Recognizing and Managing Common Health Problems of Beef Cattle

Floron C. Faries, Jr., DVM, MS

Professor and Extension Program Leader for Veterinary MedicineTexas AgriLife Extension Service

Texas A&M System

“My cows’ eyes are cloudy and runny.”

Pink Eye

Bacterial disease

Ulcer develops

Cornea becomes cloudy

Immediate treatment

Isolation of infected cattle

IBR Virus Eye (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis)

Viral disease

May develop cloudy cornea

No ulceration

Isolation of affected animals

Vaccination of the whole herd

Cancer Eye (Squamous Cell Carcinoma)

Smooth plaques on the eyeball

Ulcer or horn lesions on the eyelids

Photo Eye (Photosensitization)

Hypersensitivity to sunlight

Cloudiness of the cornea

Protection from sunlight

“My calves have areas of hair loss with skin lesions.” Ringworm Fungus (Dermatophytosis)

Fungus infection

Direct contact to calves

Circumscribed grayish lesions

Located on the face and neck

Calves should be separated and treated

Warts (Papillomatosis)

Papilloma virus

Transmitted to calves by direct contact

Cauliflower-type growths

Calves with warts should be isolated

Warts dry and sluff

“Every winter my cows rub their heads, necks and shoulders” Horn Fly Allergy (Allergic Dermatitis)

Skin allergy to saliva

Itch sensation

Cattle rub from December through March

Hair coat becomes sparse

Reduce the horn fly population

“I have occasionally a cow or a bull crippled on one foot.” Foot Crack (Web Tear)

Web of skin between the toes deeply cracked

Damaged tissue must heal inside out

Confined for a few weeks

Foot Rot (Necrotic Pododermatitis)

Draining infection with a foul odor

Hot, swollen and painful foot

Bacteria in manure mixed with mud

Corn (Interdigital Hyperplasia)

Vertical mass of skin growth

Web of skin between the toes

“One of my cows coughs, protrudes her tongue and breathes with her mouth open.”

Infectious Lung Disease (Pneumonia) Several viruses in concert with various bacteria

IBR-PI3-BVD-BRSV Pasteurella Haemophilus Mycoplasma

Predisposing stress factors

Isolated for treatment

Vaccination plan for whole herd

Fog Fever (Pulmonary Emphysema and Edema)

Fever is not present

Toxic reaction in the lungs

Lush, green grass in spring or fall

Handled with caution

Cowherd should be moved from the lush pasture

“My calves have a runny, snotty nose.” Runny, Snotty Nose (Sinusitis)

Extreme hot or cold temperatures

Windy conditions

Irritants and allergens Viral and bacterial infections

Use of antibiotics is contraindicated

Low-grade fever

Absence of fever

“Some of my cows got the staggers, went down and are unable to rise.”

Polio (Polioencephalomalacia)

Cows are thin

Low protein, low roughage, and high sulfate diet

Confined and fed a grain diet without roughage Downer cow attempts to stand

Ankles remain flexed or knuckled over

Immediate treatment

Range Ketosis (Acetonemia, Hypoglycemia) Cows are thin

A low carbohydrate, low energy diet

Stressed from cold weather or calving and nursing

Incoordination, bellowing, wallowing and licking with tongue

Pressing against walls, posts and trees

Immediate treatment

Grass Tetany (Hypomagnesemia) Cows are thin

Grazing lush pasture high in nitrogen and potassium

Stressed from cold, cloudy weather or calving and nursing

Staggers, tossing head

Bellowing and galloping

Convulsions

Immediate treatment

“I have occasionally a thin, downer cow.”

Dietary deficiencies

Enteric bacteria and parasites

Pleurisy, peritonitis

Abscesses

Cancers

“I continue every year to have cows prolapse and retain afterbirth.”

Bruising of uterus Difficulty in calving

Prolonged calving process

Straining with prolapse of the vagina, cervix or uterus

Placenta retained due to bruising inflammation

“I have low conception rates, repeat breeders and abortions in my cowherd.”

Infectious diseases

Dietary deficiencies

Stresses of hot weather and malnutrition

Poor quality or short grazing

“I had several calves suddenly die that before dying were rapidly breathing, weak and feverish.” Lepto (Leptospirosis)

Five serovars of bacteria

Exposures to calves are from urine

Kill unborn calves and nursing calves

Vaccination of whole herd

Vaccine failures may occur

Blackleg (Clostridial Disease) Bacterial toxins (poisons)

Spores from the soil

Spores are ingested

Go to muscles and remain dormant a trigger breaks them out of dormancy

Dead calves should be burned

Vaccination of the whole herd 7-way/8-way blackleg vaccine

Clostridial Diseases (Blackleg Group) Blackleg (C. chauvoei) Blackgut (C. perfringens B) Blackgut (C. perfringens C) Blackgut (C. perfringens D) Blackneck (C. sordellii) Blackliver (C. novyi) Malignant edema (C. septicum) Redwater (C. hemolyticum)

“Some of my calves are rapidly breathing, weak, feverish, scouring and dying.”

Scours (Enteritis-Colitis Septicemia)

Ground becomes heavily contaminated with germs from manure

Kill baby calves from scours by dehydration and septicemia

Scours are caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in the intestines

Rotovirus and coronovirus

E. coli and C. perfringens B, C, D

Cryptosporidia and coccidia Provide clean maternity areas

Vaccination program for the whole herd