{"id":18026,"date":"2025-03-19T11:48:05","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T11:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herdwatch.com\/en-ie\/?p=18026"},"modified":"2025-03-19T11:48:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T11:48:46","slug":"calving-and-the-risk-of-pneumonia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herdwatch.com\/en-ie\/calving-and-the-risk-of-pneumonia\/","title":{"rendered":"Calving and the risk of Pneumonia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Calf pens and sheds will be filling up on farms across the Ireland increasing the risk of Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) or pneumonia. It Is the most common reason for death and poor performance in young, housed calves reared as dairy replacements or in beef systems, up to 10 months of age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pneumonia causes inflammation of the lungs and can cause permanent damage or even death in the most severe cases, viral infection occurs initially, followed by bacterial infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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High risk periods for calves occur at the point of grouping\/mixing calves, weaning off milk or milk replaces, when pens become over crowded and in changing weather conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Calf pneumonia significantly impacts the Irish cattle industry both in terms of mortality and economic loss. Calf pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cattle in Ireland, responsible for 32% of deaths in this age group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The economic costs associated with calf pneumonia are substantial. On average, a pneumonia outbreak costs approximately \u20ac49 per dairy calf and \u20ac93 per suckler calf. These costs encompass direct expenses such as veterinary fees and medications, as well as indirect costs like reduced growth rates, increased mortality, and decreased lifetime productivity. Notably, only about 40% of these costs are attributed to direct medical expenses, while the remaining 60% result from factors like mortality, diminished growth, and long-term performance issues<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pneumonia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the current colder weather, disease is kept at bay, but when the weather comes mild, the risk of pneumonia increases dramatically. When calves are sick, they should be treated and isolated on their own until recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Initial signs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Early detection is crucial, and calves should be closely monitored at each feeding for any signs of illness or stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Clinical signs may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n