Content
Young cattle are more susceptible to diseases than adults. This is due to the fact that at an early stage of development the immune system is not yet able to resist various pathogens. Therefore, every livestock breeder should promptly pay attention to warning signs. If your calf has snot, this symptom should not be ignored as in some cases it may indicate a serious health problem.
List of reasons why a calf has snot
Various factors can provoke the appearance of this symptom. Therefore, before treating snot in a calf, you need to establish the main cause of its appearance. After all, a symptom does not always indicate a cold.
Allergy
A calf's snot may be a reaction to an allergen. Most often this is due to the introduction of dietary supplements into the animal’s diet. Allergy development can be triggered by:
- high concentration of protein in feed;
- soy milk replacer;
- poor quality complementary foods.
A calf can also develop such a reaction to medications that were used to treat another disease. And also for insect repellents and care products.
It is possible to determine what is an allergen only through personal observations of the livestock breeder. Therefore, the veterinarian first asks the owner what changes in housing and nutritional conditions occurred, after which the calf developed snot.
Additional signs of allergies can confirm the diagnosis, such as:
- small rash;
- coating on the tongue;
- diarrhea or constipation;
- swelling of the skin.
Food allergies are common in cattle
Respiratory diseases
Snot in a calf may indicate an upper respiratory tract infection. Any delay will significantly complicate the situation. Therefore, first of all, you need to call a veterinarian who will confirm or refute your fears.
Bronchopneumonia
This disease is typical for calves in the first year of life. According to statistics, it is diagnosed in 25-30% of young animals. Most often, bronchopneumonia develops during the weaning, fattening, and growing periods. Lack of timely treatment can lead to irreversible consequences.
With bronchopneumonia, the bronchi and lungs are initially affected, in which serous exudate accumulates. As a result, this manifests itself as a runny nose and cough.
Main provoking factors:
- cold;
- stress;
- lack of vitamin A;
- lack of walking;
- sudden change in temperature.
Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis based on clinical signs and laboratory tests. With timely treatment, the calf recovers in 7-10 days.
Pneumonia
This disease affects young animals between two and five months of age. The main provoking factor is weaning from the cow, as a result of which the calf’s immunity decreases. Pneumonia can also develop when young animals of different ages are kept together.
The first sign of pneumonia is depression and diarrhea. Subsequently, the calf develops profuse snot, coughing, breathing increases up to 60 breaths per minute, and the temperature rises sharply.
Tuberculosis
A dangerous disease caused by the Koch bacillus. Infection occurs by airborne droplets, as well as through water and feed. In calves, tuberculosis manifests itself in an acute form, which is accompanied by copious discharge of snot.
Additional symptoms:
- dry skin;
- stable high temperature - about 40-42 degrees;
- lack of appetite;
- wheezing when breathing.
There is no cure for tuberculosis. The infected animal must be slaughtered and subsequently disposed of.
Dictyocaulosis
A parasitic disease that develops due to the penetration of the nematode Dictyocaulus viviparus into the animal’s body. In the mature stage, it is localized in the middle and small branches of the bronchi, as well as in the region of the posterior diaphragmatic lobes of the lungs. The nematode parasitizes the body of calves from 1.5 to 12 months.
The primary sign of invasion is a depressed general condition and a gradual decrease in appetite. With further development of the disease, the calf develops a cough with wheezing and shortness of breath, as well as thick mucopurulent snot.
Infectious diseases
Snot in a calf can be a sign of infection. The causative agents are various pathogenic microorganisms. The danger of infectious diseases is that they develop rapidly and can lead to infection of the entire livestock.
Infectious diseases most often manifest themselves not only with a runny nose, but also with fever
Colibacillosis
This infection is most often diagnosed in calves under eight months of age. The causative agent is E. coli, which enters the body through dirty equipment.
When infected, the animal develops debilitating diarrhea with bloody and mucous impurities. With further development, pathological changes occur in the lungs and bronchi, which is why snot and rapid breathing appear. A lower body temperature is also recorded - about 32-34 degrees. Colibacillosis can cause the death of an animal if treatment is not carried out in a timely manner. Recovered calves are noticeably stunted in growth.
Subacute stage of pasteurellosis
The causative agent of infection is Pasteurella multocida. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, and less commonly through food and drink. An infected calf produces serous-purulent snot mixed with blood. Infection can also be detected by a dry cough, fever and the presence of swollen areas in the neck, chest and limbs.
Lumpy dermatitis
The disease is characterized by the appearance of bumps on the skin. The causative agent is DNA viruses. The incubation period lasts from 3 to 30 days.
Initial signs of the disease:
- high temperature - about 40 degrees;
- liquid copious snot;
- lacrimation.
48 hours after the appearance of the first symptoms, round subcutaneous nodules 0.5 cm high form on the animal’s body. After several hours, necrosis of the affected areas of the skin begins.
Violation of content rules
The reason for the appearance of snot in a calf may be a violation of the basic rules of keeping. Inflammation of the upper respiratory tract is promoted by:
- increased air humidity;
- lack of ventilation;
- damp litter;
- fungus development in the barn;
- lack of regular walking.
If at least some of the conditions listed are present, the immunity of young animals is significantly reduced. And this can lead to more serious illnesses.
What to do if calves are leaking snot
If snot appears, it is necessary to transfer the animal to a separate warm room. You should also provide a complete diet consisting of easily digestible feed in the form of mash of ground oats and bran. It is important to ensure that there is always clean water in the drinking bowl. To treat a runny nose, you need to rinse with carbonic soda.
If allergies develop, the veterinarian will prescribe antihistamines, as well as vitamin complexes to boost immunity.
To treat infectious and colds, complex therapy with antibiotics and immunomodulators is used. This combination has an inhibitory effect on pathogenic microflora and helps increase the body's resistance to its effects.
Only a veterinarian can determine the cause of snot in a calf, so you should not delay time and self-medicate
Prevention measures
To preserve young animals and eliminate the possibility of developing diseases, you must follow simple rules.
Preventive actions:
- Regularly disinfect animal equipment, as well as grooming tools.
- Replace dirty litter in a timely manner.
- Provide outdoor exercise for animals.
- Conduct timely vaccination of young animals.
- Purchase only high-quality food and certified dietary supplements.
- Ensure that animals of different ages are kept separately.
- Use vitamin complexes to maintain immunity.
- Equip the room for keeping calves with ventilation.
- Carry out timely deworming.
Conclusion
In a calf, snot is a sign that not everything is in order in the animal’s body. The sooner the cause of the condition is determined, the less harm it will cause to the animal’s health. As you know, any disease is easier to treat at the initial stage of development.
