Lesson 16. COMMON DISEASES IN DAIRY ANIMALS, PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Module 10. Diseases of dairy animals
Lesson 16
COMMON DISEASES IN DAIRY ANIMALS, PREVENTION AND CONTROL
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Common Diseases of Cattle and Buffaloes
2) Diseases caused by viruses- Foot and Mouth, Rinderpest.
3) Diseases caused by protozoan organisms- Coccidiosis, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis, Theileriosis, Trypanosomiasis, Trichomonads.
4) Diseases caused by parasites - Round worms (Nematodes), Tapeworms (Cestodes), Liver flukes (Trematodes).
5) Metabolic and non-specific diseases
b) Non-specific disorders- bloat, ketosis, milk fever.
16.2.1 Bacterial diseases
16.2.1.1 Anthrax (Splenic fever)
Treatment and control
Penicillin should be given to treat the infection
(b) Prompt disposal of dead animals by complete incineration or deep burial under a layer of quick lime.
(c) Disinfection of contaminated byres and stables, control of insect, vectors and other carnivores, rodents and crows that feed on the carcasses should be done.
Prevention and Vaccination: Anthrax spore vaccine Dose: Cattle, a suspension containing 10 million spores, S/c.
16.2.1.3 Black-quarter
16.2.1.4 Brucellosis (Contagious bovine abortions, Bang’s disease)
Treatment and control: Treatment is by broad spectrum antibiotics viz: Streptomycin and Aureomycin. Control is by removal of infected animals from the herd. Placenta and foetus should be burnt and the disinfection of infected byres, should be carried. Prevention is by vaccination with Brucella abortus strain 19 in calves. Dose: 5cc s/c
16.2.1.5 Tuberculosis
Diagnosis: (1) Clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis from the symptoms is possible only after the disease has reached a very advanced stage, (2) Microscopic examination of sputum, milk, faeces, urine, etc. reveals the organisms. (3) Tuberculin test: 0.1cc concentrated tuberculin injected intradermally into the skin on the side of neck in two successive doses. In non-reacting animals there is practically an insignificant increase in skin thickness. There is no heat or tenderness and no oedema around the firm nodule left by the injection.
Treatment is by anti tuberculin drugs. Control is by test and slaughter method in which all the animals above 2 months should be tested. This is reliable method of control. Prevention is by BCG vaccine. The dose is cattle 5 to 50 mg moist weight of bacilli in an appropriate volume I/M and repeated annually.
16.2.1.6 Johne’s disease (Para tuberculosis)
Treatment and Control: Streptomycin may be acting against the organisms.
16.2.1.7 Mastitis
Sub-clinical mastitis: This can only be identified by laboratory examination of milk drawn from the udder. There are no visible signs. This is also called latent mastitis.
Chronic mastitis: It is characterized by repeated mild attacks of mammary swelling, with the production of clotted milk.
Acute or severe clinical mastitis: It is usually sporadic and is characterized by rapid onset of a diffuse swelling in a quarter that has been normal previously. There is a pain on palpation. The milk is not normal in appearance. High fever and anorexia is noticed. In per acute cases fever, depression and anorexia are also seen
The diagnosis is based on the symptoms which are seen in acute, per acute and chronic cases and sub clinical mastitis is diagnosed by laboratory tests. Examination of milk samples for cells, bacteria and chemical changes helps in identification of causative agent.
Treatment and control
Antibiotic sensitivity test helps in identification of antibiotic effective against the organism. In per acute and acute cases give antibiotics both parentrally as well as locally after complete evacuation of affected quarter.
(b) Intra mammary infusions of antibiotic cream Viz: Masticillin M; Strypen fort; Neothion.
Mastalon may be infused in infected udder through teat cannulae.
(d) Tetracycline: 1-3 g every 24 hours or 10-11 mg of streptomycin per 1 Kg body weight every 24 hour will destroy microorganism in the udder.
of all cows during drying off will be helpful
16.2.1.8 Calf scours
It is an acute highly infectious disease of calves "characterized by marked prostration and profuse diarrhoea caused by Escherichia coli. Failure to receive colostrum appears to be the most important factor while Vitamin -A deficiency in the cow, over feeding of milk with high fat percentage are the other factors. In acute cases there is septicaemia and death. In milder cases they produce enteritis or combination of enteritis and pneumonia.
Treatment and Control: Use of antibiotics and avoiding over feeding of calves. Feeding of colostrum in required quantities is important
16.2.2 Viral Diseases
16.2.2.1 Rinderpest (Cattle plague)
It is caused by virus .Infection occurs from infected to non-infected animals by close contact, by ingestion of contaminated water and feed and by inhalation. Incubation period is 2 - 9 days.
Symptoms in different stages include:
Treatment and Control: Symptomatic treatment should be undertaken. All the affected and in contact animals are destroyed and the carcasses buried six feet deep in quick lime or cremated.
16.2.2.2 Foot and mouth disease
The causative organism is virus. The disease is transmitted through ingestion of infected feed and water, etc. The period of incubation is 2 to 10 days Symptoms of Foot and Mouth disease include: The first symptom is rise in temperature up to 104°F or more.
Treatment: Treatment include Febrifuges: Sodium salicylate may be given; Mouth antiseptic: Wash the mouth with KMnO4 lotion 1:200; acriflavin lotion 1:5000 or copper sulphate 1 per cent solution and Foot
lotion: Should be treated with 1% copper sulphate solution or phenyl lotion and foot bath.
Control: Controls includes isolation of sick animals, Quarantine of premises, disinfection of premises and Slaughter and disposal by burial or burning of all infected materials.
16.2.3 Deficiency and Non-Specific Diseases
Balanced rations containing all the required nutrients in proper amounts and proportion will keep the livestock healthy and vigorous. In intensive large scale farms where computed mixed feed is used with limited or no access to natural forage, deficiency diseases particularly due to lack of energy, protein, minerals and vitamins are not uncommon. Proper care should be taken to correct such conditions to prevent heavy economic losses resulting from them.
16.2.3.1 Deficiency diseases of animals
1) Protein: Principal Symptoms of protein deficiency are poor growth, depressed appetite, emaciation, debility, scanty milk secretion, delayed maturity, and failure of oestrus in adult animals. The deficiency can be corrected by feeding adequately balanced rations.
2) Energy: The Symptoms are very similar to protein deficiency. This can be corrected by feeding adequately balanced rations.
3) Vitamin A: Principal Symptoms include rough hair coat, depression of food consumption, excessive lacrimation, corneal opacity and ulceration, night blindness, xeropthalmia, (common in cattle and buffaloes), total blindness, growth retardation in young animals, convulsions and in coordination in gait, anoestrum, urolithiasis in extreme cases persistent diarrhea, pneumonia due to secondary infection.
- Calves and lambs must get colostrum for at least three days. Colostrum is rich in vitamin A. Animals should get at least 1/2 to 1 kg of green fodder daily, which is sufficient to meet the carotene (precursor of vitamin A) requirements of animals.
- In the absence of green fodder as during prolonged drought synthetic preparation of vitamin A like prepalin forte injections should be given.
4) Calcium: Prolonged calcium deficiency in young animals may result in rickets and in adults very rarely causes osteoporosis, as in cows yielding large quantity of milk making them prone to fractures. General symptoms include stunted growth, delayed maturity, reduced fertility, lowered milk yield, unthriftness, and fragile bones. This also results in milk fever in newly calved cows.
Treatment is by intravenous calcium infusions. Feeding of good quality roughages, including mineral mixtures in rations of young and producing stock and or use of salt brick will be effective in controlling the condition.
5) Phosphorus: The condition pica results from deficiency of phosphorus. Symptoms of phosphorus deficiency are craving for bones, licking and gnawing of old objects (known as “pica”), stiffness of gait. Fractures of bones are common. The treatment and control is by injections of tonophosphon and other phosphorous preparations and inclusion of mineral mixture in concentrate mixture.
6) Magnesium: Hypomagnesaemia is more due to a dysfunction of magnesium metabolism and the symptoms are mostly nervous i.e change in carriage of head and ear, abnormal gait, hyper-irritability, sensitiveness, tremors and convulsions.
7) Iodine: Symptoms of iodine deficiency are the enlargement of a thyroid gland and neck appears to be highly swollen. Daily feeding of iodine salt (25 g of powdered potassium iodide added to 100 kg of salt) will prevent the condition
mixtures in rations and feeding adequate quantities of legume fodders and hays
16.2.3.2 Non specific disorders
1) Bloat: (Tympanitis): All the ruminant species are affected and is generally caused due to accumulation of gas and foam in rumen. Mode of infection is due to feeding of excess leguminous fodders. Symptoms first observed are distention of the left side in front of the hip bone. This is followed by distension of the right side, protrusion of the anus, respiratory distress, cyanosis of the tongue, struggling and death if not cured. Treatment is through drenching cattle with 500 to 1000 ml mineral oil and 25 to 50 ml of poloxalene.
2) Ketosis : This is a metabolic disorder due to disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism. The cow derives energy not from carbohydrate source but from protein and fat depots of the body. This increased gluconeogenesis enhances the activity of glulconeogenic enzymes. Level of oxalo acetic acid becomes deficient resulting in slowing of TCA cycle resulting in accumulation of ketone bodies. The affected cow will show loss of appetite, reduced rumen activity, dullness, and decrease in milk production with high fat content. Animals will have unhealthy appearance with drooping nature, discharges from eyes and nostrils, dry muzzle, sudden loss of body weight. Blood glucose level is reduced to 20-40 mg per cent. Blood ketone level goes up to 100mg per cent. Urine level of ketone bodies is 80-1600mg per cent indicates ketosis.
Treatment: Administration of 500ml of 50 per cent dextrose by intravenous injection for 3 days forms the first line of treatment. Other control measures include feeding according to the production, proportionate amount of roughage in the ration, not starving or fattening. Just before parturition cutting down the ration should be avoided.
3) Milk Fever: This is also known as hypocalcaemia and is a metabolic disorder due to acute fall in blood calcium and magnesium levels possibly due to draining of the same at the onset of lactation. The condition occurs generally during the early stages of lactation especially in high yielders. Symptoms are loss of appetite, constipation and restlessness during the first stage. There will be muscular weakness and unsteadiness in movement and animal becomes recumbent with its head usually inclined laterally. The diagnosis can be made from symptoms and history of the case. Treatment is by the injection of a calcium salt in the form of calcium chloride. Calcium borogluconate injections intravenously.
The condition can be prevented by
- Feeding balanced rations, and free access to a suitable phosphorus and calcium supplement;
- Increased calcium and phosphorus content of feed through fertilizing the soils;
- Vitamin D therapy may be of some assistance.
- Maintaining calcium phosphorous ration 2.5:2 in the diet
16.3. Deworming Schedule
16.3.1 Diseases Caused By Protozoa and Helminthes: The diseases caused by protozoa and helminthes in cattle are given table 16.1
Table 16.1 Diseases caused by protozoa and helminthes
Causative agent |
Causative organism |
Synonym |
Protozoa |
||
Coccidiosis |
Eimeria zurni and E.bovis |
Red Dysentery |
Babesiosis |
Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis |
Cattle tick fever, |
Anaplasmosis, |
Anaplasma marginale and A.centrale |
|
Theileriosis |
Theileria parva,T.mutans, |
East Coast Fever |
Trypanosomiasis |
Trypanosoma evansi |
Surra |
Trichomoniasis |
Trichomonas foetus |
|
Helminthes |
||
Ascariasis |
Neoaascaris vitulorum |
|
Tape worm |
Taenia solium,Taenia saginata |
|
Liver flukes |
Fasciola gygantica and F.hepatica |
Fascialiasis. |
16.3.2 Deworming schedule
Table 16.2 Deworming schedule for calf
Age of the calf |
Deworming as per doses recommended by Manufacturers of the drug |
Calf–on 3rd,4th,and 5th days |
Sulmet full l dose on 3rd day and ½ dose on 4th and 5th days |
7days |
piperazine |
30days |
Sulmet |
1 ½ Months |
piperazine |
2 ½ Months |
piperazine |
3 ½ Months |
Phenovis |
4 Months |
Sulmet |
5 Months |
piperazine |
6 Months |
Phenovis |
7 Months |
piperazine |
9 Months |
Phenovis |
12Months |
Phenovis |