Diarrhea is most likely due to calf contamination at calving from the cow and environment, and/or to poor colostrum administration and contamination
By Al Kertz, PhD, PAS, DIPL ACAN According to the most recent NAHMS (2014) report, preweaned heifer calves had a 23.9% incidence of diarrhea and 12.4% respiratory incidence. And before weaning, the main death loss is due 57% to diarrhea and 23% to respiratory incidence. The average death loss was 6.4% in the 2014 NAHMS report. This relates to the first two of the three critical periods for calves: around calving—includes cow, environment, colostrum management; the first 2 weeks when most diarrhea and deaths result; and the Weaning Transition Period—2 weeks before and 2 weeks after full weaning.
This NAHMS report was with female preweaned calves. What about the male calves which may end up in sale barns, calf operations, or veal operations? They may not receive colostrum at all, or not as well sourced and administered as to female calves, or not born or handled in as good facilities as male calves. So, what could we learn from male calves’ handling, feeding, and management? That was the question addressed in a study conducted by the University of Guelph at a commercial veal operation near Guelph, Ontario in Canada (Schinwald et al., 2022). A total of 2,615 male Holstein calves were monitored between January 15, 2018, and October 21, 2020, in batches of up to 80 calves per batch. “Each batch was housed in a separate room, and the facility contained 4 rooms that could hold 4 batches concurrently. A total of 36 batches were included in this study. For the first 49 days following arrival, calves were housed in individual 1-m2 stalls with slatted rubber flooring and open partitions that allowed physical contact with calves in adjacent stalls. After 49 days, partitions between stalls were removed to house calves in groups of 5. The facility is maintained at a minimum temperature of 15°C for the first 3 wk and gradually declines to a minimum temperature of 8°C by 77 days after arrival. Calves were fed milk replacer (MR) with 26% CP, 17% crude fat, 0.15% crude fiber, 0.75% phosphorus, 0.55% sodium, and 0.95% calcium, and had a minimum of 44,000 IU/kg vitamin A, 12,000 IU/kg vitamin D, and 275 IU/kg vitamin E. The ME of the MR was 4.85 Mcal/kg. In addition, selenium from yeast was included at 0.3 mg/kg in the MR. Calves were given 260 g MR in 2 L of total solution twice daily for the first 14 d after arrival (520 g in 4 L daily); 325 g in 2.5 L twice daily between 15 and 21 days (650 g in 5 L daily); 450 g in 3 L twice daily for the first 29 to 35 days (900 g in 6 L daily); 450 g in 3 L once daily between 36 and 42 days; and 450 g in 3 L every third feeding between 43 and 49 days. Calves were given access to grain and water ad libitum throughout the study period. For the first 3 wk calves were fed textured calf starter with 20% CP, 26.5% starch, 3.6% crude fat, 17.3% NDF, 0.45% phosphorus, 0.33% chloride, 0.21% sodium, 0.8% calcium, 13,400 IU/kg vitamin A, 2,725 IU/kg vitamin D, and 95 IU/kg vitamin E. After the first 3 wk, calves were fed a corn and pellet ration with 2% straw that was composed of 17% CP, 44% starch, 4% crude fat, 8% NDF, 0.32% phosphorus, 0.55% chloride 9=0.31% sodium ad 1% calcium.”
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Protocols for vaccinations and treatments are described in the paper. Calves were approximately 3 to 10 days old when purchased, but calf ages were unknown. “They were purchased directly from local dairy farms, drovers, and livestock auction markets. Drovers were individuals that collect calves from multiple dairy farms and transport them to veal facilities. The date of arrival and the source of each calf (direct from local dairy farm, drover, or auction) were recorded.” “Serum total protein (STP) was collected at arrival to evaluate passive immunity status for each calf. Calves were individually weighed using a digital weight scale at the time of arrival to the facility, and at 14, 56, and 77 days following arrival. Fecal consistency for each calf was scored twice daily for the first 28 days following arrival through visual assessment by 1 of 2 trained research technicians. Fecal consistency scores were recorded using a 0-to-3-point scale (Larson et al., 1977; Renaud et al., 2020) where a score of 0 = normal (firm but not hard, original form is distorted slightly after dropping to floor and settling); 1 = soft (does not hold form, piles but spreads slightly); 2 = runny (spreads readily); and 3 = watery (liquid consistency, splatters). A score of either 2 or 3 indicated diarrhea, whereas a score of 3 was classified as severe diarrhea.” Diarrhea is typically a response by a calf to digestive upset due to pathogenic organisms. I am not a veterinarian so I will not dive into this area. The effect on the calf is an upset intestine which results in loose feces. This curtails digestion and absorption of nutrients. This is bad enough in itself, but when a calf has diarrhea, it also is more likely to suffer a respiratory problem to due to stress lowering immunity. In a summary of studies done at the University of Illinois (Morrison et al., 2019; Kertz 2020), eight times more liters of electrolytes were administered to diarrheic calves than to healthy calves. Milk replacer and starter intakes were less for diarrheic calves, since when calves do not feel well, they do not eat as well. Not surprisingly, this resulted in 27% lower daily gain for diarrheic versus healthy calves. Diarrheic calves also had lower feed efficiency and lower measures of gains in wither and hip height, heart girth, body length and hip width.
In this Guelph study, the incidence, magnitude, and duration of diarrhea is seen in the figure (kindly provided by Dr, David Renaud). The most severe diarrhea and incidence occurred at about a week after arrival. In herd heifer calves, it typically occurs during the second week of life. Since the male Holstein calves in this Guelph study were about 3 to 10 days of age at arrival, so the age of diarrhea occurrence would be about the same for both heifer and male calves. Other characteristics in this Guelph study were: • Of all calves, 47% were sourced from local dairy farms within 30 km, 33% from drovers, and 20% from auction barns. • Calves were sourced throughout the year with 17% in the spring, 18% in the summer, 35% in the fall, and 30% in the winter. • Mean body weight at arrival was 104.6 ± 8.8 lb. • Mean serum total protein (STP) was 5.71 ± 0.69 g/dL with 36% having less than 5.2. • “Within the first 28 days after arrival at the facility, the proportion of days with a fecal score ≥2 (diarrhea) was 16.1 ± 13.1%, whereas the proportion of days with a fecal score of 3 (severe diarrhea) was 6.7 ± 9.0%.” See figure. • “Specifically, for every 1 kg increase in BW at arrival, the proportion of days with a fecal score ≥2 decreased by 7.3% [relative proportion ratio (RPR): 0.93; 95% CI: 0.90 to 0.96; P < 0.001]. Calves from drovers had a 55.5% increase in the proportion of days with diarrhea when compared with calves directly from farms (RPR: 1.56; 95% CI 1.13 to 2.14; P = 0.007); however, there was no significant difference between calves from auction and calves from local farms (P = 0.64).” • During the study, 65% of calves were treated with antibiotics for diarrhea, • During the study 71% of calves were treated for respiratory disease. • “Calves gained an average (ADG) of 0.33 ± 0.26 kg/day for the first 14 days following arrival. When evaluating factors associated with ADG in the first 14 days following arrival, we found that weight at arrival, calf source, season of arrival, and the proportion of days with an abnormal fecal score were all significant (P < 0.05). For each additional kilogram that a calf weighed at arrival, the predicted ADG in the first 14 days decreased by 9 g/day (95% CI: 6–11 g; P < 0.001).” • “The ADG in calves from drovers was 26 g/day (95% CI: 6–47 g; P = 0.01) greater than those sourced directly from farms, whereas calves from auction had ADG in the first 14 days that was 44 g/day (95% CI: 20–69 g; P < 0.001) greater than those directly from farms.” Calves gained 1.92 ± 0.48 lb daily during the 77 day study. • The mortality rate during the study was 8.9%, and was predominantly associated with diarrhea and STP. Diarrhea is most likely due to calf contamination at calving from the cow and environment, and/or to poor colostrum administration and contamination. In a China calf trial, we found that calves scored with diarrhea by the farm veterinarian ate an average of 5.5 lb. less starter over the 70- day study (Du et al., 2021; Kertz 2020). However, the incidence of diarrhea was low, which made it more difficult to develop a relationship between diarrhea and intake and daily gain. The Bottom Line Of male Holstein calves at a commercial veal facility, 16% had diarrhea within the first 28 days after arrival, and 6.7% had severe diarrhea. Diarrhea negatively impacted daily gain. Diarrhea is most likely due to calf contamination at calving from the cow and environment, and/or to poor colostrum administration and contamination.
References Du, C. L. Ma, Y.G. Zhen, A. F. Kertz, W. J. Zhang and D. P. Bu. 2021. Effects of different physical forms of starter on digestibility, growth, health, selected rumen parameters and blood metabolites in Holstein calves. Anim. Feed Sci, and Tech. 271.114759. Larson, L. L., F. G. Owen, J. L. Albright, R. D. Appleman, R. C. Lamb, and L. D. Muller. 1977. Guidelines toward more uniformity in measuring and reporting calf experimental data. J. Dairy Sci. 60:989–991. Kertz, A. F. 2020. Diarrhea in calves has relationship to starter intake, daily gain. Feedstuffs. July 1, 2020, p. 20-21. Kertz, A. F. 2021. Calf starter physical forms/ Feedstuffs 365, July 20. Morrison, S.Y., P.A. LaPierre, K.N. Brost and J.K. Drackley. 2019. Intake and growth in transporting imported Holstein calves classified as diarrheic or healthy within the first 21 days after arrival in a retrospective observational study. J. Dairy Sci. 102:10997-11008. National Animal Health Monitoring System. Dairy 2014. Dairy Cattle Management Practices in the United Sates. United States Dept. of Agric., Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, February 2016, Fort Collins, CO. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/dairy/downloads/dairy14/Dairy14_dr_Mastitis.pdf Renaud, D. L., L. Buss, J. N. Wilms, and M. A. Steele. 2020. Technical note: Is fecal consistency scoring an accurate measure of fecal dry matter in dairy calves? J. Dairy Sci. 103:10709–10714. Schinwald, M., K. Creutzinger, A. Keunen, C. B. Winder, D. Haley, and D. L. Renaud1. 2022. Predictors of diarrhea, mortality, and weight gain in male dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci. 105:5296-5309.
