Veterinarian Niels Geurts ‘80% are airway problems’

Transporting young calves and placing them in a new environment with calves from other farms represents a huge health challenge. Veterinarian Niels Geurts of The veterinary practice in The Netherlands sees the consequences of the process daily on farms with calves for meat production. “Resistance levels fall and the infection load rises.” Based on this experience, he is in a perfect position to point out areas for improvement in calf rearing on dairy farms. “Make sure the conditions are so good that the calves can build up maximum resistance.”

Mainly airway disorders

80% of all ­problems he comes across among his clients with calves for meat production are airway disorders. “They are multifactor disorders in which viruses, bacteria and mycoplasma all cause ­problems at the same time,” he explained. “The art lies in keeping the infection load low and the resistance of the calf-high.” Resistance is all about climate, accommodation, animal flows on the farm, management and also water and feed, summarised Niels. “I could mention several other key themes for resistance, for example, colostrum management. Raising the resistance of calves by vaccination proves most effective if ‘all the conditions are right. The key is to organise the conditions for the calf in such a way that they achieve maximum resistance.”

Working according to protocols at the herd level

One clear example is the issue of placing larger groups of calves together. “The larger the group, the higher the infection load,” explained the veterinarian. “As farms become larger, ever larger groups are created. And that changes the management approach too: from a more individual approach to working at herd level according to fixed protocols.”
For the livestock farmer, too, it means taking more time to observe the calves and quickly identifying any ­problems. “And then the farmer needs to know exactly what to do.” The veterinarian made it clear, for example, that there is no need for a farmer to worry unduly about a calf with a runny nose. “But it should set him thinking. Let’s take its temperature. Timely response and rapid intervention are vital,” suggested Niels. “It helps limit the damage and speeds up recovery.”

The value of scorecards

To assist livestock farmers in recognising diseases and to provide advice on follow-up, a set of scorecards have been produced. They make it possible to assess a sick calf in clear steps, identify the cause and decide on the correct treatment. “It takes training and a certain degree of knowledge of calf health. The use of vitamin preparations and painkillers can help accelerate recovery and further restrict the damage.” In several cases, it is advisable to separate the calf in an individual sick bay. “To prevent the infection load from rising too high.”
Niels favours a planned approach to young cattle rearing, based on scorecards. “Livestock farmers need to work alongside their veterinarian and young cattle ­specialist. Make use of each other’s expertise. It should be a regular item on the agenda for every farm visit,” he suggested. “By sharing with others, you avoid tunnel vision.” At the end of the day, it is not all that difficult to understand. “Make sure the infection load is kept low, and resistance levels high. That is the best you can do to keep your calves healthy.”

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