– Gustavo M. Schuenemann, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Oho State University

“. . . there are no FDA-approved aspirin products for use in cattle.”

In October 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a “Dear Veterinarian Letter” informing veterinarians and their clients to discontinue use of unapproved aspirin products to treat pyrexia and pain in lactating dairy cattle. A total of 616 confirmed dairy herds in 15 US states were reported positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as of November 22, 2024. Aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is being used on some dairy farms to treat cattle infected with HPAI. In the past, FDA considered aspirin products to be of low regulatory concern. However, because the increased use of unapproved aspirin and the availability in the US market of labeled products for treatment of pyrexia (fever) in cattle, the FDA has shifted this stance to state such use as illegal.

The letter states that “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration understands that veterinarians and dairy farmers may be treating lactating dairy cattle for pyrexia and pain with aspirin and wants to clarify that there are no Continue reading FDA Letter Asks Veterinarians to Discontinue Use of Unapproved Aspirin Products in Lactating Dairy Cattle, Potentially Other Species →

– Dr. Michelle Arnold – DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 1: Photo from “High-Risk Cattle Management and Stocker Calf Health”, by Brent Credille, DVM, PhD. (Veterinary Clinics of North America, Food Animal Practice vol 38 (2022) page 235).

Bovine Respiratory Disease (“BRD”) or “shipping fever”, also known as bronchopneumonia, continues to be the most common cause of illness and death in postweaned (stocker) calves despite significant improvements in the vaccines and antibiotics available today. Traditionally, disease prevention through vaccination was thought to be the answer to improving stocker health outcomes but the current vaccination recommendations are not meeting the challenge as morbidity and mortality rates continue to rise. There is an increasing amount of research focusing on the importance of the normal, healthy “microbiota” (bacterial population) in the upper respiratory tract to maintain calf health and improve immunity. This normal microbial population modulates, or controls, host immune defenses through several mechanisms including Continue reading Rethinking High-Risk Stocker Calf Management →

– Dr. Michelle Arnold – DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 2: Asian longhorned ticks on the ear of a cow that died due to anemia from the massive tick infestation (Photo courtesy of the UKVDL).

In late June 2022, the UKVDL received a yearling Hereford bull for necropsy with a history of “symptoms of pneumonia.” At necropsy, the sclera (white of the eye), mucus membranes, and fat were yellow. Serologic (blood) testing for Anaplasma sp. was negative and PCR testing for Anaplasma marginale was also negative. A sample of spleen submitted to the Virginia Tech Animal Laboratory Services (ViTALS) was positive for Theileria orientalis. Further genotyping confirmed the genotype as Ikeda. This was the first known case of “bovine theileriosis” diagnosed in Kentucky, a tickborne disease caused by the protozoon blood parasite Theileria orientalis Ikeda. Theileria sporozoites (the infective stage) are primarily transmitted to susceptible cattle through the bite of an infected Asian Longhorned Tick (ALHT). In 2022, ALHT had been identified in 16 states, including Kentucky, and the list has now grown to 22 states and Washington DC (Figure 1). While cattle deaths in KY due to theileriosis have been limited in number, they continue to occur, especially as Continue reading The Asian Longhorned Tick and Theileria Orientalis Ikeda – What have we learned in the last 2 years? →

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 1: Adult cow displaying signs of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) due to lungworm larvae migration. Photo courtesy of Thompson Farms.

“Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome” or “ARDS” is a rapid and dramatic onset of severe breathing difficulty due to lack of oxygen transfer across the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs to the bloodstream. Affected cattle exhibit open-mouth breathing with the head and neck extended, nostrils dilated, a sway-back appearance, foam coming from the mouth, an open-shouldered stance, and sometimes become aggressive (see Figure 1). Breathing is shallow and rapid (35-75 breaths per minute) and may have a loud grunt associated with exhalation. Temperature is typically normal or mildly elevated depending on severity of the condition. In extreme cases, air pockets can be felt under the skin on the upper portions of the neck, shoulders and back (subcutaneous crepitation). Mild exercise is enough to cause the animal to collapse and die.

Generally, there is no coughing nor signs of infection such as fever or depression. Severely affected animals frequently Continue reading Lungworms and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Cattle →

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 1: Recently calved cow with classic signs of Johne’s disease; dull hair coat, profuse watery diarrhea and weight loss. Photo from “Management and Control of Johne’s Disease in Beef Sucker Herds” by Drs.Isabelle Truyers and Amy Jennings. In Practice July/August 2016/Volume 38, page 348.

Johne’s (pronounced Yo-knees) Disease is a slow, debilitating disease of adult cattle characterized by profuse, watery diarrhea and progressive weight loss or “wasting” (Figure 1), despite remaining bright and alert with a good appetite. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, commonly referred to as the “MAP” bacteria. This disease begins when calves (not adult cattle) are infected by eating or drinking manure containing the MAP bacteria. This most often happens around the time of birth, although infection can occur up to 6 months of age but very rarely after. Once MAP enters a calf, the organism takes up residence within the cells lining the ileum (the last portion of the small intestine) where it multiplies, causing the intestinal lining to slowly thicken. Over time, the thickened intestine loses the ability to absorb nutrients, resulting in watery diarrhea. There is no blood or mucus in the feces and no straining to defecate. Affected cattle typically begin to display clinical signs of diarrhea and progressive weight loss at 2-5 years of age or older. There is no treatment available for this condition and the animals that develop chronic diarrhea eventually die due to starvation and dehydration. The MAP organism is “shed” in the feces into the environment before the diarrhea starts and continues until the animal’s death. Map bacteria are very hardy due to a protective cell wall that allows survival for long periods, sometimes years, in the environment where it can infect young calves.

How do calves get infected with MAP bacteria?
Johne’s disease begins with MAP infection, most often when calves Continue reading Johne’s Disease and Detection in Beef Cattle Frequently Asked Questions →