Disease Management of Dairy Calves and Heifers

McGuirk, Sheila M.

doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2007.10.003

Cited by 443 publications

(533 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The bacteriological goals for milk intended for calf consumption are as follows: no coliform growth and a total bacterial count of less than 10,000 cfu/mL [17]. Although ACID MR samples had several log 10 cfu/mL fewer bacteria than the NON samples on average, some ACID samples did not meet these recommended bacteriological goals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, calves were monitored daily for changes in appetite, attitude (general behavior and responsiveness), appearance, respiration and hydration. Rectal temperature was measured and a health assessment was completed using a standardized clinical scoring index [17] for any calf that was suspected of being clinically ill, based on a change in fecal consistency, appetite, attitude, appearance, respiration or hydration. The index evaluated the following clinical parameters: fever, fecal consistency, attitude, ear position, nasal and ocular discharge, cough and hydration status.…”

Section: Collection Of Calf Performance and Health Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Milk Replacer Acidification for Free-Access Feeding: Effects on the Performance and Health of Veal Calves

Todd¹,

Leslie²,

Millman³

et al. 2016

OJAS

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Objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of milk replacer (MR) acidification for freeaccess feeding on pre-and post-weaning performance, morbidity and mortality of calves. Calves were randomly assigned to free-access feeding of acidified (ACID, n = 31) or non-acidified (NON, n = 31) MR, and weaned at 42 days. ACIDMR was prepared to pH 4.0 -4.5 using formic acid. Intakes were measured daily and weights weekly. Samples of ACID and NON MR were analyzed for coliform and aerobic bacterial growth. After weaning, calves transitioned to a grain-fed veal diet, weighed every 2 weeks. At slaughter (approximately 6 months of age), lungs were evaluated for gross pathological changes and dressed carcass weights were obtained. Generalized linear mixed models were constructed to examine the effects of MR acidification. Differences by treatment group for pre-and post-weaning morbidity and mortality were tested using Pearson's χ 2 and Fisher's exact tests. ACID calves consumed less MR than NON (10.6 vs. 11.7 L/d, P = 0.02). Acidification tended to promote earlier onset of starter ration consumption (32.0 vs. 39.5 d, hazard ratio = 1.5, P = 0.07), but did not affect average daily starter ration or water intakes across the preweaning period. ACID and NON calves did not differ for BW at weaning, pre-or post-weaning ADG or dressed carcass weight. ACID MR had less coliform (P < 0.001) and aerobic bacterial growth (P < 0.001) than NON MR, but odds of disease treatment and mortality did not differ. ACID calves tended to have lower odds of pulmonary lesions during post-mortem inspection than NON calves (OR = 0.3, P = 0.07). These results indicate that under free-access feeding conditions, acidification * Corresponding author. C. G. Todd et al. 235limited bacterial growth and MR intake, but there were no long-term impacts of acidification on calf performance or health. In conclusion, acidification to pH 4.0 -4.5 will significantly reduce bacterial growth in milk fed to calves.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Collection Of Calf Performance and Health Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Milk Replacer Acidification for Free-Access Feeding: Effects on the Performance and Health of Veal Calves

Todd¹,

Leslie²,

Millman³

et al. 2016

OJAS

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“…The scoring system for calf health was developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and used a systematic approach to assess signs of BRD and faecal consistency according to McGuirk (2008) with minor modifications. Temperature scoring used cut-off values of 38.5°C, 39.0°C and 39.5°C to generate scores between 0 and 3.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even though the internal calf house temperature is generally somewhat higher, energy expenditure is also required for thermoregulation as well as growth. Clinical disease, in particular diarrhoea and bovine respiratory disease (BRD) are both common in young calves (McGuirk, 2008), and are also known to reduce early growth rates and compromise long-term performance (Bach, 2011). The predominant dairy breed is the Holstein, but other purebred (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of pre-weaning feeding policies and other risk factors influencing growth rates in calves on 11 commercial dairy farms

Johnson

Chancellor

Burn

et al. 2018

Animal

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Growth rates in pre-weaned calves influence their health, age at first calving and lifetime productivity. Many farms restrict milk rations to encourage solid feed intake and facilitate early weaning, but this can compromise growth. This study determined the milk feeding policies and associated growth rates on 11 commercial dairy farms in South East England, each following their normal management regime. Between 26 and 54 heifers were recruited per farm, providing a final cohort of 492, of which 71% were pure Holstein. Information on calf rearing practices (feeding, weaning, housing) and health was collected via questionnaires and weekly observations. Estimates of actual milk fed (kg solids) between 1 and 63 days were calculated for individual calves. Morphometric data (weight, height, length) were taken at weeks 1, 5 and 9 and at a median age of 7.5 months and growth rates were calculated. Most calves were fed milk replacer via automated feeders (four farms), teat feeder (one) or buckets (four) whereas two farms provided drums of acidified waste milk. Farms fed between 4 and 6 l/day of milk at mixing rates of 10% to 15%, providing 400 to 900 g/day of milk solids. Both skeletal growth rates and average daily weight gain (ADG) increased in the second month of life compared with the first: height growth from 0.17 ± 0.14 to 0.25 ± 0.16 cm/day and ADG from 0.48 ± 0.25 to 0.71 ± 0.28 kg/day. Post-weaning heifers up to 7.5 months had height increases of 0.16 ± 0.035 cm/day and ADG of 0.83 ± 0.16 kg/day. From 1 to 63 days 70% of calves had growth rates <0.7 kg/day and of these 19.6% gained <0.5 kg/day. Mean ADG before 9 weeks varied between farms from 0.52 ± 0.30 to 0.75 ± 0.20 kg/day. This was related to the amount of milk fed at both a farm and individual calf level. Increasing the total milk solids fed between 1 and 63 days from 20.4 to 46.3 kg (the 10 th to 90 th percentile observed) was associated with an increase of 0.11 kg/day ADG. All farms had a wide variation in growth rates despite single feeding policies. Higher circulating immunoglobulin G and IGF1 concentrations were associated with better growth, whereas low temperatures in month of birth, high scores for diarrhoea, respiratory and umbilical disease and large birth size reduced growth. Many commercially grown dairy heifers therefore experienced growth restriction in the pre-weaned period, potentially reducing their health, welfare and productivity.

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Management of Dairy Calves from Birth to Weaning

McGuirk

2011

Dairy Production Medicine

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Calves represent the future of the dairy and, as such, management during the critical stage from birth to weaning is critical to the development, health, productivity, and profi tability of the future replacement heifers. The perinatal period is one of the most vulnerable times in the life of the calf, and attention to the details of calving and calf viability immediately after birth can prevent the losses commonly encountered in the fi rst 48 h of life. New concepts in colostrum management not only reinforce the importance of colostral immune factors on calf health but also emphasize its longer term impact on intestinal, ruminal, and metabolic development as well as the impact on endocrine status, growth, productivity, and survival. Nutritional management concepts have changed and are now appropriately focused on targeted growth with components and delivery systems that promote welfare, performance, and future production. Whether young calves are housed in individual or group pens, important principles of housing management can be applied to insure the health and welfare of preweaned calves. Routine health maintenance practices, preventive health screening, and effective treatment protocols should be strategically integrated into the management of young calves to optimize health, minimize stress, cost, and the possibility of doing harm.

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Disease Management of Dairy Calves and Heifers

Cited by 443 publications

References 36 publications

Milk Replacer Acidification for Free-Access Feeding: Effects on the Performance and Health of Veal Calves

Milk Replacer Acidification for Free-Access Feeding: Effects on the Performance and Health of Veal Calves

Analysis of pre-weaning feeding policies and other risk factors influencing growth rates in calves on 11 commercial dairy farms

Management of Dairy Calves from Birth to Weaning

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