An observational study to assess incidence of dairy calf diarrhea and subsequent recovery

To evaluate calf diarrhoea and the subsequent recovery, 51 spring born dairy heifer Holstein (HO; n=29, birth weight 34.7 (SEM 0.69) kg) and Jersey (JE; n=22, BW 25.9 (SEM 0.81) kg) calves were observed from birth (0 days (d)) to weaning (82 (SEM 1.43) d). Calves were fed 8.5% BW of colostrum, from either their dam (n=28) or from 2 or less freshly calved cows (n=23) within 2 hours of birth. Calves were clinically assessed using a modified Wisconsin-Madison health scoring system and 0d, 7d, 21d, weaning and at diarrheal disease manifestation (22 (SEM 0.70) d). Diarrheal disease was determined visually in combination with faecal scores during clinical assessment (score: 0-1=healthy; 2-3=scours). Calves with diarrhoeal disease developed were classified as “scouring” (n=27) an absence of symptoms as “healthy” (n=24) during the pre-weaning period. Data were analysed using the PROC MIXED procedure in SAS (9.4). The model included fixed effects (calf breed, dam breed, disease status, and colostrum source) and random effects (shed and lactation number). The mean day post-birth for scour presentation was 23 (SEM 1.04) d and 22 (SEM 0.88) d for HO and JE calves, respectively. There was no effect of disease incidence (P = 0.61), colostrum source (P = 0.95), dam breed (P = 0.40) or calf breed (P = 0.85) on ADG. The work done for this observational study is a part of the EU-funded Holoruminant project, whose aim is to better understand ruminant microbiomes and their roles within the host with relation to health, welfare, and production