In high yielding dairy farms, young calves often suffer from diarrhoea. The administration of a s... more In high yielding dairy farms, young calves often suffer from diarrhoea. The administration of a sufficient amount of high quality colostrum during the first 6h following birth is the most important preventive measure. Colostrum is mainly known to be important for the transfer of immunoglobulins, while little is known about the importance of colostral leukocytes with respect to the development of the newborn calf’s immunity. From literature it is known that colostral lymphocytes (CL) are absorbed in the calf’s gut and that they might be of detrimental importance in the development of the neonatal cellular immunity. In high yielding dairy cows it is furthermore known that the quality of the neutrophils strongly drops in the periparturient period which coincides with the negative energy balance (NEB). We hypothesize that cows facing a strong NEB at the start of lactation have CL of lower quality, rendering their calves to a lower immune status and hence to a higher risk to suffer from ...
In the present study, the effect was investigated of administering an oral electrolyte solution (... more In the present study, the effect was investigated of administering an oral electrolyte solution (Glutellac(R)) to newborn Belgian blue calves on their vitality, the acid-balance in the blood, and their passive immunity. Twenty newborn calves were incorporated in the study, of which ten were administered a placebo and ten were administered Glutellac(R). Only three calves showed metabolic acidosis. The group, which was administered Glutellac(R), showed a significant higher base excess at two hours (p < 0.05), six hours (p < 0.001) and twelve hours (p < 0.001) after birth. Clinically and in terms of IgG absorption capacity, there were no significant differences between both groups. In conclusion, it can be stated that the administration of Glutellac(R) to Belgian blue calves without metabolic acidosis immediately following birth by caesarean section beneficially influences the base excess.
Calf diarrhoea causes substantial economic losses in cattle herds worldwide. Neonatal calves are ... more Calf diarrhoea causes substantial economic losses in cattle herds worldwide. Neonatal calves are particularly sensitive to infections with enteropathogens. The present study focused on prevention against the main infectious causes of neonatal calf diarrhoea i.e. Escherichia coli, rota- and coronavirus, and Cryptosporidium parvum. Dairy herds (n=24) with a high percentage of neonatal calves scouring (&gt;10%) were included and calves were sampled for the presence of these four enteropathogens. To decrease diarrhoea problems among neonatal calves, a standard protocol was tested on 13 herds (treatment group) where both C. parvum and either E. coli or rota- or coronavirus were identified as being involved, the other 11 herds served as control group. The protocol consisted of 2 points of action: preventive vaccination of dams against E. coli, rota- and coronavirus, and preventive administration of halofuginone lactate to newborn calves. The average percentage of calves suffering from neonatal diarrhoea (39.7% versus 14.3%, P&lt;0.01) and the average percentage of faecal samples positive for C. parvum (34% versus 11%, P&lt;0.05) differed significantly between control herds and treatment herds after implementation of the protocol. No significant differences between control and treatment group were observed in the percentage of calves excreting E. coli, rotavirus and coronavirus, both before and at the end of the trial. Furthermore, risk factors potentially associated with the development of neonatal calf scours were determined. Non-significant results were obtained for the effect of the protocol on duration of diarrhoea and the effect of the colostral IgG quantity on the risk of diarrhoea. Passive immunity transfer status of the calves, measured both before the onset and at the end of the study, were non-significant between groups.
This paper describes two atypical cases of granulosa cell tumours (GCTs) in Belgian Blue heifers.... more This paper describes two atypical cases of granulosa cell tumours (GCTs) in Belgian Blue heifers. In the first case, an 18-month-old heifer died after ovariectomy, and a granulosa-theca cell tumour was diagnosed post-mortem. The second heifer (31 months of age) was near term and was successfully treated surgically for a malignant granulosa cell tumour. Unfortunately, no further reproductive data are available, as the heifer was sold for slaughter. This is the first report describing GCTs in Belgian Blue beef cattle.
In high yielding dairy farms, young calves often suffer from diarrhoea. The administration of a s... more In high yielding dairy farms, young calves often suffer from diarrhoea. The administration of a sufficient amount of high quality colostrum during the first 6h following birth is the most important preventive measure. Colostrum is mainly known to be important for the transfer of immunoglobulins, while little is known about the importance of colostral leukocytes with respect to the development of the newborn calf’s immunity. From literature it is known that colostral lymphocytes (CL) are absorbed in the calf’s gut and that they might be of detrimental importance in the development of the neonatal cellular immunity. In high yielding dairy cows it is furthermore known that the quality of the neutrophils strongly drops in the periparturient period which coincides with the negative energy balance (NEB). We hypothesize that cows facing a strong NEB at the start of lactation have CL of lower quality, rendering their calves to a lower immune status and hence to a higher risk to suffer from ...
In the present study, the effect was investigated of administering an oral electrolyte solution (... more In the present study, the effect was investigated of administering an oral electrolyte solution (Glutellac(R)) to newborn Belgian blue calves on their vitality, the acid-balance in the blood, and their passive immunity. Twenty newborn calves were incorporated in the study, of which ten were administered a placebo and ten were administered Glutellac(R). Only three calves showed metabolic acidosis. The group, which was administered Glutellac(R), showed a significant higher base excess at two hours (p < 0.05), six hours (p < 0.001) and twelve hours (p < 0.001) after birth. Clinically and in terms of IgG absorption capacity, there were no significant differences between both groups. In conclusion, it can be stated that the administration of Glutellac(R) to Belgian blue calves without metabolic acidosis immediately following birth by caesarean section beneficially influences the base excess.
Calf diarrhoea causes substantial economic losses in cattle herds worldwide. Neonatal calves are ... more Calf diarrhoea causes substantial economic losses in cattle herds worldwide. Neonatal calves are particularly sensitive to infections with enteropathogens. The present study focused on prevention against the main infectious causes of neonatal calf diarrhoea i.e. Escherichia coli, rota- and coronavirus, and Cryptosporidium parvum. Dairy herds (n=24) with a high percentage of neonatal calves scouring (&gt;10%) were included and calves were sampled for the presence of these four enteropathogens. To decrease diarrhoea problems among neonatal calves, a standard protocol was tested on 13 herds (treatment group) where both C. parvum and either E. coli or rota- or coronavirus were identified as being involved, the other 11 herds served as control group. The protocol consisted of 2 points of action: preventive vaccination of dams against E. coli, rota- and coronavirus, and preventive administration of halofuginone lactate to newborn calves. The average percentage of calves suffering from neonatal diarrhoea (39.7% versus 14.3%, P&lt;0.01) and the average percentage of faecal samples positive for C. parvum (34% versus 11%, P&lt;0.05) differed significantly between control herds and treatment herds after implementation of the protocol. No significant differences between control and treatment group were observed in the percentage of calves excreting E. coli, rotavirus and coronavirus, both before and at the end of the trial. Furthermore, risk factors potentially associated with the development of neonatal calf scours were determined. Non-significant results were obtained for the effect of the protocol on duration of diarrhoea and the effect of the colostral IgG quantity on the risk of diarrhoea. Passive immunity transfer status of the calves, measured both before the onset and at the end of the study, were non-significant between groups.
This paper describes two atypical cases of granulosa cell tumours (GCTs) in Belgian Blue heifers.... more This paper describes two atypical cases of granulosa cell tumours (GCTs) in Belgian Blue heifers. In the first case, an 18-month-old heifer died after ovariectomy, and a granulosa-theca cell tumour was diagnosed post-mortem. The second heifer (31 months of age) was near term and was successfully treated surgically for a malignant granulosa cell tumour. Unfortunately, no further reproductive data are available, as the heifer was sold for slaughter. This is the first report describing GCTs in Belgian Blue beef cattle.
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