Pattern of diarrhoea in newborn beef calves in south-west France

A prospective study was carried out on 94 randomly selected beef herds in the Midi-Pyrénées region in France. The objective was to describe diarrhoea and mortality in beef calves from birth to 30 days of age. Calves (3,080) were followed from December 1995 to April 1996, and a total of 700 visits allowed records of herd management practices, individual data and environmental conditions to be collected. The incidence rate for diarrhoea during the neonatal period was 14.6%, and varied markedly between herds. Eighteen herds did not suffer from diarrhoea, while five herds had an incidence of more than 50%. Results indicate that 52% of diarrhoea appears during the first week and only 15% after the second week of life. The greatest risk of diarrhoea for a calf was during the first and second weeks of life (7.9 and 6.5 times, respectively). The month of birth was also significantly associated with morbidity, the highest incidence was observed in December and March (17.6 and 23.6%, respectively). Escherichia coli was isolated from 20.3% of faecal samples and appeared earlier during the first days of life. Rotavirus was frequently isolated (47.4%) from samples. Coronavirus was positive for only 16.5% but was significantly associated with diarrhoea. Cryptosporidium was less frequent (15.6%). The global mortality rate was 3.6% and was two-times higher in December than in other months. Forty per cent of herds did not exhibit mortality, and 10% had mortality rates greater than 10%. This study confirms previously reported data, and with greater precision and details on diarrhoea and mortality incidences among herds, age and month of birth in suckling beef calves.     

Calf Diseases and Mortality in Swedish Dairy Herds

Olsson, S.-O., S. Viring, U. Emanuelson and S.-O. Jacobsson: Calf diseases and mortality in Swedish dairy herds. Acta vet. Scand. 1993,34, 263-269.– A survey of the mortality and morbidity affecting calves during the first 3 months of life was carried out. Results are reported from 131 herds with altogether 5,050 calvings. These herds kept individual calf cards for all calves born. The incidences of abortions and stillborn calves were 0.6% and 3.6%, respectively. During the period 0-90 days the mortality and morbidity were 2.6% and 11.0%, respectively. The frequencies of enteritis and pneumonia in calves were 7.2% and 0.8%. Mortality and morbidity were influenced by breed, season, age of the dam and time of first colostrum. The frequencies of abortions, stillborn calves, mortality and morbidity varied considerably between herds. Herd factors influencing mortality and morbidity during different periods of time were: herd size, yield, zero-grazing, whether the calf was allowed to feed by suckling, the design of the calf pens, and previous incidence of infectious enteritis in the herd. On average, both mortality and morbidity in calves were low, though in certain herds, temporarily high frequencies were registered.     

Risk factors for calf mortality in large Swedish dairy herds

The aim of this study was to identify possible risk factors for 1-90 day calf mortality in large Swedish dairy herds. Sixty herds with a herd size of ≥160 cows were visited once between December 2005 and March 2006. Thirty herds were known to have low mortality (LM) and 30 were known high mortality herds (HM). Upon the visit, data about housing and management was collected from interviews with personnel responsible for the calves. The herd status regarding the calves' passive transfer (total protein), levels of α-tocopherol, β-carotene and retinol, and excretion of faecal pathogens (Cryptosporidium spp., Escherichia coli F5, rota and corona virus) was evaluated based on targeted sampling of high risk calf groups; in each herd, blood and faecal samples were collected from calves 1-7 and 1-14 days old, respectively. Similarly, the herd status regarding clinical respiratory disease in calves and history of respiratory virus exposure was evaluated based on lung auscultations and blood samplings of calves 60-90 days old. The median calf mortality risk (in calves 1-90 days of age) among HM herds was 9% (Range: 6-24%) and among LM herds 1% (Range: 0-2%). LM and HM herds were compared using five logistic regression models, covering potential risk factors within different areas: "Disease susceptibility", "Factors affecting the gastrointestinal tract", "Factors related to transmission of infectious disease", "Hygiene" and "Labour management". The percentage of calves, 1-7 days old, with inadequate serum concentrations of α-tocopherol and β-carotene were significantly higher in HM herds compared to LM herds and also associated with higher odds of being a HM herd (OR=1.02; p=0.023 and OR=1.05; p=0.0028, respectively). The variable "Average number of faecal pathogens in the sampled target group" was significantly associated with higher odds of being a HM herd (OR=4.65; p=0.015), with a higher average in HM herds. The percentage of calves with diarrhoea treated with antibiotics was significantly higher in HM herds and was associated with higher odds of being a HM herd (OR=1.08; p=0.021). The median age at death of calves in the age interval 1-90 days that died during a one-year period was significantly lower among HM herds (13 days) than in LM herds (24 days) (p=0.0013) The results indicate that gastrointestinal disorders may be an important cause of calf mortality in large Swedish dairy herds. Furthermore, our study provides additional indications that fat soluble vitamins might play an important role for calf health.     

Effects of environment and management on mortality in preweaned dairy calves.

Forty-eight herds participating in the 1988/1989 Ohio National Animal Health Monitoring System dairy project were monitored for 1 year to determine the effects of environment and management on mortality in preweaned calves. Environmental factors were evaluated by veterinarians during monthly visits to the herds. Management procedures were measured through the use of a questionnaire administered near the end of the project. Mortality in preweaned calves was calculated for each herd by using data from project records on calf mortality and animal inventory, which were collected monthly by veterinarians. Relationships between the management/environment variables and calf mortality were examined by use of analysis of covariance. Herd size, days on a nipple feeder, navel disinfection, type of housing, and whether each calf observed with diarrhea was treated with antibiotics were the variables that had an impact on herd mortality. These variables explained approximately 39% of the variation in mortality among herds.     

The effect of sire selection on cow mortality and early lactation culling in adverse and favorable cow survival environments

The objective of this study was to determine the extent that genetic selection can help reduce dairy cow mortality and early lactation culling in adverse cow survival environments. Two datasets were constructed. The first contained 100,911 mortality records and 171,178 sixty-day culling records from 1467 herds. Cows that left the herd (culled or died) from 21 days prior to a due date through 60 days in milk were considered a 60-day cull. Cows were classified as belonging to herds with adverse cow survival environments (≥ 4.4% mortality rate and ≥ 7.1% 60-day cull rate) or favorable cow survival environments (<4.4% mortality rate and <7.1% 60-day cull rate). The second dataset included 20,438 mortality records and 34,942 sixty-day culling records from 314 herds with a known herd management system. Cows from both datasets were stratified into quartiles based on their sire's predicted transmitting ability (PTA) for productive life and other traits. Cows in the first dataset were also stratified into high (>50th percentile) and low (≤ 50th percentile) groups based on their sire's PTA for daughter calving ease and daughter stillbirth rates. Mortality and 60-day culling in the first dataset were evaluated with logistic regression models with the independent effects of sire PTA quartile, cow survival environment (adverse or favorable), the interaction of sire PTA quartile with cow survival environment, lactation number, age within lactation number, and herd-calving-cluster. The second dataset was analyzed in the same manner, but with cow survival environment replaced by herd management system. The estimated proportion of lactations that ended in death declined from 9.0% to 6.8% and 60-day culling incidence from 7.6% to 4.9% as sire productive life PTA went from the lowest to highest quartile in adverse cow survival environments. The corresponding reduction in mortality (0.7%) and 60-day culling (0.9%) were also significant in favorable cow survival environments. Mortality and 60-day culling both declined by 2.0% from low to high sire productive life PTA quartile in complete confinement free-stalls, which was the most unfavorable herd management system for cow survival. Daughters of bulls with high somatic cell score PTA and low daughter pregnancy rate PTA had higher incidences of mortality and 60-day culling, and 60-day culling was higher for daughters of sires with high milk and protein yield PTA. Selection to reduce stillbirth risk was associated with less mortality and 60-day culling, whereas mortality risk was reduced in favorable cow survival environments with selection to lower the incidence of stillbirths and calving difficulty. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that sire selection can play an important role in reducing the incidence of mortality and early lactation culling, particularly in herds with adverse cow survival environments.     

Factors affecting dystocia and early calf mortality in Angus cows and heifers.

Calving performance records (965,417) from purebred American Angus herds throughout the United States were used to study dystocia and early calf mortality during the period from 1972 to 1985. A sample of 53 (n = 83,467) herds was used to establish reasonable limits on the expected frequency of dystocia and mortality within and among herds that have good reproductive management programs and to verify the frequencies of scores in all other herds (n = 4,130) reporting calving performance information. The data were analyzed by logistic regression models. Dystocia and perinatal mortality, to a lesser extent, were found to be more frequent in heifers than in cows. The odds of unassisted births vs births with major difficulty were 11.58 times greater in cows than in heifers. In heifers, the odds of an unassisted birth increased with age of dam and decreased with birth weight of calf. At a baseline age of 22 mo the odds of an unassisted birth for calves weighing 30 and 40 kg were .13 and .02 times lower than the odds for calves weighing 20 kg. Alternately, at 29 mo, the odds of an unassisted birth for heifers producing a 20-kg calf were 4.53 times greater than at 22 mo. Survival of calves to 24 h in heifers was primarily affected by birth weight. Heifers producing calves at intermediate weights of 29 kg had higher odds of producing live calves at all ages. Considering all heifers calving at 22 to 29 mo relative to 20-kg calves, the odds for survival to 24 h were 3.83 times greater for 29-kg calves and lower by a factor of .52 for 40-kg calves.     

Herd management practices associated with paratuberculosis seroprevalence in Dutch dairy herds

We describe the paratuberculosis management practices applied in dairy herds in the Netherlands. The findings from paratuberculosis seronegative and seropositive herds were compared to discover possible risk factors. In total, 370 randomly selected herds with > or =20 dairy cows were surveyed. A questionnaire was used to collect data on current and previous paratuberculosis management practices. All cattle aged > or =3 years were serologically tested for paratuberculosis using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Herds with >33 tested cattle, of which only one was seropositive, were excluded to reduce the risk of including false-positive herds in the analysis. A comparison of the management data of the seronegative herds (n = 166) and the seropositive herds (n = 143) showed that in both groups important management measures for the prevention of paratuberculosis, such as calving in a cleaned calving area, removing the calf immediately after birth, and feeding paratuberculosis non-suspect roughage to calves, were used only rarely. However, such measures should be regarded as the critical first step to control the disease and/or reduce its prevalence. Using univariable analysis, four factors were statistically different between seronegative and seropositive herds: herd size, cows with clinical signs of paratuberculosis, prompt selling of clinically diseased cattle and feeding milk replacer. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, only herd size was a significantly different factor. These results indicate that most of the paratuberculosis preventive management measures were executed on these Dutch dairy farms only to a limited extent.     

Persistent bovine viral diarrhoea virus infection in US beef herds

In the summer of 1996, we screened 18,931 calves in 128 beef herds located in five US states for persistent bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection. Of these, 76 herds were randomly selected from the client database of collaborating veterinary practices, and 52 herds were suspected by the collaborating veterinarians to have BVDV infection based on history or clinical signs. Serum was obtained from each calf in the cooperating herds prior to 4 months of age and tested for the presence of BVDV by microtiter virus isolation. Information about each of the herds (including management practices, vaccination history, and breeding- and calving-season production measures) were collected by the collaborating veterinarians using standardized questionnaires. A total of 56 BVDV-positive calves in 13 herds were identified on initial screening. Ten (19%) of the BVDV-suspect herds and three (4%) of the randomly selected herds had > or = 1 BVDV-positive calf at initial screening. Multiple BVDV-positive calves were identified in 10 of those 13 herds. Follow-up information was obtained for 54 of the 56 positive calves. Ten out of 54 (18%) died prior to weaning, and 1 (2%) was sold because of unusually poor growth. Thirty-three out of 54 (61%) of the initially positive calves remained BVDV positive at 6 months of age - confirming persistent-infection (PI) status. Dams of 45 of the 56 positive calves were tested, with 3 (7%) identified as positive - indicating most PI calves were products of acute dam infection during gestation. The proportion of cows that were pregnant at the fall 1995 pregnancy examination was 5% lower in herds with PI calves born during the 1996 calving season than in randomly selected herds without PI calves. Most of the calves we identified with persistent BVDV infections survived to weaning, and could provide a constant source of virus to the herd throughout the breeding season and early gestation.     

Seroprevalence of Dictyocaulus viviparus in first grazing season calves in Sweden

A serological survey was carried out to determine the prevalence and geographical distribution of Dictyocaulus viviparus in calves after their first grazing season in Sweden. A total of 754 animals from 76 randomly selected herds in seven geographical regions were examined between September 24 and December 19, 2001. To get an indication about the geographical distribution of the infection 41 herds with beef-suckler calves were investigated. On each farm, blood was collected from 8 to 10 animals after an average of 26 +/- 24 days post-housing to determine specific IgG1 levels against a possible lungworm sperm antigen that is highly specific against patent infections of D. viviparus. We also investigated the seroprevalence of lungworm infection in relation to cattle management. In one region additional samples were analysed from 35 herds either with: (a) beef-suckling calves that were dewormed at housing, (b) untreated organically raised dairy calves, and finally from conventionally raised dairy calves either, (c) with or, (d) without a prophylactic anthelmintic treatment programme against gastrointestinal parasites on pasture. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about herd size and management, including measures to control nematode parasites on the farm. A total of 86 (11.8%) out of 754 animals had antibodies against D. viviparus, and at least one infected individual was detected in 30 (39.5%) of the 76 herds examined. Lungworm infected animals were found throughout the country and there was no significant differences between regions, although in southern and southwestern Sweden 70.0% of the herds were infected. Furthermore, there were no major differences in the seroprevalence in relation to management. Between 40.0 and 44.4% of the herds were infected irrespective of management, with the exception of calves from organic herds where no seropositive samples were found (0%). This result is in contrast to previous findings of lungworms in Sweden, and indicates that the parasite status on organic farms is diverse.     

Age-structured dynamic, stochastic and mechanistic simulation model of Salmonella Dublin infection within dairy herds

In the demand for a decision support tool to guide farmers wanting to control Salmonella Dublin (S. Dublin) in Danish dairy herds, we developed an age-structured stochastic, mechanistic and dynamic simulation model of S. Dublin in dairy herds, which incorporated six age groups (neonatal, preweaned calves, weaned calves, growing heifers, breeding heifers and cows) and five infection states (susceptible, acutely infected, carrier, super shedder and resistant). The model simulated population and infection dynamics over a period of 10 years in weekly time steps as: 1) population sizes of each of the six age-groups; 2) S. Dublin incidence and number of animals in each infection state; and 3) S. Dublin related morbidity and mortality in the acutely infected animals. The effects of introducing one infectious heifer on the risk of spread of S. Dublin within the herd and on the duration of infection were estimated through 1000 simulation iterations for 48 scenarios. The scenarios covered all combinations of three herd sizes (70, 200 and 400 cows), four hygiene levels indicating infectious contact parameters, and four herd susceptibility levels indicating different susceptibility parameters for the individual animals in each of the six age groups in the herd. The hygiene level was highly influential on the probability that the infection spread within the herd, duration of infection and epidemic size. The herd susceptibility level was also influential, but not likely to provide sufficient prevention and control of infection on its own. Herd size did not affect the probability of infection spread upon exposure, but the larger the herd the more important were management and housing practices that improve hygiene and reduce susceptibility to shorten durations of infection in the herd and to increase the probability of extinction. In general, disease and mortality patterns followed epidemic waves in the herds. However, an interesting pattern was seen for acute infections and abortions in adult cattle after the first 2 years of infection in herds with poor hygiene and high susceptibility. Repeated infections in young stock lead to a high proportion of resistant adult cattle, which lead to a dampening effect on acute infections in adults and associated abortions. Sensitivity analyses of 24 alternative scenarios showed that a super shedder state was not essential to mimic the infection dynamics and persistence patterns known from field studies, but a persistent carrier state was required in the model to mimic real life S. Dublin infections.     

Factors affecting calf mortality in Iranian Holstein dairy herds

The objective of this study was to document mortality reasons and risk factors for mortality in dairy calves in the northeast of Iran. This was a prospective cohort study of calves born on ten commercial dairy herds from 21 March 2009 to 20 March 2010. A total of 4097 live calves were followed for 90 days after birth. For each calf details of sex, parity of the dam, type of parturition and season of birth were recorded. The interval (in days) from the date of birth to the date of death and the reason for death was recorded for those calves that died before 90 days of age. A Cox proportional hazards model, including a frailty term to account for unmeasured herd-level effects was developed to quantify the effect of factors associated with time to death. Two hundred and sixty-six (6.5%, 95% CI: 5.8-7.3%) of the 4097 live-born calves died or were euthanised before 90 days of age. The most important reasons for death were digestive tract disorders (58% of all deaths, 95% CI: 52-64%) followed by respiratory diseases (13% of all deaths, 95% CI: 9-17%). Calves exposed to dystocia at birth had 2.09 (95% CI: 1.49-2.92) times the daily hazard of death compared with calves born from a normal calving. The daily hazard of death for calves born in the summer was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.41-2.64) times greater than the hazard for those calves born in the autumn. Inclusion of the herd-level frailty term had a significant effect on hazard estimates indicating that the study herds were heterogeneous in the distribution of unmeasured herd-level factors influencing calf survival. Our results show that diarrhoea is the most important cause of calf mortality in dairy herds in this area of Iran and that environmental and management factors affect calf mortality rate.     

Abortion and Calf Mortality in Danish Cattle Herds

The aetiology of abortions and calf mortality in 65 Danish cattle herds consisting of both dairy and beef breeds during a 1-year period is described. All observed aborted foetuses, stillborn calves, and calves dying before 6 months of age were necropsied, and relevant microbiological examinations were performed. A total of 240 calves and 66 abortions were submitted corresponding to a calf mortality rate of 7%. The abortion frequency could not be calculated. 43% of the calves died at day 0, while 22% were aborted, 15% died during the first week of life, 9% died from 1 to 4 weeks of age, and 11% died at the age of 1 to 6 months. The most common cause was neonatal pulmonic atelectasis (stillbirth) followed by foetal infections, pneumonia, and septicaemia.     

Schmallenberg virus in Dutch dairy herds: Potential risk factors for high within-herd seroprevalence and malformations in calves,and its impact on productivity

In November 2011, the new orthobunyavirus Schmallenberg virus (SBV) was identified in dairy cows that had induced fever, drop in milk production and diarrhoea in the Netherlands (Muskens et al., 2012. Tijdschrift voor Diergeneeskunde 137, 112–115) and a drop in milk production in cows in Northwestern Germany (Hoffmann et al., 2012. Emerging Infectious Diseases 18 (3), 469–472), in August/September 2011. This study aimed at quantifying risk factors for high within-herd prevalence of SBV and SBV-induced malformations in newborn calves in dairy herds in the Netherlands. Additionally, the within-herd impact of SBV infection on mortality rates and milk production was estimated.A case-control design was used, including 75 clinically affected case herds and 74 control herds. Control herds were selected based on absence of malformations in newborn calves and anomalies in reproductive performance. SBV-specific within-herd seroprevalences were estimated. Risk factors for high within-herd SBV seroprevalence (>50%) and the probability of malformed newborn calves in a herd were quantified. In addition, within-herd impact of SBV with regard to milk production and mortality was estimated.Animal-level seroprevalence was 84.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 70.8–92.3) in case herds and 75.8% (95% CI: 67.5–82.5) in control herds. Control herds that were completely free from SBV were not present in the study. Herds that were grazed in 2011 had an increased odds (OR 9.9; 95% CI: 2.4–41.2)) of a high seroprevalence (>50%) compared to herds that were kept indoors. Also, when grazing was applied in 2011, the odds of malformations in newborn calves tended to be 2.6 times higher compared to herds in which cattle were kept indoors. Incidence of malformations in newborn calves at herd level was associated with both within-herd seroprevalence and clinical expression of the disease in adult cattle.The rate of vertical transmission of SBV to the fetus once a dam gets infected seemed low. A total of 146 stillborn or malformed calves were submitted by 65 farmers during the study period, of which 19 were diagnosed as SBV-positive based on pathological investigation and/or RT-qPCR testing of brain tissue. Based on these results combined with calving data from these herds we roughly estimated that at least 0.5% of the calves born between February and September 2012 have been infected by SBV.A drop in milk production was observed between the end of August 2011 and the first half of September (week 35–36), indicating the acute phase of the epidemic. During a 4-week period in which SBV infection was expected to have occurred, the total loss in milk production in affected dairy herds was around 30–51 kg per cow. SBV had no or limited impact on mortality rates which was as expected given the relatively mild expression of SBV in adult cows and the low incidence of malformations in newborn calves.     

Colostrum management for dairy calves.

Colostrum management is the single most important management factor in determining calf health and survival. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of North American dairy calves suffer from failure of passive transfer of antibodies from colostrum, contributing to excessively high preweaning mortality rates and other short- and long-term losses associated with animal health, welfare, and productivity. A successful colostrum management program requires producers to consistently provide calves with a sufficient volume of clean, high-quality colostrum within the first few hours of life. This article reviews the process of colostrogenesis and discusses important components of colostrum. The key components of delivering and monitoring a successful colostrum management program are discussed.     

Partitioning the Mortality Risk Associated with Inadequate Passive Transfer of Colostral Immunoglobulins in Dairy Calves

This study developed a method to partition the risk of mortality in dairy calves in the 1st 16 weeks of life. Observed population mortality and the relative risk of mortality in each serum protein concentration stratum were used to determine the population baseline mortality rate and the mortality rate due to inadequate passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulin. A total of 3,479 calves were studied, 8.2% of which died before 16 weeks of age. The population baseline mortality rate was 5.0% and the mortality rate due to inadequate passive transfer was 3.2%. Thirty-nine percent of the observed mortality was attributed to inadequate passive transfer. This partitioning of risk between passive transfer-related and unrelated sources should prove useful in conducting investigations of calf mortality problems in dairy herds.     

Gastro-intestinal parasitism of cattle in native pasture grazing system in Guadeloupe (French West Indies).

Gastro-intestinal parasitism of creole cows and calves, Limousin x creole cross calves and Brahman x creole cross calves was recorded during seasons of calving in a native grazing system in Guadeloupe, a wet tropical area. Calvings were pooled during the dry season for two herds and during the rainy season for two other herds. For each calving season, calves of one herd were drenched monthly with anthelmintic. A marked periparturient rise in egg excretion was observed in cows. Coccidial infection was always present in calves, but no clinical signs were observed. The main parasites during the first 2 months of life were Strongyloides papillosus and Toxocara vitulorum. Then, Haemonchus placei, Trichostrongylus spp. and Cooperia spp. were the dominant species encountered. Brahman cross calves were the most heavily infested animals. There was no clear relationship between third stage larvae (L3) population size on pasture and worm burdens in calves, except during the second month of life. Despite medium levels of infestation, parasitism inhibited the growth of creole calves: -10.5 kg of bodyweight at weaning (-59 g day-1 of daily bodyweight gain from birth to weaning). The pathological effects of subclinical parasitism were confirmed by a lower packed cell volume and albuminaemia in parasitized calves than in treated calves.     

Field observations during the Bluetongue serotype 8 epidemic in 2006. II. Morbidity and mortality rate, case fatality and clinical recovery in sheep and cattle in the Netherlands

Data collected in the Netherlands during the Bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV-8) epidemic indicated that in outbreak cattle herds, predominantly dairy and nursing cows were clinically affected and not young stock, beef cattle, beef calves, or breeding animals. In outbreak sheep flocks, mainly ewes and - if present - rams, were clinically affected and not the lambs. Median morbidity rate in outbreak herds was 1.85 per 100 sheep-month at risk and 0.32 per 100 cattle-month at risk for sheep and cattle, respectively. The mean proportion of BT-affected animals in outbreak herds that recovered from clinical disease was approximately eight times higher for cattle compared to sheep in the Netherlands. Median mortality rate in outbreak herds was 0.5 per 100 sheep-month at risk of dying and 0 per 100 cattle-month at risk of dying for sheep and cattle, respectively. Median recovery time of both sheep and cattle that recovered from clinical disease in outbreak herds was 14 days. Median case fatality was 50% in sheep outbreak flocks and 0% in outbreak cattle herds. It is concluded that morbidity and mortality in outbreak cattle herds was very limited during the BTV-8 epidemic in the Netherlands in 2006. In outbreak sheep flocks, morbidity was limited, with exceptions for a few flocks. However, almost 50% of the clinically sick sheep died in outbreak sheep herds.     

Mortality attributable to bluetongue virus serotype 8 infection in Dutch dairy cows

In 2007, bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) re-emerged in the Netherlands and a large number of farmers notified morbidity and mortality associated with BTV-8 to the authorities. All dead cows in the Netherlands are registered in one of the three age classes: newborn calves <3 days, calves 3 days to 1 year, and cows >1 year. These registrations result in a complete data set of dead cattle per herd per day from 2003 until 2007. In this study, the mortality associated with BTV-8 for the Dutch dairy industry was estimated, based on this census data. Default, mortality associated with BTV-8 was estimated for the confirmed notification herds. Moreover, an additional analysis was performed to determine if mortality associated with BTV-8 infection occurred in non-notification herds located in BTV-8 infected compartments. A multivariable population-averaged model with a log link function was used for analyses. Separate analyses were conducted for the three different age groups. Confirmed notification herds had an increased cow mortality rate ratio (MRR) (1.4 (95% CI: 1.2-1.6)); calf MRR (1.3 (95% CI: 1.1-1.4)); and newborn calf MRR (1.2 (95% CI: 1.1-1.3)). Furthermore, in non-notification herds in BTV-8 infected compartments, mortality significantly increased 1.1 times (95% CI: 1.1-1.1) in cows, 1.2 times (95% CI: 1.2-1.2) in calves and 1.1 times (1.1-1.1) in newborn calves compared with BTV-8 non-infected months. Using objective census data over a 5-year period, the MRRs indicated increased mortality associated with BTV-8 infection not only in herds of which the farmer notified clinical signs but also in non-notification herds in infected compartments.     

Detection of calves persistently infected with bovine pestivirus in a sample of dairy calves in south-eastern Queensland

Objective To determine the proportion and incidence of calves persistently infected with bovine pestivirus in calves (n = 1521) supplied to the Tick Fever Research Centre and to assess the test regime to detect calves persistently infected with bovine pestivirus.
Design Calves, 1 to 6 weeks old, selected for use in the production of the tick fever vaccine were collected from 21 properties in 56 separate groups between October 1990 and December 1996. Each group was examined for the presence of calves persistently infected with bovine pestivirus.
Procedure All calves were routinely tested for antibody to bovine pestivirus and bovine pestivirus antigen using a serum neutralisation test and an antigen-capture ELISA, respectively. Pooled lymphocyte samples from calves were also monitored for bovine pestivirus by inoculation of sheep. Whole herd testing was carried out in eight herds, using a serum neutralisation test as a screen test followed by an antigen-capture ELISA of cattle with a serum neutralisation test titre of less than 32.
Results Fourteen of the 1521 calves tested (0.9%), were detected as persistently infected and the incidence ranged from 0.0 to 3.0 % per year over 6 years. Persistently infected calves were found in 13 of the 59 groups and originated from 7 of the 21 herds used. In whole herd testing on the properties of origin, cattle persistently infected with bovine pestivirus were detected in four of the eight herds tested
Conclusions The proportion of calves persistently infected with bovine pestivirus is similar to that in other countries and indicates that bovine pestivirus could be a significant cause of economic loss in Australian cattle herds. In detecting calves persistently infected with bovine pestivirus, the combination of sheep inoculation, paired antigen-capture ELISA and serum neutralisation tests appeared to be highly sensitive and specific.     

Effect of compliance with recommended calf-rearing practices on control of bovine Johne's disease

OBJECTIVE: To assess the degree of compliance with recommended management procedures for the control of bovine Johne's disease and study the relationship between aspects of calf management and testing/disease outcomes in the herds. PROCEDURE: Fifty-four south Gippsland dairy herds participating in the Victorian bovine Johne's disease test and control program were visited between July and November 2002 and an audit of calf rearing practices was conducted. The results of testing completed under the program were analysed for each of the herds. Twenty seven management factors were examined for a relationship with the presence of clinical cases of Johne's disease or cattle with positive ELISA test results that were born after the completion of the second whole herd test. Logistic regression was used to examine the strength of relationships between the management practices and the frequency with which new cases of Johne's disease arose. RESULTS AND CONCULSIONS: Calves were removed from their dams within 12 hours of birth in only 17 (31.5%) of the herds. However, in all but one herd the calves were removed within 24 hours of birth. In 42 herds (77.8%) calf rearing facilities were adequately separated from adult cattle and the faeces from adult cattle. In 41 herds (75.9%) calves up to the age of 12 months were grazed on paddocks that were free of manure or effluent from adult cattle. However, in only 10 (18.5%) of the herds were all three of these calf management practices applied. Feeding whole milk containing antibiotic residues, or providing water for calves from birth, were found to have statistically significant associations with an increased occurrence of cases of bovine Johne's disease in the study herds. The practice of allowing cows to calve in a paddock was found to be associated with reduced occurrence of bovine Johne's disease. These associations were still found after analysis that included herd size, the number of clinical cases that had occurred in the herds before the start of testing, the number of animals with positive ELISA tests that were detected at the first test and the number of years of participation in the test and cull program. Early separation of newborn calves from cows and grazing calves under 12 months of age in areas free of adult cattle were not found to be protective against Johne's disease.