In spring, calves traditionally appear on farms. Kids need to be properly raised and protected from infections. In the early days of life, the calf's immunity is very vulnerable, so it can easily catch an infection. Colibacteriosis is predominantly affected by babies under the age of 1 week. If you do not start treatment in a timely manner, then the death of young animals is possible.
History of the disease
Colibacteriosis was first discussed in the 19th century. Then this disease was called white diarrhea of ββthe suckers. A scientist by the name Obich in 1865 established that the ailment has an infectious nature and is very contagious. In the 90s of the 19th century, Jenson took up the study of white diarrhea, followed by Christensan and Poels. They found that colibacteriosis has several varieties that cause pathogens that differ from each other.
In the 20th century, research was continued by prominent veterinarians Vishnevsky, Mikhin, Marek, Zwick and others. Serotypes were discovered and recommendations for the treatment and prevention of the disease were developed.
Pathogen
Colibacteriosis of calves is excited by several types of E. coli. All of them are unstable to environmental changes and die at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius within 15 minutes. If these strains of E. coli are placed in boiling water, they will die instantly.
A sufficient number of studies have not yet been conducted to establish the survival of strains at low temperatures. It is only known that in soil or water they are able to live for several months. When disinfected with specially designed agents, E. coli quickly dies. Veterinarians recommend the use of chloride of lime, formalin, phenol for these purposes.
Escherichia coli that stimulate colibacillosis of calves are called Escherichia coli. They are able to have a toxic effect on the body of the animal, thereby harming its health.
What is colibacteriosis?
This disease has an infectious nature. Colibacillosis is a contagious disease that provokes severe diarrhea and the development of sepsis. Many calves affected by E. coli die.
Massive outbreaks of the disease are recorded during calving, that is, in winter and spring. Colibacteriosis of calves is more characteristic for stall keeping than for grazing. For an epidemic to occur, sources of the causative agent of the infection are needed, a high degree of their concentration and ways for its spread. For the fight, you can use the vaccine against colibacteriosis of calves.
The infection can spread both adult animals, which are lifelong carriers, and sick young animals. Most susceptible to the disease are premature, weak cubs. During an epidemic, untimely feeding of colostrum or its inferiority is especially dangerous. Colibacteriosis of calves most often affects animals from the 1st to the 7th day of life.
The incubation period of the disease
There are several strains of E. coli that cause colibacteriosis in calves, which affects the onset of the first signs of the disease. Typically, the incubation period takes from a couple of hours to several days. Among the factors that reduce this period, veterinarians consider poor care for the calf mother during pregnancy.
It has been proven that calves with vitamin A deficiency are most susceptible to the disease. Feeding on poor-quality or acidic feeds can affect the incubation period. Calves with low immunity, weak, premature are more susceptible to disease. Depleted livestock more often die after contact with virus carriers. Timely initiation of an effective treatment regimen for colibacteriosis in calves reduces the death rate of animals.
Variants of the course of the disease
Sometimes, after calving, there is no timely colostrum feeding of the cub that has appeared. This error leads to the fact that immune globulins, which are able to withstand viruses and pathogenic bacteria, do not have time to enter the stomach.
After Escherichia enter the body, the calf becomes ill. There are 3 options for the development of the disease:
- septic;
- enterritic;
- enterotoxemic.
Depending on the immunity of the calf and the strain of the pathogen, the first signs of the disease appear in the period from several hours to 2-3 days.
The septic form of the disease is characterized by the entry of pathogens into the lymphatic current system, blood and internal organs. If the immune globulins in the calf are few, then a very fast infection occurs. Some pathogens die, because of this intoxication begins. The animal very quickly grows lethargic, diarrhea appears, and the work of the heart and blood vessels worsens. With the septic form of colibacteriosis, the largest percentage of calves die.
With an enteric form of the disease, diarrhea appears, dehydration occurs. The animals begin to sink sides, they lose weight and look unhealthy. Diarrhea foams and has a light color. This type of colibacteriosis is considered the easiest.
With the enterotoxemic variant of the development of the disease, it proceeds in an acute form. The animal is growing intoxication, profuse diarrhea opens . Mortality in this form of the disease is quite high.
Posthumous changes
Pathological changes in calves with colibacteriosis have their own characteristics. The carcasses have low fatness, sunken sides, thin limbs. The coat looks dull and disheveled. The anus is inflamed and stained with feces. Often there are pollution on the hips or tail. Mucous membranes look transparent and have an anemic appearance.
At autopsy, a veterinarian discovers milk in the abomasum, curled into cottage cheese, mixed with muddy whey. The walls of all parts of the stomach have a reddish hue, subcutaneous hemorrhages are visible on them. In the intestine there is undigested food with mucous clots, its walls are thickened and swollen. Lymph nodes are enlarged. Hemorrhages are noticeable on peritoneal tissues. The spleen is enlarged, has a grayish tint. There are signs of anemia in the liver and kidneys.
Symptoms of the disease
The signs of the disease depend on the form of its course - acute, subacute or super acute. Symptoms of colibacillosis in calves may vary depending on the age of the calf.
The subacute course of the disease is characteristic of the enteric form. The disease usually affects calves that were born more than a week ago. They begin to show diarrhea, they weaken and spend most of their time lying down. Then the discharge from the eyes increases, instability of movements appears. Sometimes sick animals develop arthritis, which manifests itself in the form of lameness. In the subacute course of the disease, complications often appear - in 2-3 weeks, calves notice superficial breathing and nasal discharge.
If calves are aged 3 to 7 days old, they usually have other symptoms. Their illness proceeds in an acute form. For this course of the disease, foaming light diarrhea, a refusal to eat, a depressed state are characteristic. In stool, undigested colostrum clots, mucus, and bloody inclusions are noticeable. Often there is a rise in temperature to 41 degrees, bloating, dehydration. With timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable.
With an over-acute course of the disease, calves most often die. This form of the disease occurs in babies aged 1 to 3 days. Their temperature rises, they become very weak and inactive. Then there are problems with getting up and self-feeding, calves lie almost all the time. Most often, animals die within 2-3 days.
Infection pathways
The main causes of colibacteriosis in calves is contact with sick young animals or host animals. Sometimes, just a few hours after such communication, the symptoms of the disease appear in the babies. Calves kept under cows can become infected with colibacillosis by sucking on a dirty udder. Another way to infect young animals is milk with E. coli.
Seed equipment or unchecked feeds can be dangerous. There were times when colibacteriosis spread throughout the farm due to non-compliance with hygiene standards by employees. The disease can be transmitted through clothing and shoes. Sometimes an infection is brought into the barn by a veterinarian who comes from another call and has E. coli on his things.
The risk of an epidemic increases with crowded young stock, especially in unsanitary conditions. Weak calves often suffer from colibacillosis, so it is very important to take good care of the cows during pregnancy. From the moment of birth to the time the baby first receives colostrum, no more than 60 minutes should pass.
Diagnostics
If the animal died and he was not given a vaccine against colibacteriosis of calves, then he will be delivered to the laboratory posthumously. From live cattle, feces are taken for research, which are obtained either directly from the rectum or at the time of bowel movement. In the laboratory, the strain of the disease is determined, and only after that the treatment of colibacteriosis in calves begins.
If testing is not possible, then the veterinarian will diagnose the symptoms. This is also done in the absence of laboratories near the farm. If the calf has diarrhea, and diarrhea is light in color, then this already gives suspicion of colibacillosis.
Treatment
Affected animals are quarantined and milk is excluded from their diet. The use of hyperimmune serum against colibacteriosis of calves gives a good effect. Affected individuals are prescribed antibiotics: Levomycetin, Kanamycin, Biomycin, Cobactan. A variety of droppers can be used to relieve dehydration.
During treatment, it is very important to establish a regimen for drinking a sick calf. The owner must ensure that water is always available to the animal. To reduce intoxication, cleansing enemas can be done. Of folk methods, a good effect is given to drinking with medicinal decoctions of chamomile and oak bark.
Prevention
The best measure to reduce morbidity is to administer a vaccine against colibacteriosis of calves to all newborns. In this case, the risk of an epidemic is markedly reduced. Vaccination of cows gives a good preventive effect. Processing is carried out three times: a month before coating and 2 times in two weeks.
It is necessary to increase the immunity of newborn calves, because weak individuals are more often affected by colibacteriosis. To do this, you need to drink the newborns colostrum, but only in the first 60 minutes of the babyβs life. Mom-cow should receive all the necessary vitamins and minerals during pregnancy.
At the farm you need to carefully monitor compliance with sanitary conditions. It is strictly forbidden to use the equipment that was used to care for sick calves. Personnel must strictly observe all hygiene rules. The premises must be disinfected according to the schedule. But if nevertheless it was not possible to avoid the disease, it is recommended to invite a veterinarian as soon as possible.