Thoracic Ultrasound in dairy calves to detect early pneumonia

Bovine respiratory disease or pneumonia is the most common reason for death and poor performance in young cattle. To reduce the effect of pneumonia on their herds’ performance, a group of eight dairy farms will be working with Daleside Vets to trial the use of Thoracic ultrasound scanning, which is a rapid, on-farm validated predictor of lung lesions in pre-weaned dairy calves. The technology will be used to investigate the prevalence and severity of lung lesions and its association with clinical pneumonia and effect on growth rates.

By assessing the level of lung consolidation, they hope to raise awareness of the level of subclinical respiratory disease in dairy calves, and its potential impact on herd efficiency and profitability. This information will aim to help the reduction in respiratory disease. The project will also raise awareness of the benefits of using thoracic ultrasound on farms to assess the success of management changes in reducing respiratory diseases.

Over the next year, monthly visits will be undertaken to the eight participating farms. During these visits’ calves between 2-6 weeks and 12-16 weeks will be weighed and calves between 6-10 weeks will also be weighed and thoracic ultrasound will be performed.

Data collection will be vital to track and monitor respiratory disease cases and training will be provided to all farm staff involved in calf care on how to determine a clinical case of pneumonia.

Participating farms will be provided with their results which will be a baseline to allow needed changes to be made. If management changes are implemented such as improved nutrition, cleanliness, shed design, further scanning could be undertaken to monitor the effects of these changes