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HEAL ▶▶▶TH


The first-lacta- tion heifers pro- duce lower yields of colos- trum and lower Ig concentration – calves born to these heifers are more suscepti- ble to BCoV.


Calf respiratory BCoV infections Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is an important cause of respirato- ry disease in calves. The virus replicates primarily in the nasal and tracheal epithelium, and occasionally in the lung, sug- gesting a lack of long-term mucosal immunity in the respira- tory tract of calves after natural CoV infection. Respiratory signs include fever, serous nasal discharge, sneezing, cough- ing, and enzootic pneumonia. Coronavirus infections may be complicated by parasite infestation (e.g., Cryptosporidia, Eimeria) or bacterial infections (e.g., E. coli, Salmonella). Strict hygiene and effective passive transfer by developing good colostrum-management protocols are critical. Vaccina- tion must be given immediately at birth, before colostrum and possible infection with field virus, coupled with the use of antimicrobials to control the bacterial secondary infec- tions. It is further recommended that milk containing high amounts of coronavirus-specific antibodies be fed to calves for the first 14 days of life to reduce the incidence and dura- tion of viral shedding. In terms of cross-species virus transmission, so far, it is not known whether the bovine coronavirus can cause disease to humans due to the host-specificity.


WHO’s recommendations • Sick animals should never be slaughtered for consumption, and dead animals should be safely buried. Veterinarians should maintain a high level of vigilance and report any


22 ▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 2, 2020


Table 1 – Ig concentration of colostrum as related to the calving sequence.


First calving


Second calving Third calving


Source: Heinrichs (1996).


% Ig 5.9 6.3 8.2


unusual event detected in any animal species present in the markets to veterinary authorities.


• Anyone visiting live animal markets or animal product markets should practice general hygiene measures. Atten- tion should also be taken to avoid contact with potentially contaminated animal waste or fluids on the soil or struc- tures of the market facilities.


• The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk, or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.


Until more is known about BCoV transmission and mutation, the above practices are recommended.


References are available from the author upon request.


PHOTO: ANNE VAN DER WOUDE


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