, poor hygiene 3.Immunity – inadequate colostrum 4.Mixing of calves – less risk after 8 weeks provided enough fibre is offered.

Colostrum  First milk produced by dam after giving birth  Immunoglobulin (antibody) rich  Essential source of antibodies for newborn calves  Newborn calves have no immunity  Absorbed during first 6 hours  Lines gut and protects it

1.Quantity 2.Quality 3.Quickly The 3 Q’s of Colostrum Feeding

 2 litres within 6 hours  In total 10 % of calf’s birth weight with 12 hours  Generally 3 to 6 litres  20 min suckling = 3 litres intake!! Colostrum Quantity

To ensure optimum colostrum quality...  Cow Body Condition Score of prior to calving  Minimum 5 weeks dry cow period  Cows exposed to pathogens on farm  Dry cow minerals fed prior to calving  Vaccination against specific causes Quality – Cow Management

 Antibody absorption decreases after birth and stops by 24hrs Colostrum Quickly Antibody Absorption

 Suckle the dam (quantity?)  Suckle from teat on bucket  Stomach tube  Source from dairy herd (Biosecurity)  Commercial substitutes Colostrum Options

Colostrum Storage  Freeze soon after collection  Freeze in quantities used ie 3 – 6 litres for calves  Thaw slowly in warm water  Pour & store sealable bags/pouches are ideal as easily thawed  Don’t microwave

Prevention is Cheaper than Treatment  Avoids treatment costs, loss of growth & labour  Vaccination too late when outbreak occurs  Vaccines available for Rotavirus, coronavirus & E.coli  Vaccinate within 12 and 3 weeks before calving  Needs good colostrum management

Pneumonia  Lung inflammation  Highly infectious  Can be difficult to treat – multi-factorial disease  Loss in animal performance greatest cost

Causes of Pneumonia Viruses eg IBR Bacteria eg Pasteurella Parasites eg lungworm Most often: primary agent = virus secondary agent = bacteria

Clinical Signs of Pneumonia ?

Clinical Signs of Pneumonia  Reduced appetite  Temperature / Fever  Depression  Dullness  Rapid, shallow breathing  Coughing  Nasal discharge  Discharge from eyes  Salivation

Diagnosis and Treatment Diagnosis  Clinical signs  Involve the vet early on Treatment  Antibiotics (ineffective against viruses)  Anti-inflammatories  Anthelmintics

Pneumonia – Risk Factors Animal Health Ireland

Prevention of Pneumonia  Adequate colostrum in newborn calves  Reduce Stress o Introduce concentrate prior to weaning o Avoid dehorning or castration around weaning o After weaning - calves in same place for 1 wk

Prevention of Pneumonia  Suitable housing o Dust & noxious gases irritate respiratory tract o Warm, humid conditions favour agents o Enough air space & ventilation reduces illness o Avoid draughts o Air inlets should be above animal height o Dry, comfortable bed, “knee test” o Avoid mixed ages esp. Calves & adults

Ventilation of Cattle Housing The Stack Effect The Stack Effect Heat from livestock warms the air which rises, to be replaced by fresh air coming in at a lower level through the eaves. Maximising the Stack Effect  Roof Pitch between 1 in 4 and 1 in 3  Ridge Width 5cm for every 3m of building width  Inlet area 2 times to 4 times the outlet area

Ventilation of Cattle Housing

Vaccination  Discuss options with your vet  Cover the most likely pathogens  Get immunity in place before the challenge  Vaccinate all in same air space - less disease & virus  Overwhelming challenge still leads to disease  Reduced immune response – purchased & stressed

 Prevention is better than cure  Maintain farm biosecurity  Ensure good colostrum intakes  Good housing design will reduce the incidence of pneumonia