The last few days of 2024 have certainly been quite mild and these mild conditions can pose a threat to housed cattle and young stock, which means farmers must be vigilant when it comes to potential pneumonia outbreaks.
Mild conditions pose the biggest threat to young calves and for the autumn calving herds where there is plenty of calves on the ground, farmers must be wary of the threat of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
For young calves, viral infection occurs first followed by bacterial infection with the high risk periods occurring after the grouping or mixing of calves, after weaning off milk or milk replacer, and in changeable weather conditions.
Mild conditions
When calves are detected as sick, they should be treated and isolated on their own until recovery.
Vaccination against pneumonia is only part of the solution and providing good ventilation is a must and using antibiotics if necessary is crucial.
Antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections, but in cases where bacterial involvement is suspected, antibiotic treatment is required.
In rare cases, lungworm may be causing pneumonia in young calves and these will not respond to antibiotic treatment.
Appropriate calf housing with good ventilation, plenty of air, no draughts and well-bedded dry lying area is crucial – make sure that effluent can get away from underneath calves.
If you are grouping calves, ensure to group them by age and size to make management and feeding easier and to keep the group stable.
Young heifers or any younger stock that are more susceptible to these respiratory diseases should be put in the sheds with better ventilation, with well-positioned, open-fronted sheds providing great air movement for cattle.
Clipping hair from cattle’s backs can also help regulate cows and young stock’s body temperature and can also be beneficial if using a pour-on lice treatment for improving skin contact of the product.
For young calves, a vaccination strategy should be implemented on the farm, with calves being vaccinated from two-weeks-of-age – usually two shots, four weeks apart, followed by a booster before the next risk period.