Dairy Resources - Diseases

July 2023

Face flies can spread pinkeye and one of the earlist signs of disease is when cattle’s eyes become teary.

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Anyone who has ever had a scratch on their eye or had dust get under their eyelid can attest to how painful an eye condition can be. Like people, cattle can also experience irritants in their eyes and that can often lead to pinkeye, say the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute on a recent Cattle Chat podcast.

“Pinkeye is an eye infection that often first starts with watery eyes and then progresses to a swollen eye and even a white spot in the eyeball,” said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.

May 2022

ABSTRACT:

Claw horn lesions (CHL) are reported as the most common cause of lameness in intensive dairy systems. Despite their prevalence, the underlying pathological mechanisms and preventive strategies for CHL remain poorly understood. Recent advances have pointed to the role of inflammation in disease aetiopathogenesis. Moderating inflammation from first calving may lead to long-term benefits and a viable intervention for treating and preventing disease. We conducted a 34-mo randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of routine treatment with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen at calving and during treatment for lameness, on the future probability of lameness and culling, caused by exposure to normal farm conditions. A cohort of dairy heifers were recruited from a single, commercial dairy herd between January 8, 2018, and June 22, 2020, and randomly allocated to one of 4 treatment groups before first calving. The lactating herd was lameness scored every 2 wk on a 0 to 3 scale, to identify animals that became lame (single score ≥2a) and hence required treatment. Animals in group 1 received a therapeutic trim and a hoof block on the sound claw (if deemed necessary) every time they were treated for lameness. Animals in group 2 received the same treatment as group 1 with the addition of a 3-d course of ketoprofen (single dose daily) every time they were treated for lameness. Animals in group 3 received the same treatment as group 2 with the addition of a 3-d course of ketoprofen (single dose daily) starting 24 to 36 h after each calving. Animals in group 4 received a 3-d course of ketoprofen (single dose daily) every time they were identified with lameness. No therapeutic trim was administered to this group, unless they were identified as severely lame (a single score ≥3a). Animals were followed for the duration of the study (ending October 23, 2020). Probability of lameness was assessed by a lameness outcome score collected every 14 d. Data on culling was extracted from farm records. One hundred thirty-two animals were recruited to each group, with data from 438 animals included in the final analysis (111 in group 1, 117 in group 2, 100 in group 3, and 110 in group 4). Mixed effect logistic regression models were used to evaluate the effect of treatment group on the ongoing probability of lameness. Compared with the control group (group 1), animals in group 3 were less likely to become lame (odds ratio: 0.66) and severely lame (odds ratio: 0.28). A Cox proportional hazards survival model was used to investigate the effect of treatment group on time to culling. Compared with group 1, animals in groups 2 and 3 were at reduced risk of culling (hazard ratios: 0.55 and 0.56, respectively). The lameness effect size we identified was large and indicated that treating a cohort of animals with the group 3 protocol, would lead to an absolute reduction in population lameness prevalence of approximately 10% and severe lameness prevalence of 3%, compared with animals treated in accordance with conventional best practice (group 1).

J.P. Wilson, M.J. Green, L.V. Randall, J.S. Thompson, N.J. Bollard, J.N. Huxley
Journal of Dairy Science DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21329

November 2021

Serotonin found to be an important factor in calcium homeostasis in dairy cows

Research over the last decade has focused on understanding the shift in calcium metabolism, with an emphasis on the relationship of serotonin with calcium during the transition period and lactation. (Public Domain)

October 2021

Helena, Mont. – Bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been confirmed in a Montana beef herd for the first time in decades. The Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) confirmed TB in a Blaine County herd following detection of the disease in a cow at slaughter. The infected cow was identified by meat inspectors during routine inspection at a Minnesota plant. Identification collected from the infected cow at the time of slaughter linked the animal to a Blaine County beef herd and subsequent herd testing revealed additional TB infected animals. The herd has been placed under quarantine.

October 2021

These images show a yearling heifer that died at 19 days on feed after having been treated for signs of lameness two days prior to death. (Feedlot Health Management Services)

These images show a yearling heifer that died at 19 days on feed after having been treated for signs of lameness two days prior to death.

The team at Feedlot Health Management Services diagnosed this case as toe tip necrosis syndrome (TTNS), a disease process characterized by necrosis of the third phalangeal bone (P3).

September 2021

Abstract:

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of peripartal administration of a commercially available nonspecific immune stimulant (mycobacterium cell wall fraction; MCWF [Amplimune, NovaVive Inc., Napanee, ON, Canada]) on the incidence of disease during early lactation and subsequent fertility of dairy cows. A second objective was to characterize the dynamics of circulating white blood cells (WBC) and metabolic markers following treatment administration. Cows in an United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic-certified dairy herd were blocked by parity and, based on sequential calving dates, randomly assigned to receive two injections (5 mL s.c.) of either a placebo (saline solution) as a control (CON; n = 71) or MCWF (n = 65) at enrollment (7 d before expected calving) and within 24 h after calving. Blood samples were collected from a subsample of the study population (MCWF = 16; CON = 18) for WBC count at enrollment, at day 2 post enrollment, and at days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after calving. Serum fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and Ca concentrations were determined at days 1 and 7 postpartum (MCWF = 21; CON = 21). Main outcome variables included incidence risk of peripartal and early lactation health disorders and pregnancy at first artificial insemination (AI), at 100, and at 150 days in milk (DIM). In addition, the average daily milk yield up to 90 DIM and death and live culling before 305 DIM were compared. Treatment effects were assessed using multivariable logistic regression, time-to-event analyses, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). A treatment effect on the incidence risk of some of the health disorders in the study was established. Incidence risk of metritis and clinical mastitis

Gilberto Solano-Suárez, Luciano S Caixeta, Alexander Masic, Diego Manríquez, Luciana Hatamoto-Zervoudakis, Sushil Paudyal, Ana Velasquez-Munoz, Juan Velez, Pablo J Pinedo
Journal of Animal Science, Volume 99, Issue 9, September 2021, skab191, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab191

September 2021

Want to keep disease out of your calf barn? If so, it might be prudent to take a page from the biosecurity measures of our pig-and-poultry-raising kin, and set up a “Danish entry.” (Taylor Leach)

It’s a concept that has been in use for years in poultry and swine facilities, and one that can offer the same biosecurity benefits to calf-raising facilities. The “Danish entry” system can help keep disease out by creating distinct sanitation zones which are separated by a bench.

September 2021

Drug resides in milk and clinical efficacy

Salicylic acid (SA) provides similar treatment efficacy to tetracycline-class antibiotic drugs for the treatment of digital dermatitis (DD) in dairy cows. No milk withholding time following SA treatment has been established in the United States. The objective of this study was to generate data about drug residues in milk following topical treatment of DD lesions with SA. Cows with active (M2 stage) DD lesions were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: salicylic acid paste, salicylic acid powder, or tetracycline powder. Lesions were photographed digitally and thermographically and scored using the M-stage scoring system before treatment and at 7 and 28 d post-treatment. Milk samples were collected before treatment and at 4 h, 8 h, 24 h, 36 h, and 48 h afterward. Most cows did not have detectable salicylic acid in their milk more than 24 hours after treatment; however, 3 cows had detectable levels of SA at 36 hours post treatment. Treatments did not differ in their effects on DD lesions. These data suggest that milk from treated cows should not be used or sold for at least 48 hours following the topical treatment of DD lesions with salicylic acid.

Kelsey M. Wirt, Jennifer M. Young, Gerard Cramer, Sarah A. Wagner
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol55no1p45-51

July 2021
Dr. Gustavo M. Schuenemann and Dr. Jeffrey D. Workman, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio State University Extension

Johne’s disease is a chronic enteritis associated with ruminants caused by the intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). MAP is a highly prevalent and costly disease worldwide in large and small ruminant species, such as cattle, sheep, and goats. In the US, it is estimated that over 90% of dairy herds are infected with MAP. The clinical signs are characterized by chronic diarrhea with body weight loss in the later stages of infection. It has been shown that the subclinical stages of MAP were associated with decreased milk yield and higher risk for other common production diseases due to body weight loss and debilitating immune response. Infected animals with MAP are difficult to identify and segregate from the herd or flock due to: (1) long incubation period (it could take years), (2) the absence of clinical signs until advanced stages, and (3) the lack of reliable diagnostic methods. Newborn animals are infected at the time of parturition by ingesting MAP via colostrum and milk as well as environmental exposure to MAP in manure from infected cows. Identification of MAP in feces is performed by culture or PCR, or sometimes by serum ELISA to identify antibodies against MAP. Although these testing methods are rapid and cost-effective, the efficacy of MAP detection is almost entirely dependent on the immune status of the host.

Vaccination is recognized as an effective method to prevent infections in livestock. There are a few commercially available vaccines for Johne’s disease worldwide (e.g., Gudair, Silirium); however, in the US, Mycopar® was the only USDA-licensed vaccine available for use (discontinued in the US in 2019). Its use was restricted to cattle, and only under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The increasing prevalence of MAP requires new efficacious vaccines as an essential management tool to control MAP. A recent study assessed the effectiveness of pooled MAP recombinant proteins as a potential vaccine. Two separate studies were carried out: 1) In the first study, vaccinated two-week old calves were immunized with a total of 400 µg protein cocktail per dose and 2) the second study compared doses of 400 µg versus 800 µg of protein cocktail using another set of two-week old calves. Calves were vaccinated twice 14 days apart starting at two weeks of age, then vaccinated and nonvaccinated control calves were inoculated orally three times with live MAP isolated from infected cows. At the end of 12 months study period, the authors showed that vaccinated animals had significantly reduced tissue colonization with MAP compared to control animals. Calves immunized with the higher dose had improved protection with reduced MAP burden. Furthermore, there was a negligible level of cross-reactivity between M. avium and M. bovis antigens, suggesting that infection could be differentiated from vaccinated animals when using serology assays. The authors concluded that vaccination of calves with the pooled four recombinant MAP proteins was efficacious in reducing tissue colonization and fecal shedding. Although experimentally, this novel vaccine has the potential to prevent or reduce the spread of Johne’s disease in cattle.

This study was conducted at the USDA-ARS, National Animal Disease Center located in Ames, IA. Please find below the reference for additional details:

Stabel, J.R., and J.P. Bannantine. 2021. Reduced tissue colonization of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in neonatal calves vaccinated with a cocktail of recombinant proteins. Vaccine 39:3131–3140.

April 2021

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Bovine anaplasmosis, caused by the hemobacteria Anaplasma marginale (Am) is the most prevalent tick-transmitted disease of cattle worldwide and is associated with significant production losses in cattle. The objective of this survey was to investigate the within-herd seroprevalence of antibodies to Am and the relationship between disease status and milk production after anaplasmosis outbreak in a northern Iowa dairy herd.