Respiratory disorders in cows and calves

Respiratory disorders in cows and calves are a common phenomenon in dairy farms, especially in young calves. The causes can be divided into several main groups, with different emphases for calves versus mature cows:

Infectious agents (most common)

Viruses

   •   IBR (infectious herpes) – cough, runny nose, fever, shortness of breath

   •  BRSV – acute shortness of breath, open mouth breathing, sometimes sudden death

   •  PI3 – mild-moderate illness, sometimes preparation for bacterial infection

   •  BVD – immunosuppressant and aggravates other respiratory diseases

Bacteria

   •   Mannheimia haemolytica – acute pneumonia, especially after stress

   •   Pasteurella multocida – subacute pneumonia

   •  Histophilus somni – respiratory and sometimes neurological damage

   •  Mycoplasma bovis – chronic pneumonia, common in calves

Environmental and management factors

   •   Poor ventilation in barn/shed

   •   Animal congestion

   •  High ammonia (urine/manure)

   •  Dust, mold in feed

   •  Rapid weather changes

   •  Stress: weaning, transport, group mixing

Non-infectious causes

   •   Inhalation of foreign body/milk (especially in calves)

   •  Toxic pulmonary edema (e.g. from eating green grass rich in L-tryptophan)

   •  Allergies and asthma in the kirit (rare)

   •  Upper airway obstructions – abscesses, laryngeal edema

Typical clinical signs

   •   Rapid or labored breathing

   •  Cough (dry or moist)

   •  Rhinitis (clear / purulent)

   •  Fever

   •  Decreased eating and weight gain

   •  Open-mouth breathing, head and neck stretched forward (severe sign)

Diagnosis

   •   Clinical examination and temperature measurement

   •  Auscultation of the lungs

   •  Blood tests

   •  PCR / cultures

   •  Sometimes X-ray or autopsy after death

Treatment (under the guidance of a veterinarian)

   •   Appropriate antibiotics (as suspected)

   •   Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs)

   •   Fluid support

   •   Isolation of patients

   •   Improvement of ventilation and hygiene conditions

Prevention – Critical!

    •   Vaccination (IBR, BRSV, PI3, BVD, Mannheimia)

   •  Quality colostrum for calves (within the first 6 hours)

   •  Proper ventilation

   •  Reducing stress

   •   Cleanliness and separation between age groups

*It is always advisable to consult a qualified veterinarian.