A High Plane of Nutrition Is Associated with a Lower Risk for Neonatal Calf Diarrhea on Bavarian Dairy Farms

Simple Summary: Calf mortality and morbidity are still unacceptably high on many dairy farms worldwide. Neonatal calf diarrhea is the most common cause of disease and death in young calves. This study attempted to identify risk factors that are associated with the outbreak of this multifactorial disease on Bavarian dairy farms. For this purpose, farms with calf diarrhea as a herd problem were compared to farms without veterinarian treatment for calf diarrhea for one year before the study visit. The main factor that was associated with a lower risk of neonatal diarrhea was the provision of adequate amounts of milk as compared with lower milk feeding levels. In contrast, supplementation with iron soon after birth was associated with a higher risk for calf diarrhea as a herd problem. It is well known that poor colostrum management and restricted milk feeding compromise calf development and weaken the immune system. Therefore, it is not surprising that calves receiving more colostrum and more milk have a higher chance of remaining healthy. Ad libitum feeding of calves in the first three weeks of life is recommended. The observed association between an increased calf diarrhea risk and supplementation with iron after birth requires further investigation. In all bovine production systems, neonatal calf diarrhea remains worldwide an important issue of economic losses and animal welfare. The aim of the present study was to identify risk factors for neonatal calf diarrhea as a herd health problem on Bavarian dairy farms. For the purpose of this study, management factors related to calf health were retrospectively compared between 59 dairy farms with calf diarrhea as a herd problem with those of 18 control farms, where no veterinary treatment of calves for neonatal calf diarrhea took place for at least one year prior to the farm visit. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis of management factors indicated that administration of 3 L or more of colostrum at the second feeding after birth (Odds ration [OR] = 0.21, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.05-0.89), ad libitum feeding of milk during the first week of life (OR = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.006-0.60), and administration of an iron containing preparation after birth (OR = 10.9, 95% CI = 1.25-95.6) were independently associated with the presence of a herd problem with neonatal diarrhea. Results of this study therefore suggest that a higher plane of nutrition is a protective factor with regard to the occurrence of neonatal diarrhea on Bavarian dairy farms. These findings support the establishment of ad libitum feeding programs in dairy calf rearing.

Automated summary

Adequate colostrum feeding, ad libitum milk feeding, and avoiding early iron supplementation are important factors in reducing the risk of neonatal calf diarrhea on Bavarian dairy farms.