Dataset Information

Risk factors for neonatal calf diarrhoea and enteropathogen shedding in New Zealand dairy farms.

ABSTRACT: To investigate the risk factors for neonatal calf diarrhoea, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 97 New Zealand dairy farms. Faecal specimens from 1283 calves were scored as liquid, semi-solid or solid, and analysed for bovine rotavirus (BRV) and coronavirus (BCV), enterotoxigenic K99(+)Escherichia coli (K99), Salmonella spp. and Cryptosporidium parvum. Calf- and farm-level data were collected by means of a questionnaire and the odds of liquid faeces calculated using mixed effects logistic regression models. Among the infectious agents, only C. parvum (odds ratio [OR]?=?2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-5.6; P?=?0.02), BRV (OR?=?2.7; 95% CI, 1.3-5.9; P?=?0.01) and co-infection with more than one agent (compared with mono-infection: OR?=?2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-4.8; P?=?0.01) were associated with increased odds of liquid faeces in calves which were 9 to 21 days old. Housing of calves in open barns so exposing them to the weather was also associated with increased odds of liquid faeces compared with closed barns (OR?=?2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-12.2; P?=?0.03). Vaccinating cows against calf enteropathogens (OR?=?0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.9; P?=?0.03), administering waste milk (from mastitis and/or containing antibiotics; OR?=?0.4; 95% CI, 0.1-0.8; P?=?0.01), the sex of calves (females compared to males OR?=?0.2, 95% CI, 0.07-0.7; P?<0.01), and the use of straw for bedding (OR?=?0.2; 95% CI, 0.03-0.9; P?=?0.03) decreased the odds of liquid faeces. Conversely, in calves that were 1 to 5 days old, only K99 was associated with liquid faeces (OR?=?4.6; 95% CI, 1.2-16.1; P?=?0.02). In this age group, the odds of liquid faeces were smaller on farms where females took care of the calves, compared with males (OR?=?0.4; 95% CI, 0.01-0.9; P?=?0.04).

SUBMITTER: Al Mawly J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7110729 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Risk factors for neonatal calf diarrhoea and enteropathogen shedding in New Zealand dairy farms.

Al Mawly J J Grinberg A A Prattley D D Moffat J J Marshall J J French N N

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997) 20150113 2

To investigate the risk factors for neonatal calf diarrhoea, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 97 New Zealand dairy farms. Faecal specimens from 1283 calves were scored as liquid, semi-solid or solid, and analysed for bovine rotavirus (BRV) and coronavirus (BCV), enterotoxigenic K99(+)Escherichia coli (K99), Salmonella spp. and Cryptosporidium parvum. Calf- and farm-level data were collected by means of a questionnaire and the odds of liquid faeces calculated using mixed effects logistic ...[more]

PMID: 25653209

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Project description:The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for morbidity and mortality of bobby calves across the whole dairy supply chain in New Zealand. A case-control study was carried out in the 2016 spring calving season. A total of 194 bobby calves, comprising 38 cases (calves that died or were condemned for health or welfare reasons before the point of slaughter) and 156 controls (calves deemed acceptable and presented for slaughter) were included in the study. Case and control calves were selected by veterinarians located at 29 processing premises across New Zealand. Information regarding management of selected calves on-farm, during transport and at the processor was obtained retrospectively via questionnaires administered to supplying farmers, transport operators and processing premises personnel. Associations between management variables and calf mortality (death or condemnation) were examined using multivariable logistic regression models. Factors associated with an increased risk of calf mortality included time in the farm of origin's calving season, duration of travel from farm to the processor and processing slaughter schedule (same day or next day). Every additional week into the farm's calving season increased the odds of mortality by a factor of 1.2 (95%CI 1.06, 1.35). Similarly, each additional hour of travel time increased the odds of mortality by a factor of 1.45 (95% CI 1.18, 1.76). Risk of mortality was significantly greater for calves processed at premises with a next day slaughter schedule than those processed at premises with a same day slaughter schedule (OR 3.82, 95% CI 1.51, 9.67). However, when the data set was limited to those cases that died or were condemned in the yards (i.e. excluding calves that were dead or condemned on arrival) the effect of same day slaughter was not significant. In order to reduce bobby calf mortality and morbidity, transport duration should be kept as short as possible and a same day slaughter schedule applied. While these factors can be regulated, New Zealand's pastoral dairy system means that calves will inevitably be transported for slaughter across several months each spring. Although farm management factors did not apparently influence the risk of mortality in this study, the effect of time in farm's calving season suggests there may be farm-management related factors that change over the season. This requires further investigation.

Project description:Establishing accurate illness and treatment rates in dairy calves is crucial, yet calf health records are often incomplete. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate barriers for dairy farmers for recording calf illnesses and treatments on dairy farms in Ontario, Canada. An online survey was completed by a convenience sample of 88 Ontario dairy farms in 2022, with 34 questions regarding farm demographics, current practices surrounding record keeping and analysis, and factors that would improve recording compliance. Multivariable models were built to assess associations between explanatory variables and the following outcomes: likelihood of making management or treatment protocol changes based on records analysis, factors that would increase the use of electronic recording methods, and whether all calf illnesses and treatments are recorded. Pearson's chi-squared tests were also used to investigate associations between explanatory variables and whether the respondent agreed or disagreed with a proposed reason for why a calf illness or treatment would not be recorded on their farm. Producers had 3.45 times greater odds of recording all antimicrobial treatments if they used a computer software system compared with those that did not. With respect to anti-inflammatory treatments, producers had 3.11 times greater odds of recording these treatments if records were located in the calf barn than elsewhere. Nonfamily employees had 6.08 times greater odds of recording all supportive therapy treatments than farm owners. When calf health records were kept in the calf barn, respondents were less likely to report that illnesses were not recorded due to time constraints (5% vs. 36% if records were elsewhere) or because calf health records were not analyzed (10% vs. 34% if records were elsewhere). On farms that recorded calf treatments in a paper booklet, respondents were more likely to report that treatments were not recorded because calf health records were not analyzed (44% for paper records vs. 21% for other systems). The most commonly indicated factors that would increase recording of illness were recording with a mobile app (27% of respondents) and for the recording system to be easy to use (31% of respondents). Overall, these data indicate that recording may be improved by keeping calf health records in close proximity to the calves and using a recording method that allows for data analysis. An easy-to-use mobile app may also improve recording if it could be used in the calf barn, provide data analytics, and allow for time-efficient data entry.

Dataset Information

Risk factors for neonatal calf diarrhoea and enteropathogen shedding in New Zealand dairy farms.

Publications

Risk factors for neonatal calf diarrhoea and enteropathogen shedding in New Zealand dairy farms.

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