Thomas Lyons 
As calving season continues, many farmers are now facing the challenge of ensuring that their calf sheds do not become overcrowded. Full calf sheds can lead to increased levels of sickness in calves, with pneumonia being one of the most common illnesses. The next few weeks will see many calf sheds at capacity, with many herds now having a large number of cows calved. As such, preventing sickness in calves should be a top priority for farmers.
Pneumonia and scour are two of the biggest killers of young calves. Pneumonia in particular causes inflammation and damage to the lung tissue and airways, compromising lung function. It is the result of a complex interaction between viral and bacterial pathogens, environmental stress factors, and the animal’s own resilience to disease. Some factors that increase the risk of a pneumonia outbreak include low environmental temperatures, high humidity, poor ventilation, draughts, overcrowding, and poor nutritional status.
It is crucial that farmers are aware of the symptoms of pneumonia in calves and the importance of identifying and treating calves as early as possible. Clinical signs include dullness, depression, a temperature of greater than 39.5°, increased breathing rate and effort, coughing, and a nasal discharge which is initially clear and watery but becomes thick and pus-like as the disease progresses. Pneumonia causes damage to the lungs of animals, which can result in reduced production performance and liveweight gain. An outbreak in a calf shed can have a detrimental impact on the calves and result in reduced performance going forward.
Preventing sickness in calves, such as pneumonia and scour, is essential. To achieve this, calves need to get off to the best start in life. Farmers should ensure that calves get adequate amounts of high-quality colostrum within two hours of birth. This is even more important on farms where vaccinations have been used, as it is the only way that the antibodies can be transferred to the calves. Farmers should do their best to provide calves with a clean and dry bed, even though increased numbers in the shed may mean that beds need to be cleaned out on a more regular basis. Draughts should also be prevented in the shed, although major alterations should not be completed now – but small measures can be taken to reduce the draught for calves.
In conclusion, preventing sickness in calves should be a top priority for farmers during calving season. Pneumonia and scour are two of the biggest killers of young calves, and it is crucial that farmers are aware of the symptoms of these illnesses and the importance of identifying and treating calves as early as possible. By ensuring that calves get off to the best start in life, farmers can help to prevent sickness and ensure that their herds remain healthy and productive going forward.
