Control of bovine neonatal diarrhoea by management techniques

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Abstract
A 4 yr study of bovine neonatal mortality on 34 dairy farms and an agricultural institute''s calf unit showed that 280 (3.2%) of 8752 calves died mainly from diarrhea and/or, septicemia. The relationship between management methods and mortality rates were studied at the calf unit. When infection rates were kept low by good standards of hygiene and an adequate quantity of colostrum was fed immediately postpartum, morbidity and mortality rates were 8.3 and 1.2%, respectively, compared with 36% and 4.1% when hygiene was poor and colostrum was withheld until 6 h postpartum. Ninety-five sick calves were given glucose-glycine electrolyte solution orally (41 calves) or the electrolyte solution in combination with an antibacterial agent (54 calves) to compare the efficacy of these treatments. Recovery rates, duration of illness and live-weight gains showed no significant difference between the treatments. Mean serum Ig levels (zinc sulfate turbidity test) of calves 30 h old were poor indicators of the future health status of any individual calf. Good management with emphasis on hygiene and early feeding of colostrum apparently reduced losses due to neonatal diarrhea and septicemia from 4 to 1.2%.