1. Diseases and Parasites of Cattle

2. Vital Signs of Beef Cattle
Temp avg
Pulse BPM
Respiration breaths per minute

3. Anthrax
Caused by bacteria that may remain in the soil for 40 years or longer
Bacteria only become active under certain conditions.
Infection results from grazing infected pastures.
Bacteria enter through the mouth, nose or open wounds.
Biting insects may spread the disease from one animal to another

4. The Anthrax Cycle

5. Symptoms Sudden death-usually within a few hours of symptoms
Less acute symptoms
High fever
Sudden staggering
Hard breathing
Trembling
Collapse

6. What to Do
Carcasses should be burned or buried at least 6’ deep and covered with quicklime
Take care not to bury the animal near wells or streams.

7. Prevention Vaccination
In problem areas vaccination should occur yearly
Where it is not common, vaccinate on the recommendation of a vet.

8. Anthrax

9. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
Chronic, degenerative disease
Affects the central nervous system
1 of several brain disease called Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy's (TSE’s)
Other TSE’s
Chronic Wasting Disease in deer and elk
Feline Spongiform Encephalopathy
Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD- ID in the 1920’s)
New variant CJD (nvCJD ID in 1995)
Gertsmann-Straussler-Scheinker Syndrome
Kuru

10. BSE in the United States and the World
Rare
3 cases in the United States
First diagnosed in Great Britain in 1986
The US has not imported any beef from Great Britain since 1985
USDA and the APHIS maintain constant surveillance and enforce import restrictions.

11. Symptoms Nervousness or aggression Muscle twitching Abnormal posture
Loss of body weight
Decrease in milk production
Difficulty in rising after lying down
Eventual death

12. Causes of BSE Not fully known Related to a prion
Prion- a microscopic protein particle that is similar to a virus but lacks nucleic acid
May be contracted by ingesting protein in feed that came from an animal source that was contaminated
Believed to have been caused by feeding cattle renderings from Scrapie infected sheep
1997 the FDA banned using ANY mammal derived protein in cattle feed in the US

13. Incubation of and Testing for BSE
Ranges from 2-8 years
Death occurs within 2 weeks to 6 months after clinical symptoms appear
No test to determine if live cattle are infected
Only a postmortem microscopic examination of the brain can determine if the animal had BSE
Brain tissue in infected animals has a spongy appearance when examined under a microscope
There is no treatment for BSE

14. BSE

15. Bovine Virus Diarrhea (BVD)
Common throughout the United States
May appear in mild, acute & chronic forms
Spreads by contact

16. Mild BVD Often no symptoms If they are present:
Fever
Coughing
Discharge from the nose
Slow gains
Rapid breathing
Mild diarrhea
Animals that have had the mild form of the disease are immune to further infection.

17. Acute BVD Fever Difficult breathing Discharges from the nose and mouth
Pregnant animals may abort if contracted with in the first 2 months of pregnancy
Fetus’s may mummify if contracted from the th day of pregnancy
Fetus may also suffer brain damage, hairlessness and underdeveloped lungs in later stages of pregnancy
Fever
Difficult breathing
Discharges from the nose and mouth
Possible lameness
Dehydration
Weight loss
Diarrhea after 3-7 days

18. Chronic BVD All the same symptoms as the acute plus Slow gains
Rough hair coat
Lameness

19. Prevention Modified live virus vaccine
Vaccinate calves between 1 day of age and 3 weeks before weaning
May be vaccinated upon arrival in the feedlot
They should not be vaccinated if they were vaccinated as calves
Pregnant cattle should not be vaccinated
Adult cattle should only be vaccinated
After calving
At least 3 weeks before breeding
Replacement heifers should be vaccinated between 9 & 12 months of age but not during the last 3 weeks before breeding
No cure

20. Brucellosis Caused by microorganisms Results in heavy economic losses
Less common due to state and federal eradication programs—all states are now free of brucellosis in domestic cattle herds
Dangerous to humans

21. Symptoms Abortion during the last ½ of pregnancy
Retaining of afterbirth (placenta)
Sterility in cows and bulls
Reduced milk flow
Enlarged testicles
Weak calves (if born from infected cows)

22. Brucellosis Spreads By…
Bringing infected cattle into the herd
Fence line contact with infected animals
Aborted fetus’s that carry the Brucella organism being carried to other farms by dogs and other carnivorous animals
Calves being infected by their mothers
Cattle coming in contact with feed or water where the organism is present
Sniffing or licking an aborted fetus or calf from a cow that has the disease

23. Prevention and Cure No cure
Prevention is accomplished by good herd management

24. Blackleg Caused by bacteria that grow only in the absence of oxygen
When exposed to air the bacteria form a spore and may live in the soil for many years
Spores enter the animal through the mouth or wounds
Young animals are more commonly affected

25. Symptoms First sign is one or more animals suddenly die
Before death symptoms are:
Lameness
Swollen muscles
Severe depression
High fever (in early stages)
Animal may be unable to stand

26. Prevention Vaccination
Calves are vaccinated when young (typically in the spring at branding or shortly after calving) and again at weaning (fall)
Dead animals should be burned or buried

27. Treatment Massive doses of antibiotics
Treatment is only effective if diagnosed early
Prevention is more effective and less costly.

28. Scours Disease complex (group of diseases)
Most common in fall, winter and spring
Affects young calves
calves over 2 months of age are seldom affected

29. Symptoms Acute Chronic Shock Nose, ears and legs are cold Diarrhea
Sudden death
Chronic
Symptoms for several days
Weight loss
Death after several days if not treated

30. Prevention Sanitation Calf needs colostrums (first milk)
Clean barns and buckets for bucket calves
Calf needs colostrums (first milk)
Supplement the cows diet with Vitamin A before calving
Vaccines (most common types of scours)
Vaccinate mothers at least 30 days prior to calving

31. Treatment
Antibiotics
Sulfa drugs

32. Foot Rot
Caused by a variety of bacteria, fungi and other organisms found in feedlots
Enter the body when the skin of the foot is broken
Muddy, manure filled feedlots only increase the problem

33. Symptoms First noticeable sign is lameness Other symptoms
Loss of appetite
Fever
Depression
Animals may not want to stand or move around
Death may eventually result

34. Prevention Sanitation and paved lots work best
Good drainage and mounds in the feedlot also help prevent conditions that encourage the disease.
Spreading lime and 5% blue vitriol around water tanks and feed bunks

35. Treatment
Penicillin
Wide spectrum antibiotics
Sulfa drugs

36. Lump Jaw Chronic Rarely causes death
Results in economic losses because the affected body part is condemned at slaughter
Affects the jaw and surrounding bony part of the head

38. Symptoms Tumors or lumps on the jaw. Loose teeth
Spongy jaw bone resulting in breathing problems.
Weight loss due to difficulty eating

39. Treatments and Prevention
Surgical treatment may allow the animal to remain marketable but complete recovery is usually not possible.
To prevent keep sharp objects out of the feedlot or pasture.

40. Pinkeye Carried by insects Affects the eye of the animal
A viral form of pink eye is associated with IBR
White faced cattle and those with pink skin pigment around the eye are more likely to be infected
Pinkeye occurs year round but is most common during periods of maximum sunlight.

41. Mild Pinkeye Eyeball develops a pinkish color
Cornea becomes slightly clouded

42. Acute Pinkeye Flowing of tears Cloudiness of cornea
As the infection progresses the cloudy condition becomes worse and ulcers may develop on the eye
The eye may become so damaged that blindness results
The condition may last 3-4 weeks and if not treated will spread to the whole heard

43. Spread By Insects Direct Contact with infected animals Dust
Tail switching

44. Prevention
Control flies and insects
Vacinate

45. Treatment Isolated in a dark place
Apply Antibiotics and sulfa drugs to the eye
A cloth patch can be used on the affected eye

46. Shipping Fever (PI3 Pasteurella, Bovine Respiratory Disease)
A disease complex that affects the respiratory tract
Most common in young cattle at times of stress

47. Stresses Moving from range to the feedlot Extremes of heat or cold
Exhaust fumes
Hunger
Fright
Rough handling

48. Symptoms Early on----fever Depression Drooping ears
Discharge from the nose
Watery eyes
Loss of appetite
Diarrhea
Weight loss
Difficult breathing
Coughing
Pneumonia
Possibly death
If the animal recovers it will be slow to gain

49. Prevention Vaccination after 4 mo. of age
Best time is 3-4 weeks before weaning/shipping
Reducing stress and exposure
Good feedlot management and careful handling of new cattle

50. Treatment Antibiotics Sulfa drugs
Treatment must begin as soon as symptoms are noticed
Treatment after an animal has developed pneumonia is of little value.

51. Trichomoniasis
A venereal disease caused by a protozoan, Trichomona fetus
Infects the genital tract of the bull and is transmitted to the cow during breeding
Clean bulls can also be infected by breeding “dirty” cows
Can also be transmitted through infected semen, even when artificial insemination is used.

52. Symptoms Abortion in early gestation Low fertility
Irregular heat periods
Uterine infection
Cows may have discharge from their genital tract
Bulls may not show any symptoms but still be capable of transmitting the disease during breeding
Identified by microscopic examination of material from an aborted fetus, the prepuital cavity of the bull or vaginal discharge from the cow

53. Trich Prevention Semen testing Testing cows before breeding
Using only clean bulls on clean cows
Selling all open cows

54. Vibriosis Reproductive disease Both intestinal and venereal
Leading cause of infertility and abortion in the cattle industry

55. Vibrosis Intestinal form has little harmful effect
Venereal form is more serious
If the organism infects the uterus there will be some abortion in the herd
Number of cows infected is usually small
Cows do not become sterile and bulls are not affected.

56. Symptoms In chronically infected herds Infertility Abortion
Conception rate is lower than normal-about 60-70%
Heifers or new additions will require repeat breeding or will abort
Infertility
Abortion
Irregular heat periods
In newly affected herds conception rates may drop below 40%
Calving season is longer
More open cows in the fall

57. Prevention and Treatment
Vaccinate animals 30 days prior to breeding
Vaccination must be repeated every year
Bulls may be treated with antibiotics but the process is difficult
Cows may settle easier if treated with antibiotics
Skipping two heat cycles before attempting to breed the cow usually improves the conception rate of infected cows
Cows with the disease eventually develop immunity and will breed again
The use of AI helps in prevention because the semen used for AI is treated with antibiotics to eliminate disease organisms.

58. Ringworm
A contagious skin disease that can be spread to other animals and humans
Symptoms
Round, scaly patches of skin that lack hair
The affected area clears up but moves to another part of the body
Sanitation
Isolate infected animals
Treat with iodine tincture or quaternary ammonium compounds

59. Ringworm