Viral Pneumonia at weaning time.

[Ashtree]

Second year in a row, my calves seem to be picking up viral pneumonia just after weaning.

They had all gotten an ivermectin injection three weeks before weaning. Didn't notice any coughing of any significance post injecting as might sometimes occur as animals cough up dead worms / some damaged lung tissue.
Began slowly weaning calves two weeks ago by removing two cows at a time from the bunch once every four days.
Since Friday the incidence of coughing increasing steadily and some nasal discharge evident this morning.
All done with antibiotics this AM.

Thinking back, I don't ever remember having such problems at weaning. Particularly in such pleasant weather and abundance of good grass.

What's going on? Are calves becoming more prone to post weaning pneumonia?
Do I just vaccinate as a routine in future?

A

 

[pellow]

definitely more prone to VP at weaning, we always have them on ad lib concentrates for 4-6 weeks post weaning, seems to help keep their strength and immunity up, since we did this we get about 5% of the VP cases we had when calves were fed twice a day with concentrates. They will eat a lot though, we had some calves here lately at 20 weeks old were eating £1 per day of cake, but they were doing like trouts

 

[severeoversteer]

has anyone any experiences of feeding adlib silage and 2kg of distillers pellets for a weanlings first winter? the protein would be a help for them

minerals are in drinking water

 

[Ashtree]

definitely more prone to VP at weaning, we always have them on ad lib concentrates for 4-6 weeks post weaning, seems to help keep their strength and immunity up, since we did this we get about 5% of the VP cases we had when calves were fed twice a day with concentrates. They will eat a lot though, we had some calves here lately at 20 weeks old were eating £1 per day of cake, but they were doing like trouts

Mine not on add lib concentrate. Creep grazing and offered 1.5 kg concentrate split in two feeds per day in open field trough.
Few of then a bit loose on the dung side of things also, but at same time none showing any decline in form or appetite etc.
This viral pneumonia is bloody frustrating particularly when you have taken good precautions on the weaning process and weather conditions are as near perfect as you could ask for.

A

 

[joe soapy]

What is your BVD status?

 

[Ashtree]

What is your BVD status?

Third year testing calves. All negative so far.

A

 

[MrA.G.]

We vaccinate pre weaning as is a stressful period and it will cover them during the winter. Similar system to yourself with creep grazing/1kg per day and a few cows at a time. All weaned now and no signs of VP yet. It doesn't take much of a drop in DLWG of long term damage to pay for the vaccine.

 

[Bullring]

I vaccinate all my calves around 10 days before weaning, touch wood I haven't had a case of pneumonia since,yes you get the odd one with a snotty nose but I think that's from the stress of balling all day and note for their mums but it clears up after a few days and doesn't turn into pneumonia. I use risproval intranasel as you only need one dose whereas a lot of them have to be done twice a few weeks apart.

 

[joe soapy]

Third year testing calves. All negative so far.

A

Hmmm, that kills that theory then, I would have put money on it

 

[Chae1]

We vaccinate them all with rispoval 4.

 

[M-J-G]

Second year in a row, my calves seem to be picking up viral pneumonia just after weaning.

They had all gotten an ivermectin injection three weeks before weaning. Didn't notice any coughing of any significance post injecting as might sometimes occur as animals cough up dead worms / some damaged lung tissue.
Began slowly weaning calves two weeks ago by removing two cows at a time from the bunch once every four days.
Since Friday the incidence of coughing increasing steadily and some nasal discharge evident this morning.
All done with antibiotics this AM.

Thinking back, I don't ever remember having such problems at weaning. Particularly in such pleasant weather and abundance of good grass.

What's going on? Are calves becoming more prone to post weaning pneumonia?
Do I just vaccinate as a routine in future?

A

Are the calves ill with it? We often get coughing and nasal discharge after weaning but its just a virus that they shrug off. They all eat and behave normally otherwise, so I never give them anything since an antibiotic won't have any effect on a virus.

 

[Ashtree]

Are the calves ill with it? We often get coughing and nasal discharge after weaning but its just a virus that they shrug off. They all eat and behave normally otherwise, so I never give them anything since an antibiotic won't have any effect on a virus.

Frankly I would consider none of them ill with it. Two have slightly raised temperature but seem fine otherwise. Minor enough nasal discharge.
Had the same kind of problem last year, and decided no intervention needed as animals seemed comfortable and eating well.
However it developed into quite a problem within a further week to ten days. Dealt with in the end with CTC powder in the feed.

I suspect a the coughing up of dead lung worm after the ivermectin shot, combined with some viral pneumonia brought on by the weaning stress, leaves them open to pasturella infections in the lung. That's where the antibiotics comes in!

Up to last year I never had a problem, and so I wonder what can be the underlying problem nowadays.

Must consider vaccination from next year!

A

 

[M-J-G]

Were they always outside at weaning every year?

 

[S J H]

I vaccinate all my calves around 10 days before weaning, touch wood I haven't had a case of pneumonia since,yes you get the odd one with a snotty nose but I think that's from the stress of balling all day and note for their mums but it clears up after a few days and doesn't turn into pneumonia. I use risproval intranasel as you only need one dose whereas a lot of them have to be done twice a few weeks apart.

Do you vaccinate at birth aswell?

 

[Yale]

We vaccinate them all with rispoval 4.

Same here,Rispoval 4 and P.

 

[Ashtree]

Were they always outside at weaning every year?

Yes. Always try to have fully weaned outside on grass minimum 6 weeks before going into shed for winter. Always try to introduce silage at grass min 2 weeks before going in, just to have them adjusted a bit to the change of diet.

A

 

[Bullring]

Do you vaccinate at birth aswell?

No I have never bothered to do at birth as I've never had a problem, usually calve in February and March so they are turned out fairly quickly after calving onto grass.