Pneumonia likely in established herd?

[herofan]

Is pneumonia likely in an established herd of beef heifers? In other words, they have been on the farm and healthy for about a year and will not be exposed to any new cattle from the stock barn.

I bought some young heifers from the sale barn late last year and had pneumonia problems with a few. Other local farmers with established herds said they had no problems with pneumonia in their herd. I don't hear of any pneumonia problems around here unless it is from cattle bought at the sale barn.

Can a seemingly healthy animal develop pneumonia from the stress of being transported? We are planning to borrow a bull from a friend and I was just wondering.

These may be silly questions for experienced people, but I appreciate any replies.

 

[cow pollinater]

Yes. It can hit you hard. We got slammed with it about a month ago when the temps went from the mid sixty-eightees down to the thirties-fiftys in a one week span. I've never seen transportation for short distances to be a problem unless there's other stress involved but a swing of temperature will do it. Even consistantly cool nights and warm days where there's a 30 degree swing will get them.

 

[jerry27150]

yes. they call it shipping fever. real easy for young animals to get ,if stressed from moving or sale barn. used to give any young ones i bought an antibiotic soon as i got them home. home raised cattle can get it, but not near as likely

 

[herofan]

Thanks for the replies. We're having swing-temp weather here right now, but I haven't noticed any problems yet.

I'm not a pneumonia expert and was a bit confused last year. The vet and other farmers I asked all said that if they got by the first three weeks or so after getting them from the sale barn, I was probably home free with pneumonia problems. That led me to believe it was something mostly transmitted from one cow to the other, and as I wrote, no other farmers around here with established herds have pneumonia problems. My dad, who no longer farms, even said that the only trouble he ever had with sick cows was ones he got from the sale barn. I'm sure he experienced "some" problems along the line, but apparently none to speak of.

I wanted some insight from people who weren't from my neck of the woods. I was hoping it wasn't as likely with home cattle. Thanks.

 

[colleen]

Our bull got pneumonia last year. Pretty sure it was caused from temp changes. 30 degree differences between day and night. Also, it was during a severe drought, very dry and dusty.
Colleen

 

[Stocker Steve]

Yes. Stress can push them over the edge - - co mingling, weather swings, diet... When I have had animals posted pneumonia is the most common cause.
I used to isolate purchased cows/heifers and then co minle them after going through the standard BRD and black leg vaccinations, but usually one would come down with fast pneumonia after they were co mingled.
If you are buying in animals I would vaccinate for it. I use Pluma Guard. (sp)

 

[Lucky_P]

Other than a bull purchased in 2006, there's not been an 'outside' animal added to my herd since 1995, and no fence-to-fence contact with other cattle. Still have an occasional case of respiratory disease - usually a single animal, and no more than one every couple of years. But, had two calves sick a couple of weeks ago - and weather was pretty mild, no real wild temperature swings or moisture stress. Sometimes, it just happens; fortunately, timely treatment with an appropriate antimicrobial usually brings 'em right back in line(knock on wood).
I don't routinely do any respiratory viral vaccinations on anything in the herd except steers & heifers that are not being retained; all 'sale' animals(except cull cows) get a full slate of mlv virals and a Pasteurella/Mannheimia bacterin/toxoid.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I usually see one or two fall calves with pneumonia after the weather turns cool and damp. They are usually out of heifers or poor milking cows. What is the best way to vaccinate young fall born calves? Inforce 3 at birth?

 

[Lucky_P]

Steve,
I like Inforce-3; at birth or 7-10 days, if you think you need to hit 'em young; then I'd follow up with a MLV injectible.
Just don't vaccinate 'em between 3-7 days and expect a good response to the vaccine - that's when their immune system is at its lowest functional point.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Steve,
I like Inforce-3; at birth or 7-10 days, if you think you need to hit 'em young; then I'd follow up with a MLV injectible.

I thought Inforce 3 was a one dose vaccine?
Do you double vaccinate calves as a standard or only in special situations?

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

We vaccinate the calves with TSV-2 intranasal vaccine at birth for pneumonia

The swing temps this year have been hard (no shipping involved) lots of neighbors lost animals.

Our vet came out and gave us some hard antibiotics to treat all yearlings to 2 year olds due to the 40 degree temperature differentials and what he saw in other herds near us... good thing he did, we brought up the 18 month old bulls and 2 of them had elevated temperatures so we were close to losing some animals as well -- bulls were acting fine, eating fine, etc. but vet said we could have lost them in less than a day... called it "quick pneumonia".