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In a cross-sectional study, impact of management in dairy farms on calf mortality rates and prevalence of rotavirus and Cryptosporidium parvum in feces of calves was investigated. Sixty-two commercial dairy herds in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, were stratified selected in 2019. We performed in-person interviews and fecal specimens in samples of all-female calves of age 7 up to 21 days. Management data were documented on farm level. A Multiscreen Ag-ELISA was performed to determine rotavirus and Cryptosporidium parvum. Associations between two calf mortality rates, detection of C. parvum and rotavirus, and predictors were examined with GLM models. In farms with routine vaccination against respiratory diseases, 31-days mortality rate was 4.2% +/-1.26 compared to 7.6% +/-0.97 (p = 0.040) on non-vaccinating farms. Six-months mortality was lower in farms that continued feeding milk to calves during periods of diarrhea compared to farms that did not (6.9% +/-0.8 vs. 12.4% +/-2.3). In case of a routine shifting of calves from the calving box into calf boxes less C. parvum was detected compared to an individual moving of calves (33.3% +/-2.6 vs. 19.6% +/-5.3; p = 0.024). Our model confirms a positive association between occurrence of aqueous feces and frequency of detection of C. parvum (45.4% +/-23.6 vs. 21.4% +/-18.7; p < 0.001). Frequency of detection of rotavirus was lower in farms that reported a defined amount of applicated colostrum per calf than in farms that presented a range of colostrum instead of a defined amount. This study indicates the potential for mitigation of risk factors for mortality in calves.
The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of bacteremia in dairy cows with severe mastitis. Milk samples were collected from affected udder quarters, and corresponding blood samples were collected from dairy cows with severe mastitis at the time of diagnosis before any therapeutic measures were undertaken. The cultural detection of pathogens in blood classified a bacteremia. Further diagnostic tests were performed to provide evidence of bacteremia. This was realized by PCR with regard to S. aureus, E. coli and S. uberis and the Limulus test. Detection of culturable pathogens in the blood of cows with severe clinical mastitis was rare and occurred in only one of 70 (1.4%) cases. Overall, bacterial growth was detected in 53 of 70 (75.7%) milk samples. S. uberis (22/70), E. coli (12/70) and S. aureus (4/70) were the most frequently isolated pathogens from milk of cows with severe mastitis. PCR was performed in 38 of 70 (54.3%) blood samples. PCR was positive in eight of 38 cases. S. uberis was found most frequently in six blood samples (8.6%). E. coli was found on PCR in one blood sample (1.4%). S. aureus was identified in one blood sample (1.4%). When Coliforms were detected in the quarter milk sample, a Limulus test was performed in the corresponding blood sample. In three of 15 cases, the Limulus test was positive (4.3% of samples). Further studies are needed to investigate the occurrence of bacteremia in cows with severe mastitis in a higher population size.
