Callens, Jozefien

De Bleecker, Koen

Deprez, Piet

Pardon, Bart

English

Ghent University Academic Bibliography

Morbidity and mortality in Flemish veal calvesB. Pardon1, K. De Bleecker2, J. Callens2, P. Deprez 11 Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium2 Diergezondheidszorg Vlaanderen (DGZ- Vlaanderen), Belgium IntroductionFigure 1: Individually housed dairy veal calves during the first 6 weeks after arrivalThe Flemish veal calf industry is a niche market, which is specialized in rearing dairy,mixed breed or Belgian blue calves on an iron deficient milk powder diet in order toproduce white veal meat. No detailed information on morbidity and mortality on Belgianveal calf farms is currently available. International references are limited as well(Sargeant et al. , 1994).Scientific aimsCollection of objective data on morbidity and mortality in the Flemish veal calfindustry.Identification of diseases which need further research to improve the health andwelfare of the calves and the profitability of the farms. Figure 2: Causes of mortality in 127 Belgian veal calvesMaterials and methods3% 2%pneumoniaperitonitisA longitudinal survey on 15 veal farms (5 of each breed) isperformed. Data on mortality were registered by the farmer and25%3%6%7%4% acute ruminitisunknownomphalitisnecropsies were performed partially by the local veterinarianand partially at the Flemish animal health organisation (DGZ- 8%4%3%perforating abomasal ulcerationneurological diseaseVlaanderen). Data on morbidity were collected based on thedaily registration of individual treatments by the stockmen.15% diarrheaenterotoxaemiaAdditional information on nutrition, group treatments, cleaningprocedures and production results were collected for further20% miscellaneousnecrobacillosisanalysis.Figure 3:  Age related morbidity in 2458 veal calvesarthritisResults44,5Global mortality was 5.17%. Pneumonia, peritonitis 33,5Morbidity (%) global morbidity(polyserositis) and acute ruminitis are the major causes ofmortality (Fig 2). A typical age related distribution of morbidity1,522,5Morbidity (%)diarrheapneumoniaperitonitis(Fig 3) was seen, with diarrhea (week 1-3) shortly after arrival,followed by respiratory problems (week 2-5). Bovine respiratory 0,51Morbidity (%)disease (BRD) is the most important reason for individualtreatment (Fig 4).014212835424956637077849198105112119126133140147154161168175182189196203210217224231Age (days) Both herd and breed differences for morbidity and mortalitywere observed for pneumonia and peritonitis. The Belgian bluebreed is more susceptible to enterotoxemia (Clostridiumperfringens) (16%) and arthritis (9%) .1,53   Figure 4: Causes of morbidity (%) in 2458 veal calvesAdditional projects 5,24   0,44   0,66   1,53   diarrheapneumoniaBased on the preliminary data of the study on morbidity and12,88   6,11   4,37   7,64   peritonitisruminal drinkermortality two additional projects are running.• Determination of etiological agents in 25 naturalarthritisneurological diseasesoutbreaks of BRD in Flemish veal calves.• Study into the pathogenesis of Clostridium perfringens63,97   omphalitisnecrobacillosisenterotoxaemia : molecular identification of pathogenicstrains and epidemiological study for eliciting factors.otitis miscellaneousReferences: Sargeant et al., 1994, Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 58, 189-195

Morbidity and mortality in Flemish veal calves

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Morbidity and mortality in Flemish veal calves

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Ghent University Academic Bibliography