7.dealing with brd in flemish veal calf production

Dierengezondheidszorg Vlaanderen vzw

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Dealing with BRD in Flemish veal calf productionDr. Koen De Bleecker

Dierengezondheidszorg Vlaanderen vzw

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1. Introduction2. Situating the problem3. Evaluating the BRD-

complex4. Strategic approach

Content

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Veal industry

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• Small market: +/- 290.000 slaughtered calves on 1100 herds

• 95% in Flanders• 70% in the northern part (province of Antwerp)• Strongly integrated (>90%)• France (32%)> Netherlands (24%)> Belgium

(7%)

Veal calf production -Flanders

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• 14 days on arrival – from different farms

• 3 breeds: dairy calves( 60%), Belgian Blue-calves(20%)and mixed breeds(20%)

• Individual untill 6 weeks after arrival, then groupe housing

• Slaughtered at 8 months (250kg)

• Nutrition‐ mainly milk powder‐ feed rich in fiber: 50 g to 250g at 20

weeks

• Production of white veal meat → ‘controlled’anemia

Veal calves

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• Grown within ‘VEEPEILER’‐ Veepeiler= Monitoring program for cattle diseases

• Financed by Belgian Sanitary Fund= farmers money!!• Main Purpose: monitoring infectious diseases in cattle: both

existing and emerging• Means:

‐ Consultancy and advice for individual farms with specific problems: » guidance» extra analyses » follow-up

‐ Shorttime projects with focus on practical and current topics:» Veal calf BRD project

Situating the project

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1/. Situate the problem: mortality/morbidity figures2/. Evaluate the BRD complex in the veal calf

industry identify the pathogens evaluate immunity evaluate environmental factors

3/. Strategic approach of BRD in the veal calf industry

Veal calf BRD project: aims & goals

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• Gather figures on mortality/morbidity:‐ 15 herds (5837 calves)

• 5 HF – herds (2743 calves)• 5 Belgian Blue – herds (1487 calves)• 5 mixed breed – herds (1607 calves)

‐ between oct 2007- oct 2009

1/ Situate the problem

‘‘Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to

improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If

you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t

improve it.’’

H. James Harrington

Pneumonia border line the most important cause of mortality  

Peritonitis/polyserositis and acute ruminitis important 

Average mortality= 5,17% (127/2458)

Dairy 4,38  % 

Mixed breed 4,76   %

Belgian Blue 7,43   %

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Global mortality

Global mortality

2 peaks of mortality caused by pneumonia: 

week 4‐8 (acute disease) and week 17‐23 (mainly loss due to chronic pneumonia) 10

1 large peritonitis peak: week 8‐11

Polyserositis/peritonitis peak immediatly after a pneumonia peak11

Global mortality

Peritonitis/polyserositis in veal calvesExsudative fibrinous peritonitis

often with pneumonia, sometimes pleuritis

Several agents have been cultured:

Pasteurella, Mannheimia, E. coli, Klebsiella,…

Etiology?

Hematogenous?

Primary source:• lung?

• abomasum?

Catry et al., 2005 J Clin Microbiol.43(3):1480-312

• Belgian Blue (7.43%)>> crossbreeds (4.76%) > dairy breed (4.38%)

• Pneumonia of greater importance in the Belgian Blue and crossbreed

• Belgian Blue: enterotoxaemia, arthritis, necrobacillosis

• Dairy breed: omphalitis and perforating abomasal ulcers 

• All breeds: polyserositis/peritonitis, acute ruminitis and diarrhea13

Global morbidity

19.44% individually treated (478/2458 calves at risk) 

Pneumonia most important reason for individual treatment  

Diarrhea, otitis externa/media, peritonitis/polyserositis and arthritis important  •14

Pneumonia peak: week 2‐5 (climax week 5) (age: 24‐49 days)

Diarrhea: week 1‐3

Peritonitis/polyserositis: week 7‐11

2e half: limited amount of individual treatment 15

Dairy 17.12  % 

Mixed breed 21.73   %

Belgian Blue 21.62   %

• Pneumonia: more treatment in Belgian Blue

(expensive calves‐farmer influence?‐ increased susceptibility pneumonia) 

• Belgian Blue: necrobacillosis, arthritis (also mixed breed)

• Otitis: dairy and mixed 

• Peritonitis: dairy 16

Pneumonia on all farms the most important reason for treatment, but large variation 

Farm related: peritonitis, otitis, arthritis, omphalitis

True differences or ‘farmers nature’?17

Morbidity parameters

farm 1 HF  farm 2 HF  farm 7 HF farm 3 BBxHF 

farm 5 BBxHF 

farm 4 BWB 

farm 6 BWB  average 

SARGEANT ET AL. **

Percentage individually treated 15,72    27,31    13,77    25,81    16.67 21,84    20.35 20.3559,1 

(46‐78,5) 

Number of treatment days  941 238,00 222,00 115,00    70,00    394,00    334.43    334.43    ‐

Number of treatment days per treated calf 7.23    3.35 3.64    2,40    2,80    5,71    6.12 4.46   

5,6(4,5‐10,6) 

Number of treatment days per calf 1,14    0.91 0,50    0,62    0,47    1,25    1.31    0.89   

3,3(3,1‐8,2) 

* * Sargeant et al., 1994, Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 58, 189‐195

In Belgium less individual treatments  compared to Canada

Major farm differences

Number of individual treatments: high on both Belgian blues

Adequate individual therapy length, but not always on consecutive days

But substantial amount of group treatments 18

Group treatments

42 group treatments for 6 farms: average= 7 (4‐12)

BRD most important reason for group treatment 

* Data on 6 farms (farm 4 excluded)

Conclusions• Mortality and morbidity: Belgian Blue > crossbreed > dairy

• Pneumonia– at very young age: 24-49 days (week 2-5 after arrival)– more problems in the Belgian Blue breed– all farms, large variation

• Peritonitis/polyserositis – farm related– all breeds: differences in clinical presentation between dairy

and Belgian Blue

• Acute ruminitis – all farms, large variation between farms 20

Conclusions• Breed predisposition

– Belgian Blue: arthritis, necrobacillosis, pneumonia, enterotoxaemia

– dairy breed: peritonitis/polyserositis, perforating abomasal ulcers

• Farm related prevalence– peritonitis/polyserositis, otitis, arthritis, omphalitis,

pneumonia, diarrhea, acute ruminitis

• Antibiotic use– extensive!! (group >> individual)

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• Multifactorial• Complex interaction of different factors

(animal-environment-pathogens)• Tendency to overestimate the importance of

the pathogens involved!

2/ Evaluate the BRD-complex

Multifactorial model

Environ-

mentAnimal

Pathogens

BRD• Breed

• FPT ( colostrum)

• Oppressed

immunity (BVDV)

• Malnutrition

• Se-status

• Vaccinations

• Stress

• Ventilation and

climate

• Population density

• Hygiëne

• Herd management

• Humidity

• Dust

• Irritating gasses

• Viruses

• Bacteria

• Parasites

Identify the pathogens

I

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t

i

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Sampling 24 BRD-

’outbreaks’(okt. 07- Jan. 09)

-1.serumsamples of 10

calves: Ab BRD-virussen

and Mycoplasma bovis

-2.deep nasopharyngeal

swabs

-3.post mortems

Bacteria: calf level

Mycoplasma strongly present on calf level

32.7% of the calves: mixed infections

• 32.9% calves seroconverted clearly for M. bovis during

BRD-outbreak (63.2% showing increasing Ab- titer)

• Presence of Mycoplasma bovis during peak of BRD-

problems on 23/24 outbreaks

• M. haemolytica en P. multocida 70.8% each of the

outbreaks

• All three major bacterial pathogens found in 59.1% of the

outbreaks

Mycoplasma bovis

Antibiotics resistance

A lot of antibiotics frequently used orally seem to work inadequately

against the common pathogens

• BVD most found in serovonversions

• Mixed viral infections are seldom (5,6%) BVD frequently

found in those mixed infections

Viruses: calf level

Still BVD most present, followed by parainfluenza

IBR and bRSV seems to be less important

Viruses: herd level

• Outburst peak around 6.5 weeks after arrival (1-12.5 weken)

• 28.5% of the lungs = typical lesions for Mycoplasma bovis

• Mycoplasma bovis isolated in 61.9% of the lungs

• 33%: A. pyogenes ( suppurating bacteria)

• Mannheimia en Pasteurella found only sporadical

• 60% of the calves: BVD virus positive

• 20% of the calves: RSV positive

Post mortem

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• What do we know so far?‐ A lot of information!‐ Problems that were found: frequent therapy failure!

• High presence of Mycoplasma bovis: few specific treatments

• High presence of BVDV• ‘Common’ BRD bacteria resistant to frequently used

antibiotics‐ Too many different types of antibiotics on herd and on calf level!‐ Insufficient in duration‐ Insufficient in indication

3/ Strategic approach of BRD

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• What is failure of therapy?‐ Not working of a treatment = relapsing calves

• Evaluation of one of the outburst:

3/ Strategic approach of BRD

40/182 (22%) calves were individual

treated

72,2% single treatment (11% long

shot)

27,8% two or three days treatment

same antibiotic: 20%

different antibiotics: 80%

1e treatment Amount of calves (% of treated

animals)Lincospectin + Neopen

57.6%

Danofloxacine 15.3%Cefquinome 7.7%Tulathromycine 7.7%Florfenicol + marbofloxine

3.8%

Marbofloxacine 3.8%Tilmicosine 3.8%

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• In conclusion of this outburst

3/ Strategic approach of BRD

Product Amount of daysAmoxycillin + Colistin

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Doxycyclin 5Oxytetracyclin 10Oxytetracyclin + Tylosin

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• 24% of the doses go to calves that finally die!!!

• 29% of the doses given to 3 calves !!!(1 BVD positive, died)

• Group treatments

Amount of treatmentdays /treated calf:

5 days (individual) + 31 days= 36 days

Product Nb of given dosesLincospectin 41Neopen 43Gentaject 1Advocin 27Nuflor 14Cobactan 9Vetalgin 3Vetodexin 28Meflosyl 9Micotil 10Metacam 3Floxadyl 3Emdofluxim 6Draxxin 6Marbocyl 5Dicural 1Multivit. 1Potencil 2

212

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• What can we change in treatments?‐ Treat quickly‐ Treat long enough‐ Treat with broad-spectrum

• Won’t this increase labour for the farmer?‐ NO:

• Less relapsing calves, less treatments• Use longacting one-shot products!

3/ Strategic approach of BRD

SCORE 0 1 2 3Rectal t°C (°C)

< 38.5 38.5-39.0 39.0-39.5 > 39.5

Cough None Induced single cough Induced repeated cough or occasional spontaneous cough

Repeated spontaneous cough

Nasal discharge

Normal, serous Limited quantities of unilateral ‘cloud’colored discharge

Bilateral ‘cloud’ ofexcessive muceus discharge

Abundant bilateral and purulent

Awareness Normal Slower, but responding to stimulus

Isolated,responding slowly to stimulus, lying down a lot

Strongly reduced, few responding to stimulus

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Decision making on treating or not: Score chart (McGuirk) 

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• When do we treat an animal?‐ Temp: 40°C → 3‐ Spontaneous cough → 2‐ Nasal discharge ‘cloud’ → 1‐ Eyes → 0‐ Moderate drooping ears → 1‐ Total = 7

3/ Strategic approach of BRD

When score> 5 = treatment

With the thermometer in hand…

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S h f t l

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3/ Strategic approach of BRD

Decision of first treatment:

Score chart

Long shot or 7 days

Therapy succes

Failure of therapy:

daily antibiotics

for 1 weekTherapy failure:

Moving to sick-

bay

Euthanasia?

BVD‐antigen test?

3e treatment round?

*B. Pardon

Fac. Vet.Med.

Ghent University

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• Why moving to a sick-bay?‐ Chronically ill or relapsing calves: big shedders of

infection!• BVD carrier• chronically Mycoplasma infected

‐ ‘Sick-bay’: as far as possible from healthy calves

3/ Strategical approach of BRD

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• Last but not least‐ we know that:

• calves arriving from different herds : a lot of different pathogens!

• some pathogens (Mycoplasma!) survive in wet and chilly stable conditions

‐ key words between 2 rounds of calves:• 1/ cleaning• 2/ desinfecting• 3/ sanitary void and drying!

3/ Strategical approach of BRD

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Thank you for your attention!

Any questions?