Scepticemia in calves

[Cows 'n grass]

Calving was going a bit too smoothly until a couple of days ago when calves started dropping dead at less than 24 hrs. There's nothing a bit ill, they're either a picture of health or dead.

We're calving in three sheds at the moment and this is only affecting one. My vet thinks there is probably a cow or a couple of cows carrying and spreading a nasty ecoli without showing any symptoms themselves.

It's not massive numbers but it's pretty demoralising. The affected shed is the brand new one, cows have only been in there 16 days

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

 

[sidjon]

Yes unfortunately, have had problems in one shed 8 year's ago, lost 38 in a 48 hour, they were either alive or dead, pumped them with AB and now everything has 10% bodyweight of colostrum as soon as I see it, still get the odd 1.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Everything apart from a tiny jersey out of a heifer is already on 3.5+ litres which would be over 10% of bodyweight.

As we've been tight for accommodation for the last decade I've calved plenty of cows in some dirty old sheds and never seen anything like this. This year would be the cleanest I've ever had them calving indoors so I feel there's got to be some new source of infection.

I had two blue bulls that were still wet and obviously just born at 5 this morning. They were snatched, drenched and navals dipped immediately. They had another colostrum feed at 2pm, they looked fine at 5pm and they're nearly dead now (10pm)

 

[delilah]

The affected shed is the brand new one, cows have only been in there 16 days

If it's a new build there's no soil or other spoil they can be reaching to lick at or anything ?

 

[sidjon]

Our problem shed is our best to calf in, dug floor out and new stone put in and still had problems, originally thought it was from sheep as we used that shed for lambing when we had sheep, ask vet about using linco spectin injectable very off label but was the only thing that worked.

 

[Jdunn55]

Everything apart from a tiny jersey out of a heifer is already on 3.5+ litres which would be over 10% of bodyweight.

As we've been tight for accommodation for the last decade I've calved plenty of cows in some dirty old sheds and never seen anything like this. This year would be the cleanest I've ever had them calving indoors so I feel there's got to be some new source of infection.

I had two blue bulls that were still wet and obviously just born at 5 this morning. They were snatched, drenched and navals dipped immediately. They had another colostrum feed at 2pm, they looked fine at 5pm and they're nearly dead now (10pm)

Have you checked mineral levels? It sounds similar to our problems a few years ago with selenium deficiency - not saying it is but could be a possibility if infection is ruled out down the line and you're sil having problems. We were jabbing with vitesil at the time and since we now know what it is, bolus all the cows 60-90 days prior to calving

 

[MrA.G.]

Have you checked mineral levels? It sounds similar to our problems a few years ago with selenium deficiency - not saying it is but could be a possibility if infection is ruled out down the line and you're sil having problems. We were jabbing with vitesil at the time and since we now know what it is, bolus all the cows 60-90 days prior to calving

It’s not a mineral issue.
@Cows 'n grass has the diagnosis correct. Speaking with my wife here who is a children’s doctor it unfortunately occurs in babies from time to time where they deteriorate rapidly
Could it be an option to put the far offs in that shed with the close ups in the ‘clean’ sheds

 

[Dairyfarmerswife]

Sounds almost like the shed is too clean and the nasty bug has had a chance to get a foothold. Could be worth looking at Pruex?

 

[Cowmansam]

Sent you a message

 

[jimmer]

@Cows 'n grass
Are the cows OK, healthy, calving OK, etc?

 

[Headless chicken]

Blackleg?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Only time I’ve ever seen them knock off that quick was identified as crypto. Been several years ago. I don’t think your environment sounds conducive to that though.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

If it's a new build there's no soil or other spoil they can be reaching to lick at or anything ?

There are plenty of bits of soil the cows can get to under panels and in corners but calves aren't showing any blackleg symptoms.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

@Cows 'n grass
Are the cows OK, healthy, calving OK, etc?

Yes, full health. Calving easily and milking well. The calves are all lively too, they're up in minutes and running round the shed.

The only thing is the calving cows are slightly looser than I would expect for a mature haylage diet

 

[Cows 'n grass]

It’s not a mineral issue.
@Cows 'n grass has the diagnosis correct. Speaking with my wife here who is a children’s doctor it unfortunately occurs in babies from time to time where they deteriorate rapidly
Could it be an option to put the far offs in that shed with the close ups in the ‘clean’ sheds

We're going to kick a bunch of far offs out today and clean the shed out.

 

[Spudley]

Salmonella? Do you have starlings? They can carry it.

 

[Farmer Fin]

It would be highly unlikely to lose a calf less than 24hrs to an infection especially not a large number. Get a PM done and check for trace elements.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

It would be highly unlikely to lose a calf less than 24hrs to an infection especially not a large number. Get a PM done and check for trace elements.

Most are dying at 24-48 but some are sooner.

The first 200+ calves are a picture of health and the ones dying are not coming out dopey. All the cows get a TE bolus at dry off.

I've had a couple of messages pointing me towards k99 ecoli and I think this is the likely cause.

I am having some PM's done as well.

 

[Cookie]

Do you rotavec?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Do you rotavec?

No, I never have but I almost certainly will going forward.

It's doubtful whether it's worth it now because there's a three week time lag before you get any significant effect and by that point I'll only have a few left to calve and they'll all be calving outside as well.