Calves with ear down

[Bad suckler Farmer]

Well
We have a handy size suckler herd in Ireland
Herd health is pretty good
For the last couple of years we have had a health problem with the calves from about 4-5 months of age- An ear drops,it’s like they have a headache, it’s not from tagging or dehorning , the calf usually looks fine but on examination it will have a temperature! Hexasol, Nuflor, etc usually work. Some calves get recurring ear drop. And then late Summer it usually peters out
This year we went with the Intranasal vaccine at 9 days to try stop the problem but we started getting it in younger calves, maybe it had something to do with them being indoors for an extended period ?
We don’t have any other major health issues once this illness passes in their lives
We blooded the cows in the IBR scheme last year and no issues arose?
Has anyone else seen this problem?

 

[egbert]

Well
We have a handy size suckler herd in Ireland
Herd health is pretty good
For the last couple of years we have had a health problem with the calves from about 4-5 months of age- An ear drops,it’s like they have a headache, it’s not from tagging or dehorning , the calf usually looks fine but on examination it will have a temperature! Hexasol, Nuflor, etc usually work. Some calves get recurring ear drop. And then late Summer it usually peters out
This year we went with the Intranasal vaccine at 9 days to try stop the problem but we started getting it in younger calves, maybe it had something to do with them being indoors for an extended period ?
We don’t have any other major health issues once this illness passes in their lives
We blooded the cows in the IBR scheme last year and no issues arose?
Has anyone else seen this problem?

Is it the neighbours brahma/droughtmaster bull breaking in night-times?

(sorry to make light....no idea what the problem is myself)

 

[Bad suckler Farmer]

You’d have to make light of it otherwise it would drive you round the twist!
Feckin deer are the only visitors we get
Thanks

 

[devonbeef]

Well
We have a handy size suckler herd in Ireland
Herd health is pretty good
For the last couple of years we have had a health problem with the calves from about 4-5 months of age- An ear drops,it’s like they have a headache, it’s not from tagging or dehorning , the calf usually looks fine but on examination it will have a temperature! Hexasol, Nuflor, etc usually work. Some calves get recurring ear drop. And then late Summer it usually peters out
This year we went with the Intranasal vaccine at 9 days to try stop the problem but we started getting it in younger calves, maybe it had something to do with them being indoors for an extended period ?
We don’t have any other major health issues once this illness passes in their lives
We blooded the cows in the IBR scheme last year and no issues arose?
Has anyone else seen this probl

Well
We have a handy size suckler herd in Ireland
Herd health is pretty good
For the last couple of years we have had a health problem with the calves from about 4-5 months of age- An ear drops,it’s like they have a headache, it’s not from tagging or dehorning , the calf usually looks fine but on examination it will have a temperature! Hexasol, Nuflor, etc usually work. Some calves get recurring ear drop. And then late Summer it usually peters out
This year we went with the Intranasal vaccine at 9 days to try stop the problem but we started getting it in younger calves, maybe it had something to do with them being indoors for an extended period ?
We don’t have any other major health issues once this illness passes in their lives
We blooded the cows in the IBR scheme last year and no issues arose?
Has anyone else seen this problem?

Mycoplasma bovis

 

[puppet]

Could it be tick- borne fever though you suggest indoor calves are infected too?

 

[Werzle]

Sounds like abit of pneumonia going through them, tested for bvd? Sometimes it will lower immunity abit and vaccinating for it will see improved calve health . Calfs going around trying to pinch milk will get odd kicks which will result in a droopy ear or lumps on jaws etc but they wouldnt have a temp.

 

[milkloss]

I would agree with a transient Bvd infection going round to be likely but it doesn’t go with the one ear. In my experience malaise will make a calf drop both.

we have had problems in sheep which makes them drop one ear and that is usually a listeriosis/ meningeoccocal type thing or a spinal cyst/abcess. Had a pet sheep went for X-rays and the full works!

I see cattle get the same:

Listeriosis

Listeriosis is a zoonotic bacterial infection that can affect cattle fertility and reproduction. Learn about the symptoms, epidemiology, the impact it may have on reproduction, and ways to control the disease.

www.partners-in-reproduction.com

 

[Cereal Killer]

I would also suggest Mycoplasma Bovis.

Mycoplasma Bovis | AHDB

Mycoplasma bovis causes several diseases in cattle inlcuding respiratory disease in calves, ear infections (otitis media) and can cause arthritis, mastitis and pneumonia in older animals.

ahdb.org.uk

 

[ladycrofter]

Have only seen ear droop in listeria, with sheep tho.

 

[AndrewM]

I would also suggest Mycoplasma Bovis.

Mycoplasma Bovis | AHDB

Mycoplasma bovis causes several diseases in cattle inlcuding respiratory disease in calves, ear infections (otitis media) and can cause arthritis, mastitis and pneumonia in older animals.

ahdb.org.uk

vets can do a nasal swab to test for mycoplasma

if its positive, i recommend myco-b vaccine, this made a big benifit to pneumonia rates rearing milk calves over winter here

Product info for Myco-B ONE DOSE vaccine

Package/label information for Myco-B ONE DOSE vaccine against penumina & arthritic forms of Mycoplamsa infection

www.myco-b.com

 

[Jasper]

After the wet winter of 2015 and this winter just gone we had a lot of problems with trace elements deficiencies we had calves with droopy ears and it turned out to be selenium deficiency