Take your time with Pneumonia
There's no such thing as a quick fix for calf pneumonia and farmers need to take a long term view of the problem if they are to reduce its effect on farm profits. This warning comes from industry vet, Carolyn Hogan who believes that farmers may be lulled into a false sense of security by claims of a 'quick fix' for the problem.
"Pneumonia is a serious illness and it takes time for animals to recover," says Carolyn, who works as a technical advisor for Pfizer Animal Health.
"You've only got to look at how long it takes a human patient to get better from a bout of pneumonia to realise what a profound effect it can have on general well-being.
"Unfortunately animals can't tell us how they feel, and cattle especially do not readily exhibit signs of illness, so whilst they may look fully recovered in just a few days, in reality it takes a lot longer for the damage in the lungs to heal and for their own natural defences to return to normal."
Although she agrees that it is important to start animals on the road to recovery as soon as possible, Carolyn is quick to point out that they need continued support over the following week or two if they are to avoid a relapse or re-infection.
"Really we should be thinking in terms of weeks rather than days when we manage calves with pneumonia," she says. "The ideal treatment is not only fast acting but also has a long duration of action to provide extended protection against relapse."
According to Carolyn, the animals that die as a result of a severe case of pneumonia are not necessarily the ones that damage profits the most. The chronic poor doers with damaged lungs as a result of infection are often less efficient at converting feed, do not achieve their expected daily weight gain and literally eat into the farm's profits.
"These animals stay around longer, consuming costly feed and taking up space, while their healthy pen-mates go to market heavier and quicker. In some cases they may even die suddenly as they slowly grow and their bodies get too big for their damaged lungs to support."
Carolyn believes that antibiotic cover should be given for at least a week to give the animals the best chance to fully recover and reach their potential.
"In today's market, every animal counts, so it's worth taking time to do the job properly first time. There are no quick fixes where pneumonia is involved."
