UK: Farmers urged to investigate coughing in calves and youngstock

Published Mar 27, 2023

Tridge summary

Mycoplasma bacteria, which can be spread by other bacteria or viruses, is linked to respiratory problems in cattle and can also cause mastitis, arthritis, and swollen legs in heifers. The recent spread of Mycoplasma bovis in the UK makes it important for farmers to include mycoplasma in serological testing to understand the potential risks and plan disease management accordingly. The bacteria's ability to change surface proteins and produce a sugar matrix biofilm makes it difficult to treat, particularly in dairy beef systems. A whole herd approach to health management, including vaccines and other factors, is recommended to minimize the risk of mycoplasma infection.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

According to Ruminant Health & Welfare (RH&W), the presence of mycoplasma, in combination with other bacteria or viruses, is linked to respiratory problems in cattle such as Bovine Respiratory Disease. It can also lead to mastitis, arthritis and swollen legs in heifers ahead of calving. Therefore, it is important that mycoplasma is included in the serological investigation when screening cattle before turnout or when groups of calves are tested for BVD in beef herds. Recent data has shown that mycoplasma continues to be vastly spread across the UK, however, many herds are remaining mycoplasma free. RH&W chairman Nigel Miller urged farmers to find out the mycoplasma status of their herd to understand potential risks and plan disease management accordingly. “We must also remember that, although we often experience coughing in housed calves and feeding cattle, it isn’t inevitable. Even if clinical pneumonia is avoided, coughs signal the loss of performance in the herd,” he cautioned. ...

Source: UKFarmersguide