Pneumonia in

Beef Cattle

Technical Note SUMMARY

• Calf pneumonia is a significant source of financial loss in beef
TN571 production.
ISSN 0142 7695
ISBN 1 85482 824 X
• It is a multifactorial disease and husbandry and management
September 2005 factors are important triggers for common infectious micro-
organisms to multiply and cause pneumonia.
• RSV, Pi3 and IBR are the most important viruses and vaccines exist
to protect against them.
• Assessing and correcting the management and vaccination of
calves is necessary to control costs and improve the efficiency of
production.
• A pneumonia control programme should be part of the health plan
for the beef herd.

Introduction
Calf pneumonia is a disease of considerable
financial significance to the beef industry. Costing of
outbreaks has identified that in the average outbreak
£22 will be lost per calf at risk. For a group of 100
calves where a quarter of them are treated the total
loss will be around £2200. Losses arise from the
cost of treatment, reduced weight gain, increased
work for those looking after the cattle and most
significantly of all from calf deaths. The disease is Calf with chronic pneumonia, the neck is
one of the so-called multifactorial diseases. This stretched out to make breathing easier.
means that in addition to the range of infectious
micro-organisms that cause the disease, husbandry
and management factors have an essential role in micro-organisms found in animals and the possible
precipitating outbreaks. The micro-organisms that transfer of that resistance to bacteria that cause
cause the disease are by and large to be found in disease in humans. Responsible use of antibiotics
every herd of cattle whether or not pneumonia is a in beef production must be an objective for all beef
problem. The factors that allow the micro-organisms farmers. Prevention of pneumonia is also clearly
to cause the disease are those that are under the justifiable from a welfare perspective.
control of the management or are a result of the
husbandry system. Background
While early antibiotic treatment can be very The term pneumonia means inflammation of the
effective in reducing the losses caused by the disease lungs. The disease process will result in damage
the most cost effective approach to managing to the animal’s lungs that will reduce its ability
pneumonia lies in a preventive programme that to breathe, reduce feed intake and increase feed
includes vaccination and a positive management conversion. At its most severe it will result in so
programme to control the contributory factors. much damage that the animal can no longer breathe
Furthermore there is widespread concern over the effectively and will die because of oxygen starvation.
development of antibiotic resistance in the bacterial In the course of the disease process animals will be

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fevered and suffer toxaemia (feel bad). The majority Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis. All can
of animals will recover completely and indeed are be found in the nasal passages of groups of healthy
likely to show compensatory growth subsequently calves. They cause severe lung damage if they are
so that by the end of the feeding or housing period allowed to penetrate the lower airways and it is this
affected animals will be as well grown as their part of the disease that causes the majority of deaths
unaffected pen mates. A small number of affected that arise from pneumonia.
calves will suffer lung damage that will not repair.
These animals are termed respiratory cripples and A further cause of pneumonia that has to be
will appear ill-thriven and suffer recurrent bouts of
considered is lungworm. These parasites may have
pneumonia.
caused damage to the lungs before housing or failure
to treat at housing may mean that calves are still
While damage to the lungs is the critical part of
infected when housed. Either way their significance
the disease process often the entire respiratory
in contributing to pneumonia problems should not
tract between the nose and the lungs may be
be over looked.
affected. Indeed this part of the breathing system,
known as the upper respiratory tract is important
in protecting the lungs from pneumonia. Diseases Pneumonia is almost exclusively a disease of young
such as infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) will cattle. The younger the calves are the more severe is
cause so much damage to the windpipe that fatal the disease and the more difficult it can be to control.
pneumonias commonly develop. But damage does In calf rearing units where insufficient attention is
not need to be so dramatic; a range of factors can paid to providing good quality naturally ventilated
overcome the natural disease resistance of the upper buildings calf pneumonia can be almost impossible
respiratory tract. Dust and poor air quality is the to control adequately. However the disease can
most common factor, but acidosis caused during also be severe in older weaned calves that may be
the acclimatisation period to a concentrate ration, mixed from several sources at housing or subjected
trace element or vitamin deficiencies and husbandry to a range of stressors simultaneously such as
routines such as dehorning and castration are all of housing, weaning and dehorning. The difference
importance. between pneumonia problems in the young calves
and that seen in the older calves is that attention to
The micro-organisms that are involved are split management can result in very good control of the
between the viruses and the bacteria. The viruses disease in the older calves.
cause the early phase of the disease and will further
reduce the natural disease resistance of the upper
airways. Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),
Signs of pneumonia
parainfluenza 3 (Pi3) and the IBR virus are the ones
The first sign of pneumonia in a calf is a reduction
of importance. Bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVD)
in feed intake. In some calves this may be seen as
does not damage the respiratory tract but lowers the
a lack of gut fill. At this stage the calf will almost
immunity of the calves and so makes them more
susceptible to the effects of the other infections. The certainly have a fever (rectal temperature more than
RSV virus can cause pneumonia of such severity that 39.5 degrees C.), but yet still appear bright. A watery
calves can die after a very short illness, but more discharge at the nose may be apparent, but often
commonly the viral phase of the disease is less goes unnoticed, as calves are fairly adept at licking
severe and a rapid recovery is seen where there is their noses clean. As the disease progresses coughing
no lung damage caused by bacteria. may occur and the animal may develop a “lift” as
the increased effort to take air into the damaged
The bacteria that cause pneumonia usually do so lungs becomes obvious. The nasal discharge may
following on from the viral infections or when the now become thicker and flecked with white material
air quality or husbandry is very poor. The important (mucus and pus). As the animal progresses through
bacteria are Pasteurella haemolytica (now known as this phase it will appear depressed and ill even to
Mannheimia haemolytica), Pasteurella multocida, those not used to dealing with stock.

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By the time calves are seen clearly to be ill there is critical periods are the month after housing and the
likely to be several more already in the early stages four weeks either side of the New Year. Dehorning
of the disease. and castration should be done when calves are
young, not when they are weaned. Weaning can
It is important to recognise that increased effort to be done outside, but if it has to be done inside then
breathe in young calves with or without a fever the mothers of the calves should be kept in the
need not indicate pneumonia. The dehydration next pens. Worm treatment for spring-born calves
and acidosis that is seen with calf scour results in can be given prior to housing if a wormer with
more frequent deep breaths and can fool even the persistent action is used. This allows lungworm to
most experienced into thinking that it is pneumonia. be removed from the lungs while they are at low risk
Failure to make this distinction may result in the of pneumonia, prevents new infections and allows a
death of the calf, as fluid therapy will be required period for the lungs to recover from the lungworm
for calf scour cases showing these signs. damage before housing. The final point is to ensure
that the introduction of any concentrate ration is
done as gradually as possible to minimise the risk of
Assessing the environment
acidosis. It helps if concentrates have been available
prior to housing.
Naturally ventilated buildings rely on the heat of
the calves to generate an effective thermal current
The situation is less easily managed with young dairy
as the air is warmed by the calves and rises to
bred calves. A good supply of colostrum is required
exit the building through the outlets in the roof
to ensure the calves have some protection and there
and draws fresh air in through inlets in the walls.
is little that can be done except source even batches.
This system must be able to provide the calves
However colostrum is also a source of vitamins A
with the required air changes even on the stillest
and E that help the body to fight infection. Multi-
of days. In a well-ventilated building the air will
vitamins can be administered to calves on arrival as
appear fresh without excessive smells of ammonia
a precaution against a poor supply from their mother.
or slurry gasses. Cobwebs will not be evident. If
Suckled calves are unlikely to be affected in this way
pneumonia is a recurrent problem in a building then
if born in the summer or autumn or if spring born
it is necessary to review the ventilation. There are
and the winter ration of the cows is supplemented
standards for design and the inlet and outlet areas
with a proprietary mineral and vitamin supplement
can be measured for the numbers and type of stock
at the correct rate.
and matched to the design requirement. Your vet
or a buildings engineer will be able to advise on
the adequacy of the ventilation and suggest ways Diagnosing the cause
in which ventilation can be improved.
There are a range of diagnostic techniques that can
Sources of dust should be avoided. Rations should be employed to show what agents may be active
not be ground or mixed in the same air space as in any herd, however enough is known about the
the calves. pneumonia complex to make diagnosis of precise
cause unnecessary in the majority of cases. We know
Drainage too is critical. If surfaces within the building that RSV and Pi3 are common in young calves and
are constantly wet then the relative humidity within that in older calves RSV is likely to be much more
the building will increase and favour the survival important than Pi3. We know that if the herd is
of the bacteria and viruses that cause the disease. open with market purchased animals added then the
Attention to external drainage and down pipes is calves would be at risk of IBR. Using this assessment
important. your vet will usually have enough information to
guide him or her in constructing a vaccination
Assessing the management programme for your situation. Monitoring for
bacteria to assess their antibiotic resistance pattern
The key is to avoid stress at the times of the year is certainly advisable where the entire group of
when there is a high risk of pneumonia. The two calves may require antibiotic treatment. This can be

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done with nasal swabs submitted to the diagnostic situations RSV vaccination is essential; Pi3 can be
lab. Nasal swabs can also be used to diagnose IBR added for younger calves and IBR where calves are
provided early cases with a clear nasal discharge purchased through markets. BVD control can be
are swabbed. This can be of importance as achieved through vaccination of the breeding herd
vaccination in an outbreak of IBR is considered to and so removing the risk of virus carrier calves being
be beneficial. present, but where calves are purchased there may
be a role for including protection against this agent.
Where a pneumonia control programme is in place Multi-component vaccines exist that offer cover for
and losses occur more detailed investigation can be all of these agents. There are also vaccines that claim
carried out to find out the reason in order to correct protection against Mannheimia haemolytica, one of
the programme. the bacteria in the pneumonia complex.

It is recommended that where deaths occur after a The key to using vaccines is to ensure that the
very short illness or suddenly in the course of the course of injections is completed prior to the risk
outbreak that a post mortem examination is carried period for pneumonia. This means that for spring
out. This is best achieved by taking the carcass to born suckled calves the vaccination should begin
the Veterinary Investigation Centre (VIC) or failing at six weeks before the projected housing date (for
that having the pluck (lungs, with the heart and wind most vaccines). However it also underlines the
pipe) removed from the carcass and taken to the difficulty for autumn born calves and dairy bred
VIC. In general it is not worth examining animals calves. That is it can be difficult to provide effective
that have been ill for a more prolonged period and vaccine cover if the disease is occurring in the first
have been treated with antibiotics. six weeks of life.

Treatment A pneumonia control programme is an essential

element of the health plan for a beef herd. The
control programme should be drafted several months
Antibiotics are very useful in the treatment of
before cattle are purchased or due to be housed to
pneumonia and in many cases a response may be
allow time to assess ventilation and to correct any
seen within 24 to 48 hours. A range of antibiotics
deficiencies, but also to ensure that the vaccination
exists and each may have a different place in the
programme can be put into effect before the risk
treatment of this condition. Blanket treatment of the
period.
group is sometimes employed, but consideration
should always be given to the development of
antibiotic resistance and the possible transfer of Further sources of information
this to the bacteria that cause disease in humans.
Responsible use of antibiotics is therefore vital. BS5502 Part 40. British Standards (Buildings and
These products are prescription only medicines and Structures for Agriculture). Part 40: Code of practice
should only be administered on the advice of the vet for design and construction of cattle buildings.
to animals that are under the care of the vet. 14pp.

Anti-inflammatory agents are also used in severe Webster, J. Calf Husbandry, Health and Welfare.
cases. These reduce the damage caused by Granada Technical Books.
inflammation within the affected lung and make
the calf feel better much as aspirin does for us when
we suffer a cold.

Prevention
In addition to a management programme that
seeks to minimise stress and improve air quality,
vaccines are essential for control of pneumonia in
herds that are troubled by this disease. For most

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Authors:

George Caldow
Regional Veterinary Manager
SAC
St. Boswells Veterinary Centre
Greycrook
St. Boswells
TD6 0EQ
Phone 01835 822456
Fax 01835 823643
[email protected]

Mark Crawshaw
Veterinary Centre Manager
SAC
Ayr Veterinary Centre
Auchincruive
Ayr
KA6 6AE
Phone 01292 520318
Fax 01292 521069
[email protected]

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©
SAC 2005. West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
SAC receives support from the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department