Prevention and treatment of colibacillosis in calves

Calf colibacillosis is also called calf white dysentery. Is an acute infectious disease caused by a certain serotype of Escherichia coli. Escherichia coli is widely distributed in nature. Animals can enter the gastrointestinal tract with milk or other foods shortly after birth and become normal bacteria. Newborn calves can cause disease when their resistance decreases or digestive disorders occur. The route of transmission is mainly through the digestive tract, intrauterine infection and umbilical cord infection also occur. The disease mostly occurs in newborn calves within two weeks of age.

Causes of colibacillosis in calves

1. Calves are not fed colostrum or lack of colostrum after birth. Cows are weak, malnourished, inadequate and deficient in minerals and vitamins.

2. The calf barn is narrow, the density of the calf is too high, the barn is dark and damp, the sun is insufficient, the cold-proof condition is poor, the calf catches a cold, and the disinfection of severed navel is not strict.

Diagnostic technique of colibacillosis in calves

It can be comprehensively analyzed and judged according to clinical symptoms, epidemic situation, feeding status and changes of autopsy. Clinical manifestations can be divided into three types:

1. Septic type: also known as septic type. The incubation period is very short, only a few hours. It mainly occurs in calves within 3 days after delivery; Escherichia coli enters the blood through the digestive tract, causing acute septicemia. The onset of the disease is urgent, and the disease is short. The performance of elevated body temperature, lethargy, do not eat milk, most have diarrhea, feces like egg soup, light gray. Weak limbs, lying on the ground can not rise. It often occurs in calves that cannot eat colostrum. The septic type develops rapidly and often dies within 1 day after the disease.

2. Poisoning type: also known as enterotoxic blood type, this type is relatively rare. It is mainly due to the proliferation of Escherichia coli in the small intestine and the production of toxins. People with acute symptoms die suddenly without showing symptoms. The course of the disease is slightly longer, you can see the typical toxic neurological symptoms, first restless, excited, then depressed, until coma, and then death.

3. Enteritis type: also known as intestinal type, the body temperature increases slightly, mainly showing diarrhea. The feces discharged at the beginning of the disease are yellowish, atherosclerotic, malodorous, followed by watery, grayish white, mixed with clots, blood filaments and air bubbles. Serious cases of dehydration, lying on the ground can not afford, the whole body is weak. If not treated in time, he often dies of collapse or secondary pneumonia. Individual cases will also be self-healing, but later growth retardation. The autopsy mainly showed gastroenteritis.

Treatment of colibacillosis in calves

The treatment principles of this disease are antibacterial, rehydration, regulation of gastrointestinal function and adjustment of intestinal microecological balance.

1. Antibacterial: chloramphenicol, oxytetracycline, streptomycin or neomycin can be used. The initial dose for oral administration is 30mg to 50mg / kg body weight. The dose can be halved after 12 hours for 3 to 5 days. Or intramuscular injection at a dose of 10 mg to 30 mg per kilogram of body weight, twice a day.

2. Rehydration: warm the rehydration solution to make it close to body temperature. The amount of rehydration depends on the degree of dehydration, in principle, how much water is lost and how much water is replenished. When you have an appetite or can suck by yourself, oral rehydration salts can be used. Oral rehydration salt prescription: sodium chloride 1.5g, potassium chloride 1.5g, sodium bicarbonate 2.5g, glucose powder 20g, warm water 1000 ml. When you can't suck by yourself, you can use 5% glucose saline or compound sodium chloride solution 1000-1500 ml, intravenous injection. When acidosis occurs, you can use 5% sodium bicarbonate solution 80ml 100ml. The speed of injection should be slow. If you can cooperate with the right amount of cow blood is better, subcutaneous or intravenous injection, a 150 to 200 milliliters, can enhance disease resistance.

3. Regulate gastrointestinal function: 2 grams of lactic acid, 20 grams of fish stone fat and 90 milliliters of water can be used to adjust evenly, each time 5 milliliters, 2 times a day. Can also take protective agents and adsorbents, such as bismuth subnitrate 5g 10g, white clay 50g 100g, activated carbon 10g, etc., in order to protect intestinal mucosa, reduce toxin absorption and promote early recovery. Some were treated with compound sulfamethoxazole, 0.06 grams per kilogram, lactobacillus tablets 5 tablets and mother-born tablets 5 tablets, once a day, twice a day for 2 days, and the curative effect was good.

4. Adjust the intestinal microecological balance: when the condition is improved, we can stop the use of antibiotics and take the ecological preparations to adjust the intestinal microecological balance. For example, promoting bacteria 6-12 tablets, combined with lactase 5-10 tablets, twice a day; or Fangfusheng 1-2 packages, twice a day; or other Lactobacillus preparations. To restore the ecological balance of normal intestinal flora as soon as possible is beneficial to recovery as soon as possible.

Preventive measures of colibacillosis in calves

1. Raising pregnant cows: improve the feeding and management of pregnant cows, ensure the normal development of fetus, and secrete good milk after delivery to meet the physiological needs of newborn calves.

2. Feeding colostrum in time: in order to make calves get maternal antibodies against disease as soon as possible, colostrum should be fed within 30 minutes after delivery (at least not later than 1 hour), and the first feeding amount should be slightly larger. In the cattle farm where colostrum is often affected, before feeding colostrum, the cow's blood is 30ml / 50ml and colostrum is fed as early as possible, which is an important link to prevent calves from Escherichia coli.

3. Keep clean and hygienic: the delivery room should be thoroughly disinfected. During delivery, the female vulva and the arms of the midwifery staff should be cleaned and disinfected with 1: 2 Laisuer solution. The umbilical cord should be cut 5 cm away from the abdominal wall, and the broken end should be soaked or perfused with 10% iodophenol for 1 minute to prevent septicemia due to umbilical cord infection. Always scrub the cow's nipples.