Dr. Geof Smith presented this information for a DAIReXNET webinar on April 5th, 2016. To see the full webinar, go tohttp://bit.ly/1wb83YV

2. Avoiding Disease
in Dairy Calves
Geof Smith, DVM, MS, PhD
Diplomate, ACVIM, ECBHM
Dept. Population Health & Pathobiology
North Carolina State University

3. Neonatal Calves
 Overall focus should be on management –
NOT products or interventions
 The vast majority of disease and/or calf health
problems stem from improper calf
management
 There is no magic bullet to overcome a poor
colostrum program or bad housing/hygiene

4. Calf Mortality
 We still have a preweaned heifer calf mortality
rate of 7.8% (USDA dairy 2007 study)
 Only 40% of farms can supply their own
replacement heifers
 The major diseases remain diarrhea (60%),
pneumonia (24%), and septicemia
 Many farms still doing a poor
job of colostrum management

5. Disease Incidence –
Dairy Calves
1991 1996 2002 2007 2014*
Pre-weaned calf
mortality
8.4% 10.8% 10.5% 7.8% 6.4%
% of deaths
caused by
diarrhea
52.2% 60.5% 62.1% 56.5% 56.4%
% of deaths
caused by
pneumonia
21.3% 24.5% 21.3% 22.5% 24.0%
Weaned calf
mortality
2.2% 2.4% 2.8% 1.8% 1.9%
NAHMS Survey data
*2014 estimates are preliminary – Dr. Jason Lombard,
USDA/APHIS Veterinary Services)

6. Goals
 Mortality rates in pre-weaned calves should be
less than 4%
 Morbidity or treatment rates in
preweaned calves should be
less than 25%
 Use calf records to identify
problems when possible
 Vital for troubleshooting
colostrum and disease
problems

7. Disease Control
Key Principles of Disease Control
1) Removing the source of infection from the
calf’s environment
2) Remove the calf from a contaminated
environment
3) Increase immunity of the calf
4) Reduce stress

8. Colostrum Management
A good colostrum management
program – ensuring that all calves get
an adequate volume of quality
colostrum within the first 2-4 hours -
is the single most important aspect of
neonatal calf management

9. Colostrum
Keys to Success
1) Time of feeding – the sooner the better
2) Volume – 3-4 liters to every calf
3) Clean colostrum (harvest & storage important)
4) Don’t pool colostrum
5) Test calves periodically
6) Have colostrum storage (CR available)
7) Make this a priority on your farm!

10. Control Points
1) Calving area
 Calves are frequently exposed to disease from
the dam at birth
 Must minimize contamination of calving area –
provide good bedding material and remove
calf promptly after birth

11. Control Points
2) Colostrum
 Colostrum has been identified contaminated
colostrum as a source of infection (especially
with S. dublin)
 Pooling increases risk of transmission
 Make sure colostrum is harvested
cleanly and rapidly cooled
 Consider using a colostrum replacer or
pasteurizing colostrum

12. Control Points
3) Housing
 House calves in a clean, dry environment with
good drainage
 Make sure calves are not exposed to manure
or runoff from adult cows
 Move hutches to clean ground between calves
 In group housing systems – keep groups small
and make sure calves are of similar ages
 Minimize temperature stress

14. Housing
Calf Density
 Calf to calf contact increases the risk of
pathogen exposure (fecal-oral)
 Distancing calves is important
 Also consider creating barriers to avoid licking,
sucking, and manure contact

15. Housing Density

16. Housing Density

17. Ventilation
 Studies have linked respiratory disease in dairy
calves to poorly ventilated housing
 Important to realize that microenvironments
exists within calf barns as well
 Need to examine air quality at the calf’s level
 Key factors include:
– Sufficient bedding for calves to “nest”
– Solid panel between calves
– Low airborne bacteria count in calf pens

18. Ventilation

19. Ventilation

20. Ventilation

21. Ventilation

22. Ventilation
Julian, NC dairy

23. Ventilation - Winter

24. Ventilation
Statesville, NC dairy

25. Ventilation

26. Control Points
4) Nutrition
 Good nutrition is necessary to maximize host immunity
 Starving calves are more likely to die
 Must factor in seasonal conditions (heat/cold stress)
 Minimize the manure contamination of feed
and/or water
 If feeding whole milk consider a pasteurizer

27. Control Points
 Minimize use of calf warmers, temporary
holding pens, and trailers used for transporting
calves (or disinfect frequently)
 Turn hutches upside down after use
 Remove manure frequently
(pens)
 Clean bedding material and feed/water
buckets

29. Control Points
5) Stress
 Dietary changes, transportation, movement,
weather, anorexia, weaning, overcrowding, and
parturition have been shown to ↑ diarrhea
 Poultry and swine also ↑ fecal pathogen shedding
during stress (transport, molting)
 Some evidence that bacteria can detect “stress” in
the host and multiply (quorom sensing)

30. Control Point Summary
1) Make sure colostrum management is good
2) Clean maternity area
3) Good nutrition
4) Appropriate housing – all types will work but cleanliness
& disinfection is key
5) Minimize manure contact between calves and older
cattle at all stages
6) Sanitation of feeding equipment
7) Avoid stress as much as possible

31. Other Risk Factors
 Humidity
 Climate
 Water availability
 Bacterial contamination of milk/MR
 Feed and feeding schedules

32. Keys to Treatment
1) Learn to identify “sick” calves early
 Most calves will response well when
treatments are started early in the course of
disease
2) Work with your veterinarian to have treatment
protocols in place
3) Monitor response to treatment regularly
(records) – don’t change drugs on a daily
basis

33. Neonatal Calves
 Overall focus should be on management –
NOT products or interventions
 The vast majority of disease and/or calf health
problems stem from improper calf
management
 There is no magic bullet to
overcome a poor colostrum
program or bad housing/hygiene