Healthy calves

Healthy youngstock are the foundation of future profits, and you want to avoid the costs of medical care as much as possible. Fresh air, fresh water, high-quality feed, and a hygienic environment are prerequisites for ensuring healthy calves. Place the calf igloos at a location that you visit on a regular basis. If you are using an OpenTop, place the pens inside the location. Placing hutches at or in locations you visit regularly will enable you to see if there are any problems with the calves. In designing its products, VDK Agri pays extra attention to ensure they provide good ventilation and reflect sunlight.

 

Pathogens causing respiratory problems

  • Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is a viral disease that causes respiratory problems in calves.
  • Laryngeal diphtheria is a local inflammation in the mucous membranes of the larynx caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum.
  • IBR is an acute viral disease that affects the upper respiratory tract in particular.
  • Pasteurella bacteria can cause acute respiratory infections in calves, affecting the lungs and pleura.
  • BRSV is a viral infection that affects the respiratory tract, especially in young cattle.

Hygiene (reducing infection rate) and climate play a very important role in preventing the spread of this infection!

Pathogens causing diarrhoea

  • E. Coli is caused by a single-celled parasite Eimeria bovis or Eimeria zuernii (0 to 6 days).
  • Cryptosporidium leads to gastro-intestinal illnesses in calves (aged 5 to 20 days) caused by single-celled parasites (Cryptosporidium spp). This is usually accompanied by viral or nutritional diarrhoea.
  • Rota Corona virus leads to an intestinal infection in young calves (aged approximately 7 to 21 days), caused by the Rota Corona virus.
  • Clostridium leads to symptoms of disease caused by toxins (antigens) of Clostidium perfringens type A, which may multiply very strongly in the intestines under certain conditions.
  • Salmonella - Salmonella dublin bacteria cause high fever, lung disease, and intestinal inflammation. Diarrhoea caused by Salmonella dublin occurs mainly from the sixth week onwards and is often accompanied by pneumonia. Salmonella typhimurium bacteria can cause intestinal inflammation and mortality. Calves are susceptible during the entire rearing process, in particular during their second to sixth week.

 Hygiene (reducing infection rate) and climate play a very important role in preventing the spread of this infection!

Other infections

  • Anaemia (haemoglobin deficiency)
  • Bluetongue disease (Bluetongue virus [BTV])
  • Diphtheria (Fusobacterium necrophorum)
  • Neurological disorders (cerebral necrosis or meningitis)
  • Skin disorders (e.g. ringworm, scabies, warts, zinc deficiency)
  • Navel inflammation
  • Paratuberculosis (Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis)
  • BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea)