Focus on calf management and shed hygiene to fight infection

Expense: Cryptosporidiosis can have a profound impact on herd profitability

Focusing on shed hygiene and calf management is key to driving down the hefty costs associated with one of the biggest causes of diarrhoea in beef and dairy calves.

Cryptosporidiosis can have significant impacts on herd profitability thanks in part to the costs of treating diarrhoea in calves.

But the long-term impacts of the virus can cost farmers as much as £200 per animal over their lifetime due to its impact on long-term growth rates, according to scientists.

Speaking at the British Cattle Breeders Club conference in Telford, Shropshire, yesterday, scientist Hannah Shaw of the Moredun Research Institute said the impacts of the virus, which has symptoms including watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain and weight loss in young calves, should not be underestimated.

As well as causing fatalities in 30% of infected calves, the damage it causes to gut cells can have long-term effects in cattle growth, affecting herd profits.

Cryptosporidiosis is spread when animals ingest oocytes (eggs) which live in bedding, pasture, soil and drinking water.

As oocytes can survive all year-round, and many disinfectants cannot deactivate them, farmers face challenges when trying to handle outbreaks – particularly as there are limited ways available to treat infected cattle.

In her research on the long-term effects of cryptosporidiosis, Miss Shaw studied an outbreak on a farm in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, which had a history of 15-30% calf losses as a direct result of the virus.

As well as a 38kg weight difference between animals suffering from acute cases of the disease and those without it, the farmer faced associated costs totalling £200 thanks to vet call-outs, tests and treatment.

She said the farmer was able to reduce the impacts of the virus by improving the quality of colostrum he was giving calves.

Preliminary studies had also indicated that some disinfectants were more effective than others in effectively cleaning pens, she added.

“Crypto can be spread very easily, so it’s really important to steam-clean pens and calving sareas, and keep faecal matter away from sales through deep bedding,” she said.

“When disinfecting, early studies have shown three per cent hydrogen peroxide is best at reducing the viability of oocytes.

“However disinfectants have a less significant effect on faeces, so cleaning sheds remains vital.”

Crypto can be spread very easily, so it’s really important to steam-clean pensand calving areas. HANNAH SHAW

Picture: Getty. The condition causes fatalities in 30% of infected calves.