1. Recognizing and Managing Common Health Problems of Beef Cattle
Floron C. Faries, Jr., DVM, MS
Professor and Extension Program Leader for Veterinary Medicine
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M System

2. “My cows’ eyes are cloudy and runny.”
Pink Eye
Bacterial disease
Ulcer develops
Cornea becomes cloudy
Immediate treatment
Isolation of infected cattle

3. IBR Virus Eye (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis)
Viral disease
May develop cloudy cornea
No ulceration
Isolation of affected animals
Vaccination of the whole herd

4. Cancer Eye (Squamous Cell Carcinoma)
Smooth plaques on the eyeball
Ulcer or horn lesions on the eyelids

5. Photo Eye (Photosensitization)
Hypersensitivity to sunlight
Cloudiness of the cornea
Protection from sunlight

6. “My calves have areas of hair loss with skin lesions.”
Ringworm Fungus (Dermatophytosis)
Fungus infection
Direct contact to calves
Circumscribed grayish lesions
Located on the face and neck
Calves should be separated and treated

7. Warts (Papillomatosis)
Papilloma virus
Transmitted to calves by direct contact
Cauliflower-type growths
Calves with warts should be isolated
Warts dry and sluff

8. “Every winter my cows rub their heads, necks and shoulders”
Horn Fly Allergy (Allergic Dermatitis)
Skin allergy to saliva
Itch sensation
Cattle rub from December through March
Hair coat becomes sparse
Reduce the horn fly population

9. “I have occasionally a cow or a bull crippled on one foot.”
Foot Crack (Web Tear)
Web of skin between the toes deeply cracked
Damaged tissue must heal inside out
Confined for a few weeks

10. Foot Rot (Necrotic Pododermatitis)
Draining infection with a foul odor
Hot, swollen and painful foot
Bacteria in manure mixed with mud

11. Corn (Interdigital Hyperplasia)
Vertical mass of skin growth
Web of skin between the toes

12. “One of my cows coughs, protrudes her tongue and breathes with her mouth open.”
Infectious Lung Disease (Pneumonia)
Several viruses in concert with various bacteria
IBR-PI3-BVD-BRSV
Pasteurella
Haemophilus
Mycoplasma
Predisposing stress factors
Isolated for treatment
Vaccination plan for whole herd

13. Fog Fever (Pulmonary Emphysema and Edema)
Fever is not present
Toxic reaction in the lungs
Lush, green grass in spring or fall
Handled with caution
Cowherd should be moved from the lush pasture

14. “My calves have a runny, snotty nose.”
Runny, Snotty Nose (Sinusitis)
Extreme hot or cold temperatures
Windy conditions
Irritants and allergens
Viral and bacterial infections
Use of antibiotics is contraindicated
Low-grade fever
Absence of fever

15. “Some of my cows got the staggers, went down and are unable to rise.”
Polio (Polioencephalomalacia)
Cows are thin
Low protein, low roughage, and high sulfate diet
Confined and fed a grain diet without roughage
Downer cow attempts to stand
Ankles remain flexed or knuckled over
Immediate treatment

16. Range Ketosis (Acetonemia, Hypoglycemia)
Cows are thin
A low carbohydrate, low energy diet
Stressed from cold weather or calving and nursing
Incoordination, bellowing, wallowing and licking with tongue
Pressing against walls, posts and trees
Immediate treatment

17. Grass Tetany (Hypomagnesemia)
Cows are thin
Grazing lush pasture high in nitrogen and potassium
Stressed from cold, cloudy weather or calving and nursing
Staggers, tossing head
Bellowing and galloping
Convulsions
Immediate treatment

18. “I have occasionally a thin, downer cow.”
Dietary deficiencies
Enteric bacteria and parasites
Pleurisy, peritonitis
Abscesses
Cancers

19. “I continue every year to have cows prolapse and retain afterbirth.”
Bruising of uterus
Difficulty in calving
Prolonged calving process
Straining with prolapse of the vagina, cervix or uterus
Placenta retained due to bruising inflammation

20. “I have low conception rates, repeat breeders and abortions in my cowherd.”
Infectious diseases
Dietary deficiencies
Stresses of hot weather and malnutrition
Poor quality or short grazing

21. “I had several calves suddenly die that before dying were rapidly breathing, weak and feverish.”
Lepto (Leptospirosis)
Five serovars of bacteria
Exposures to calves are from urine
Kill unborn calves and nursing calves
Vaccination of whole herd
Vaccine failures may occur

22. Blackleg (Clostridial Disease)
Bacterial toxins (poisons)
Spores from the soil
Spores are ingested
Go to muscles and remain dormant
a trigger breaks them out of dormancy
Dead calves should be burned
Vaccination of the whole herd
7-way/8-way blackleg vaccine

23. Clostridial Diseases (Blackleg Group)
Blackleg (C. chauvoei)
Blackgut (C. perfringens B)
Blackgut (C. perfringens C)
Blackgut (C. perfringens D)
Blackneck (C. sordellii)
Blackliver (C. novyi)
Malignant edema (C. septicum)
Redwater (C. hemolyticum)

24. “Some of my calves are rapidly breathing, weak, feverish, scouring and dying.”
Scours (Enteritis-Colitis Septicemia)
Ground becomes heavily contaminated with germs from manure
Kill baby calves from scours by dehydration and septicemia
Scours are caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in the intestines
Rotovirus and coronovirus
E. coli and C. perfringens B, C, D
Cryptosporidia and coccidia
Provide clean maternity areas
Vaccination program for the whole herd