Dairy calf respiratory disease

[Danneels]

Respiratory disease is the second leading cause of mortality in dairy calves 0-6 months of age behind diarrhea and may account for at least half of all morbidity and mortality in young calves. The highest incidence of respiratory disease in young dairy calves usually occurs from birth to around 6 months of age. Much of this can be blamed on management factors, such as poor colostrum management at birth or commingling just-weaned calves, putting them at higher risk of disease.

http://agritopics.blogspot.com/

Do you have also such experience?

 

[Alice]

I bought holstein baby bull calves from the sale barn...so the chances of them having had colostrum was was pretty small.

I used to be thrilled if the calves made it to 14 days! First would come the scours and if they lived thru that, then the respiratory crud, then the bitter end, however if they got past that 14 day mark, things got much easier. Of course not all died...I had more successes than failures, but it got to a point that it was just too depressing, the price of milk replacer went out of sight, and drugs like draxxin that are very effective against respiratory crud become almost cost prohibitive. Then, the bottom dropped out of the holstein bull and steer market around here. Too tough for me.

We know have some beef cows who raise their own babies...life is much better.

Alice

 

[jerry27150]

if you use calf hutches, you eliminate practically all pneumonia & other diseases. when you buy a calf from a salebarn you need to give them a shot of antibiotic soon as you get them home as they have been stressed & exposed to most diseases

 

[Alice]

if you use calf hutches, you eliminate practically all pneumonia & other diseases. when you buy a calf from a salebarn you need to give them a shot of antibiotic soon as you get them home as they have been stressed & exposed to most diseases

Oh...ok...

Alice