Abstract #W24
Section: Animal Health
Session: Animal Health: Dairy calves & heifers
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Wednesday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Gatlin Ballroom
Session: Animal Health: Dairy calves & heifers
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Wednesday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Gatlin Ballroom
# W24
Prevalence of bovine respiratory disease in pre-weaned dairy calves in Northern California.
Betsy M. Karle*1, Sasha A. Dubrovsky2, William J. Love3, Deniece R. Williams3, Jeffery W. Stackhouse4, Randall J. Anderson5, Alison L. Van Eenennaam2, Terry W. Lehenbauer3,5, Sharif S. Aly3,5, 1University of California Cooperative Extension, Orland, CA, 2University of California Department of Animal Science, Davis, CA, 3UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, Tulare, CA, 4University of California Cooperative Extension, Eureka, CA, 5California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Health Branch, Sacramento, CA, 6Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
Key Words: BRD, preweaned calves, scoring system
Prevalence of bovine respiratory disease in pre-weaned dairy calves in Northern California.
Betsy M. Karle*1, Sasha A. Dubrovsky2, William J. Love3, Deniece R. Williams3, Jeffery W. Stackhouse4, Randall J. Anderson5, Alison L. Van Eenennaam2, Terry W. Lehenbauer3,5, Sharif S. Aly3,5, 1University of California Cooperative Extension, Orland, CA, 2University of California Department of Animal Science, Davis, CA, 3UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, Tulare, CA, 4University of California Cooperative Extension, Eureka, CA, 5California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Health Branch, Sacramento, CA, 6Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is one of the most important diseases affecting the health of dairy calves. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the prevalence of BRD in pre-weaned dairy calves and identify management practices that may be risk factors for BRD. A total of 31 dairies in 3 regions in Northern California were surveyed by convenience sample. Represented counties included Humboldt and Del Norte (Region 1, average herd size 788, n = 10), Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino (Region 2, average herd size 305, n = 11), and Glenn, Tehama and Yuba (Region 3, average herd size 1,010, n = 10). A comprehensive questionnaire focusing on calf management practices and relevant demographic information was administered via in-person interviews at each dairy. Calves currently raised on each dairy were randomly sampled and evaluated using the California BRD scoring system. A total of 1,438 calves were evaluated, and mean BRD prevalence was 10.2% (95% CI 8.7, 11.6), which did not differ significantly across regions (P = 0.67; 10.7% Region 1, 8.9% Region 2 and 12.5% Region 3). Overall BRD prevalence was 10.5% on organic dairies and 10.8% on conventional dairies (P = 0.93). Herd size, volume of colostrum fed within 12 h of birth, testing colostrum for IgG concentration or age that calves were moved to group pens were not significantly associated with BRD prevalence at the herd level. Additionally, age, sex, and airborne ammonia concentrations within 1 foot of the hutch or housing floor were not significantly associated with BRD in calves. Group housing of pre-weaned calves was common in Northern California, with pens containing between 2 to 40 calves, and significantly increased the odds of BRD (OR 1.07, P < 0.001). Additionally, the prevalence of BRD in Jersey calves was 2.2 times higher than in Holstein calves (P < 0.001). Respiratory disease clearly affects calves throughout Northern California. While factors affecting the prevalence of BRD are apparent, further research is needed to identify additional management practices that affect prevalence of respiratory disease in pre-weaned dairy calves.
Key Words: BRD, preweaned calves, scoring system
