Calf diarrhea: symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention

The young have not yet developed an immune system. In the first days of their life, animals are vulnerable to pathogenic microorganisms. Calf paratyphoid is caused by bacteria that belong to the Salmonella group. In the process of reproduction, intestinal infection produces a large amount of toxins.

Calf paratyphoid is caused by bacteria of the Salmonella group

Why do calves get sick?

On some farms, calf disease is rare, on others it is normal. Why is that? The fact is that there are many factors that affect the health of a calf. If breeders miss even one moment in raising animals, then problems can arise.

Photo of a healthy calf

• The nutrition of a pregnant female should be as balanced as possible. A cow in a position consumes a lot of nutrients, and if she does not receive them from the outside, then she spends her own reserves, and this leads to depletion. The calf in the womb has no way to develop, there is not enough nutrition, so it can start to hurt even before it is born (pathologies develop, growth stops). A calf weighing 30 kg after birth has a 55% chance of getting sick, and a calf weighing 20 kg has a 98% chance!
• A newborn calf needs proper nutrition. If there is not enough milk, it will start to hurt - this is inevitable. Experienced breeders strictly regulate this process and, if necessary, carry out supplementary feeding.
• Dirty rooms are the cause of frequent illnesses. Calves need not only to eat right, but also to live clean, because bacteria, microbes, viruses, infections, fungi and other evil spirits live in the mud, which leads to diseases.
• Sanitary and veterinary standards can reduce morbidity, but doctor's services cost money, so they are often neglected. And in vain! If the umbilical cord is improperly processed, sepsis, omphalophlebitis may begin. And an unvaccinated animal is often sick, not to mention helminthization and treatment from fleas and other pests.

Pranks of caress

The small animal often becomes a "guest" of the cowshed in farms located near forests and meadows. This relative of the ferret visits human outbuildings at night. Although for cattle, it does not pose a mortal threat. However, after her visit, the farmer has a question: why does a cow sweat in a barn when there is no apparent reason for this and the animal is absolutely healthy? "

Weasels love to have fun, running on the backs of cattle and their young. A cow or calf, wanting to get rid of the inconvenience these rodents present to him, are in motion all night. This is the reason for the increased sweating of the pet.

Females of weasels during the period of feeding their young are able to stick to the cow's udder, bringing the animal to exhaustion and reducing milk yield. To save the cow and calves from this inconvenience, the farmer needs to effectively equip the place where his pets are kept:

1. Make the shed completely airtight by eliminating all gaps in the walls and roof and making sure the doors fit tightly in the room.
2. Place scarers and traps around the perimeter of the yard.
3. Use tar as a source of odor that repels weasel.

Of all the reasons why a calf is wet, this is the simplest and easiest to treat.

Signs and treatment of dangerous calf diseases

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Dangerous diseases of calves, they are also infectious, should be either warned in advance or treated urgently. Their main cunning is their rapid spread. In a matter of days, the entire herd can become infected, not to mention the young!

• Cryptosporidiosis occurs when a pathogenic bacteria enters the animal's stomach. Usually fatal. Symptoms appear on day 3: weakness, diarrhea, teeth grinding, loss of appetite. They are treated with antibiotics.
• Colibacillosis (Escherichiosis or white diarrhea) develops from the first days of life. Caused by a special type of E. coli. The body is quickly depleted and the calf may die within 3-5 days. Symptoms: light, liquid feces with blood, decreased appetite, fever. Treatment: individuals drink strong tea, castor oil, chamomile decoction according to the recipe of a veterinarian, and such a remedy as Acidophilus helps.

Important!

At the first signs of an illness, you need to call a veterinarian, because if the disease is infectious, you can lose all calves and even a herd of cows!

Photo of the coronavirus

• Coronavirus enteritis occurs when a certain virus enters the body. It is often weekly calves that are sick. The infection is transmitted through care items, food, bowls, water, etc. The mortality rate is up to 50%. Symptoms: bloating, green diarrhea, mouth ulcers, weakness, depression. They are treated with serums prescribed by a veterinarian, but it is easier to prevent the disease by vaccination.
• Pasteurellosis is difficult to treat because it is difficult to diagnose. Calves usually die from it within 2-7 days. Symptoms: diarrhea, exhaustion, cough, swollen joints, tracheal hemorrhage.

Pathological changes

When dissecting dead animals, the following pattern of changes is observed:

• softening of bones (can be cut with a knife without effort);
• thickening at the ends of the tubular bones;
• traces of numerous fractures;
• cartilage is easily separated from the bone;
• the inner surface of the chest is deformed;
• changes in the respiratory system (presence of exudate in the bronchi, edema of the mucous membranes, traces of hemorrhage);
• organs of the gastrointestinal tract - deformed, with traces of hemorrhage, of a darker color, with the presence of mucus, swollen mucous membrane, the presence of ulcers;
• flabby heart muscle;
• the skin is inelastic.

Find out what causes lethargy and poor appetite in calves.

Non-communicable diseases

Non-infectious diseases of calves are observed, as a rule, against the background of malnutrition, poor living conditions of young animals or a pregnant cow. They are not contagious, but sometimes cause death in calves.

Photo of a calf with rickets

• Rickets appears if the body lacks vitamin D. The structure of bone tissue changes, joints are affected, it hurts the calf to move, and even touching causes pain. Typical signs: refusal to eat, curvature of the skeleton, bowel disorders, unusual behavior of the individual. They are treated with UV irradiation, the inclusion of vitamin D, chalk, bone meal, salt in the amount prescribed by a veterinarian in the diet.
• White muscle disease develops in newborns due to a malfunction of metabolic processes. Weakness, exhaustion on the background of refusal to eat, shallow breathing, pallor of the mucous membranes, dystrophy appear. Treat the disease with "Tocopherol", injections of "Trivitamin" and "Selena".

  

  Photo of white muscle disease in calves

Important!

The mortality rate for white muscle disease is 60%.

• An umbilical hernia appears when the umbilical cord is not properly overgrown. The disease is almost harmless and only causes problems if the hernia is pinched. Then there is a decrease in appetite, general weakness, lack of bowel movements, pain in the hernia. If nothing is done, the disease develops into peritonitis and the calf dies. Treatment is surgery.
• Bezoar disease manifests itself as an inflammatory process in the abomasum. It develops during the sucking or weaning period. The reason is coarse food fibers, hairballs that remain in the abomasum and do not come out. If the lump completely clogs the intestines, the animal will die. Symptoms: dull coat, weakness, exhaustion, bloating. For treatment, the calf is given drugs to improve bowel function, minerals and vitamins.
• Tympania is a swelling of the scar. It appears due to poor-quality, rough food or with a sharp transition to unusual food. Most often, 2-month-old calves are sick. Symptoms: Bloating, loss of appetite, shortness of breath. Treatment: feeding up to 150 g of vegetable oil and fresh milk (0.5 l). The animal is also walked for 30 minutes in an open area, and the swollen area is massaged until the accumulated gas is completely released.

If a digestive disorder is diagnosed ...

The reasons why a young animal is sick can be non-infectious and infectious.

Non-infectious prerequisites include dyspepsia.

It can be caused by the following factors:

• watering the calf with cold colostrum;
• drinking colostrum from a sick cow (mastitis);
• overfeeding;
• eating sour colostrum;
• late feeding, insufficient nutrient enrichment of colostrum due to inadequate nutrition of the cow during pregnancy, which leads to a decrease in its immunity.

Dyspepsia can begin due to dirt in the room, improper maintenance of babies. Any climatic deviations, whether it be overheating or hypothermia, poor ventilation in the room, stuffiness, non-observance of sanitary standards, dirt, violation of the feeding regime - they will very quickly affect the condition of the calves. Deficiency of vitamins such as tocopherol and retinol, as well as essential trace elements, leads to dyspepsia and subsequent diarrhea.

The main symptoms that are observed with dyspepsia:

• lethargy and lethargy of the animal;
• poor appetite;
• lack of interest when the owner appears;
• sides and tail, stained with feces;
• the smell from feces has a sour or rotten smell;
• the baby has rapid, shallow breathing.

In case of indigestion, the temperature usually does not rise, remaining at the level of 37.5-39.5 degrees, while with a toxic form of dyspepsia and the presence of poisoning - 40-41 degrees. In general, liquid bowel movements can occur up to 14 times a day, which, of course, is exhausting for the animal. His nose becomes rough and dry, his coat becomes dull, his eyes gradually sink, and this indicates imminent death.

It is clear that with such a clinical picture, the calf will not be helped simply by providing normal nutrition and microclimate - in such a situation, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible:

1. The first thing to do is to put the animal on a fast diet for 24 hours. They give only boiled water with the addition of salt and glucose (for 1 liter - 50 g), the water should be warm (38-40 degrees). Onion skins (200 g per 1 liter) can be added to boiling water.
2. Starting from the second day, the animal is transferred from water to an enveloping oatmeal broth, but first they give gastric juice diluted in water in a ratio of 1: 4. For cooking, take selected oats, one part per 10 parts of water, boil for at least 5 hours over low heat and give to drink in large quantities. Flax or rice is used in the same way. They also make a mixture of warm infusion of black tea, three egg whites and salt (1 tbsp. Spoon). Use 10 g per kg of animal weight.
3. On the third day, if the calf does not vilify, a little milk can be added to the broths. After another day, milk is given in 500 ml, diluting it in a decoction. Gradually bring the amount of milk to normal, but only if the animal feels normal.

It should be borne in mind - if diarrhea continues after two days of such treatment, antibacterial drugs will be needed, No-shpa is used for intestinal spasms. Boiled water can be replaced by decoctions of the following plants - oak bark, elecampane, horse sorrel, alder catkins, St. John's wort.

Bronchopneumonia of calves

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Bronchopneumonia is an inflammatory process in the bronchi and alveoli. The inflammation develops and spreads quickly and can lead to irreversible consequences - necrosis of lung tissue. The cause of the disease can be a dirty environment, stress, hypothermia, poor nutrition, dampness, congenital abnormalities.

Symptoms: lethargy, cough, nasal discharge, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, fever, diarrhea, pallor of the mucous membranes.

The treatment is assumed to be complex. Veterinarians first establish the causes of the calves' illness and prescribe medication. In addition, the breeder must provide the animal with proper conditions (space, cleanliness, quality nutrition). Sick calves are kept only warm, without drafts, dampness.

Sweating functions

The production of sweat on the surface of the skin of animals is a natural reaction of the body to an increase in the temperature of the environment or body. Thus, the calf or cow tries to make their condition more comfortable.

Important

An increase in temperature, and hence, as a consequence, increased production of moisture by the sweat glands, accompanies many diseases. And, in most cases, hyperhidrosis with a normal thermometer reading is a variant of the norm and indicates other external factors that have become the culprits of this process.

Calf dyspepsia

Most often, calf dispersion occurs due to injured weaning from the female. The people call the disease diarrhea of ​​newborns or enzymatic diarrhea. The mortality rate is 20%. Also, a disease appears with improper feeding, a sharp change in diet. It is easily transferred to other individuals, so sick calves are immediately isolated.

Symptoms do not always appear immediately, so you need to be careful.

• Diarrhea is the main symptom.
• Loss of appetite.
• Weakness, rumbling in the abdomen, cramping may appear.
• The temperature usually drops.
• The nose is not wet, the body quickly dehydrates.

Treatment is always prescribed by a doctor. First you need to understand the reason, then find the most effective treatment option, but usually the therapy is complex. Diarrhea is controlled by drugs and certain foods, and the water balance is regulated. Anti-inflammatory drugs are sometimes prescribed. The animal is transferred to a clean room, cleaned regularly, and only warm, boiled water is given.

Photo of a calf showing diarrhea and signs of severe dehydration

The reasons

The breeder must monitor the conditions of the calves. They should not be kept in a confined space. The situation is aggravated by the following factors:

• lack of light;
• unsanitary conditions;
• bad food.

The owner should immediately separate the sick animal from the rest of the herd. The immunity of young animals drops dramatically due to the low temperature. Harmful bacteria are resistant to high temperatures.

Pathogens enter the calves through the respiratory system. Microbes enter the external environment through the feces and urine of sick cows. The infection, along with food and water, can end up in the calf's digestive system.

Important! There is a danger of paratyphoid pathogens penetrating from mother to cub. Often, adults are carriers of salmonellosis.

How is diarrhea in calves treated?

Diarrhea or gastroenteritis is very common in young calves. It manifests itself in acute upset stomach and intestines. The main cause of the problem is poor quality food, milk, water. Many breeders do not initially pay much attention to the quality of the feed type, but this is very important for calves.After birth, their stomachs are weak, even to the usual food they can react in different ways. If the food is spoiled, then the result is quite obvious.

Often, an ailment is observed when switching to a new food, therefore, experts recommend introducing any new food a little.

Important!

Treatment of gastroenteritis can cause salt imbalance and dehydration in the calf, so it is drunk at least 5-6 times a day.

There is only one clinical symptom - prolonged diarrhea. Treatment requires more than one day - depending on the stage of the disease.

• First, they give slightly salted water (warm), replacing milk with it.
• On the second day, salted water is also made, but milk is also given with salt water 1: 1.
• The next day, give 4 parts of milk and 1 portion of salted water.

As a binder, the calf is given strong tea with salt (no more than 10% of the total volume of liquid) and chicken yolks. For more information on the symptoms and treatment of diarrhea in calves, follow the link -

Rickets

Rickets is a pathological condition of the body, which may occur in young animals with vitamin D deficiency... It leads to a violation of phosphorus-calcium metabolism, which often causes deformation of the skeleton of the animal. Rickets appears in calves that walk little or are kept in a dark and damp barn.

Signs: stunted growth, curvature and thinning of the bones.

Therapy consists in the use of therapeutic doses of vitamin D, fish oil, salt, bone meal, chalk.

Prevention of rickets consists of regular intake of the above listed substances and yeast feed, as well as improving the conditions for keeping young animals.

Folk remedies for the treatment of calves

Often, when a calf disease is detected, breeders immediately turn to folk remedies. But there are several nuances here. To begin with, such treatment is usually effective in the early stages, in addition, it is not suitable for every calf (there may be an elementary intolerance to the drug), and in addition, veterinarians consider them to be more auxiliary or prophylactic, but not therapeutic.

Although there are times when it is the folk remedies for the treatment of calves that are recommended in the first place. For example, for non-communicable diseases, eye diseases, diarrhea, constipation and other bowel problems. At the same time, it is almost impossible to cure viral, infectious diseases using folk methods, and some non-infectious diseases requiring surgical intervention are also almost impossible.

The method of treatment and remedy depends on the disease. Depending on the disease, you can give the calves saline and herbal solutions, infusions, chicken egg yolks, sunflower, castor oil, herbal decoctions and other products. But it is desirable that the veterinarian determines the recipe and dosage of such an alternative treatment.

Photo of a medical examination of a calf for disease prevention

Diagnostics

There are several ways to diagnose salmonellosis. The first, the most commonly used and simplest, is the comparison of the apparent state of the animal with the known symptoms of the alleged disease. However, it is not recommended to use this technique for those who have never seen animals with salmonellosis before, due to its subjectivity. In addition, this diagnostic method often leads to errors, since there are many other intestinal infections with very similar symptoms.

A more reliable diagnostic method is the analysis of blood and feces of an animal in laboratory conditions by ELISA, PCR, chromatography, or in the course of studies of the cultural properties of bacterial colonies that are planted on Petri dishes. This method allows you to almost completely eliminate the likelihood of an erroneous diagnosis and reasonably prescribe treatment.

In addition, in the course of cultural studies, it is also possible to measure the sensitivity of bacteria to a variety of antibacterial drugs, which will help to choose a more adequate treatment for sick calves.

Prevention of calves after birth

Disease prevention in calves not only reduces the risk of disease, but also improves the quality of life of individuals, which in turn increases productivity. So, calf prevention - what is it?

• Balanced diet of a cow bearing calves.
• Professional obstetric care is very important!
• After giving birth, you need to properly handle the umbilical cord, check all reflexes in the calf.
• Correct feeding of individuals - the amount of milk and other food should be strictly regulated.
• Timely vaccination of the born calf against paratyphoid fever, salmonellosis, rhinotracheitis, colibacillosis and many other ailments.
• Keeping animals in clean rooms, which are regularly cleaned and disinfected 1-2 times a year.

If you follow preventive measures and monitor the animals, then the diseases of the calves can be easily prevented or cured in the early stages.

Classification of diseases

There are two ways to systematize diseases:

• symptomatic;
• etiological.

Symptomatic

Ailments are classified according to their effect on organs and systems:

• respiratory;
• alimentary;
• eye diseases;
• others.

Etiological

Diseases of young cattle are systematized due to their occurrence, taking into account the predominant damage to individual organs. The following diseases of calves are distinguished:

• infectious;
• non-infectious.

In the following presentation of the material, an etiological classification will be used.

Skin gadfly

Newborn calves and young animals can be affected by the skin gadfly. This parasitic insect lays its eggs on the animal's fur. After 4-5 days, larvae appear from them, penetrating into the thickness of the skin. They mature there until the next warm season.

Gadflies give animals unpleasant and painful sensations, and when they go outside, they also spoil the skin. The insect disturbs the animal and helps to reduce weight gain. Calves' attempts to get rid of parasites often lead to their injury.

Signs: bumps on the skin, which are most often localized on the back.

Treatment: the larvae are destroyed before they go outside with the help of special preparations - insecticides, which are prescribed by the veterinarian, taking into account the age and degree of damage to the animal.

If any of the diseases occurs, you should not engage in self-treatment, so as not to aggravate the calf's condition. It is best to immediately contact an experienced veterinarian who correctly diagnoses the disease and prescribes effective treatment.

The product description is based on the officially approved instructions for use and approved by the manufacturer for the 2004 edition.

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PARATYPHOID

PARATIF (Fig. 1 and 2), an acute infectious disease of various types of agricultural. zh-zh, mainly young animals, accompanied by pronounced phenomena of general intoxication of the body. In mares, P. is accompanied by an abortion (see. Infectious abortion of horses

). P. sheep is also accompanied by abortion. Pullorosis also belongs to P. - white diarrhea of ​​chicks (see.
Bacillary white diarrhea of ​​birds
). The causative agent of P. is various paratyphoid bacteria: Bacterium paratyphus abortus equi, B. enteritidis Gartneri, B. suipestifer, B. paratyphus abortus ovis. In addition to cultural and serological affinity, all types of paratyphoid bacteria have the ability to form a heat-resistant toxin. Paratyphoid bacteria are relatively resistant and widespread in nature. They are found not only as causative agents of diseases and when carrying bacilli in women, but to a large extent in the environment (water, soil, etc.). P. falls ill mainly young animals (foals, calves, lambs, piglets) in the first days, weeks and months of life, less often adults (sheep). Paratyphoid infection causes various local inflammatory processes and suppurations: abscesses, pressure, arthritis, etc. , cold, dampness, poor ventilation, crowding), to-rye create an extremely favorable soil for the development of paratyphoid fever. Unlike typical epizootic diseases, which are based on the introduction of infection from the outside and to-rye always reveal a tendency to spread to neighboring and more distant territories, P. young animals are usually limited to the territory of these farms.

Fig. 1. Caseous degeneration of solitary follicles in the colon

Paratyphoid foals. The causative agent is B. paratyphus abortus equi. Foals are born sick or appear to be healthy. They lie, not having the strength to rise, or they rise only with support and show no appetite; women die during the day or in the first days of life. General infection is manifested by symptoms of diarrhea, joint damage, less often pneumonia or internal inflammation of the eyes.

Fig. 2. Paratyphoid of pigs. Scab in the colon

Calf paratyphoid. The causative agent is a special microbe (B. enteritidis Gartneri; occasionally B. enteritidis Breslau and in isolated cases B. paratyphi are isolated). The disease often begins on the 8-14th day of a calf's life, sometimes in the first days after birth. Sick calves lie a lot. Constipation often occurs for a short time, followed by diarrhea, sometimes with blood. The tempo-pa of the body at the beginning of the disease rises to 41 °, then gradually decreases. Dry cough is sometimes noted. Inflammation of the lungs is quite often observed, which is associated with an increase in cardiac activity (pulse 100 - 150 per 1 min.). Less commonly, painful swelling of the joints is observed. In isolated cases, cerebral phenomena are noted: circling movements and epileptic seizures. The disease lasts 4 - 14 days, but there are also acute cases that end in death, and vice versa, the disease lasts up to 21 - 28 days, and in rare cases even more.

Paratyphoid piglets. The causative agent is a microbe (a special variant of B. suipestifer). The disease proceeds b. hours chronically. There is a gradually progressive emaciation, a scab-like exanthema appears on the skin, the skin becomes pale, grayish. Diarrhea develops, to-ry stops and reappears, sometimes it lasts for a long time and leads to complete exhaustion. There are signs of chronic lung disease. The disease lasts several. weeks and often ends in death.Much less often the acute course of P. is observed, a cut is accompanied by a fever (41 - 41.5 °), an appetite disorder, diarrhea. By the end of the disease, cyanotic staining of the ears, neck, lower chest and abdomen occurs, women usually die after 4 to 10 days.

Paratyphoid sheep. The causative agent is a microbe (B. paratyphi abortus ovis). In cattle sheep, abortion is the main symptom of paratyphoid infection. After an abortion, there is a purulent discharge from the genitals, retention of the placenta, depression, an increase in temperature to 40 - 41 °. Often, sheep die after 1 - 3 days from the onset of the disease. In some sheep, the clinic is characterized by the following: in addition to a high temperature, a dull state, increased thirst, rapid breathing, loss of appetite, in some cases diarrhea, sheep often die. The disease of the lambs occurs, ch. arr., in the first 1 - 3 days after birth, in some cases on the 5th - 15th day. The clinical symptoms are the same as in adult sheep, but they are more pronounced. The mortality rate among lambs is much higher. The most accurate diagnostic method is bacteriological when examining any organ (fetus) of a dead lamb or sheep. Agglutination reaction can be of great help for making a diagnosis, but this method should. ancillary.

Control measures and prevention. Measures to prevent and eliminate paratyphoid diseases that have already appeared b. are aimed primarily at eliminating existing defects in the maintenance and feeding of women, at creating a normal sanitary and hygienic environment. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide women with light, spacious, dry rooms, regular walks and grazing in the warm season, nutritious and varied food containing a sufficient amount of vitamins (vegetables, roots, herbs), mineral supplements (salt, bone meal, chalk , iron supplements, etc.). Improving the conditions for keeping and feeding women gives in most cases a good effect and stops P.'s diseases. In addition, general veterinary and sanitary measures are also recommended - isolation of patients, disinfection. Treatment is symptomatic. At P. calves phage therapy (Gertnerfag) and specific prophylaxis are successfully applied. In the USSR, the formol vaccine is used in clinically healthy calves. Sick calves and healthy ones up to 10 days of age are not given the vaccine. Calves of these groups are usually injected with bivalent coliparatyphoid serum. Newborns can be given serum on their 1st birthday. In x-wahs with stationary P. among calves, primary vaccinations are carried out first with serum in doses of 30 - 40 ml, and after 5 - 7 days - with a vaccine, twice in normal doses.

I. Poddubsky

Literature: Private epizootology. Ed. S.N. Vyshelesskiy, 2nd ed., M., 1948.

1. Agricultural encyclopedia. T. 3 (L - P) / Ed. Collegium: P.P. Lobanov (chapters ed.). Third edition, revised - M., State Publishing House of Agricultural Literature, 1953, p. 613

Historical reference

Paratyphoid, or salmonellosis, is caused by a bacterium called Salmonella, named after the eponymous veterinarian Salmon, who, together with the biologist Smith, isolated a pathogenic bacillus from biological material from dead pigs in 1885. A few years later, similar bacteria were found in calves, mice, and chickens.

In 1934, representatives of the International Society of Microbiologists proposed to combine all bacteria of this group with one name - "salmonella", and call the disease "salmonellosis". The disease is widespread throughout the world, including the countries of the post-Soviet space.

Important! Spreaders of the bacillus are mainly sexually mature individuals that are capable of transmitting infection to animals of their own kind, other species, and even to humans.