BRD

Many pathogens can contribute to calf pneumonia but mixed infections are also common. It’s important to work with your vet to diagnose the cause of pneumonia accurately and re-test regularly because pathogens can change over time.

Pneumonia Stress Factors

Some of these pathogens live in the calf’s respiratory tract without causing disease, but when the calf is stressed or immunocompromised they can become pathogenic, causing pneumonia.

Factors which can increase susceptibility to disease:

• Sick animals not being quarantined
• Mixing different age groups of calves
• Transport stress
• Exposure to draughts
• Overstocking
• Inadequate ventilation
• Extremes of temperature
• Poor hygiene/drainage
• Dietary changes, inadequate amount of feed or sudden changes in feed (including weaning).
• Too many interventions at once i.e. weaning at the same time as disbudding.

Preventing Pneumonia

The RUMA Targets Task Force has identified calf pneumonia prevention as a key area in which to reduce the use of antibiotics.

Focus areas to increase resistance to pneumonia:

• Good colostrum management

• Vaccination

• Appropriate stocking density

• Appropriate humidity

• Adequate ventilation

• Avoiding extremes of temperature

• Good nutrition

• Separating age groups

• Sound hygiene

• Minimising stress when transporting or weaning

Vaccination

Vaccination is a cost-effective tool to help protect against pneumonia by increasing an individual calf’s immunity and reducing the amount of circulating pathogen in the environment.