Cow disease

Australia has been free of some of the world’s most serious animal diseases like foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza. Having said that, there are a whole bunch of other • Bacteria, viruses and fungi that cause infections • Parasite infestations • Nutrition deficiencies • Metabolic disorders Sometimes, these diseases work in really sneaky ways. Your cows may not really exhibit very obvious symptoms but the diseases could lurk in their bodies and slowly you may start noticing: • A decline in reproductive rates • Lower milk production • Lower growth • Hide damage It’s always good to keep yourself well-informed of major cow diseases so you can spot them early, and take the necessary cures as well as preventive measures. Maintain healthy cows by understanding common bovine diseases. Photo: Cow at Robin Hill Dairy Farm. Let’s discuss some of the major diseases that affect cows: Anthrax Anthrax is caused by a bacteria called Bacillus anthracis that produces spores when exposed to air. This bacteria can actually live in soil for more than 50 years but if the soil is moist with active microbes, then it can last for up to 4 years. When the spores enter into the body either via ingestion, inhalation, or through a wound, the bacteria multiply at dizzying speeds and the toxins take over the immune system of the animal causing sudden death. Anthrax usually occurs in a humid climate or when the weather changes suddenly like when it pours after a long drought. If your animals die s...

Key facts • Brucellosis is found globally and is a reportable disease in most countries • The disease causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, weakness, malaise and weight loss • Person-to-person transmission is rare • Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by various Brucella species, which mainly infect cattle, swine, goats, sheep and dogs Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by various Brucella species, which mainly infect cattle, swine, goats, sheep and dogs. Humans generally acquire the disease through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products or by inhaling airborne agents. Most cases are caused by ingesting unpasteurized milk or cheese from infected goats or sheep. Brucellosis is one of the most widespread zoonoses transmitted by animals and in endemic areas, human brucellosis has serious public health consequences. Expansion of animal industries and urbanization, and the lack of hygienic measures in animal husbandry and in food handling, partly account for brucellosis remaining a public health hazard. Who is at risk? Brucellosis is found globally and is a reportable disease in most countries. It affects people of all ages and both sexes. In the general population, most cases are caused by the consumption of raw milk or its derivatives such as fresh cheese. Most of these cases are from sheep and goat products. The disease is also considered an occupational hazard for people who work in the livestock sector. Pe...

Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), is a disease that was first found in cattle. It's related to a disease in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Both disorders are universally fatal brain diseases caused by a prion. A prion is a protein particle that lacks DNA (nucleic acid). It's believed to be the cause of various infectious diseases of the nervous system. Eating infected cattle products, including beef, can cause a human to develop mad cow disease. What is mad cow disease? Mad cow disease is a progressive, fatal neurological disorder of cattle resulting from infection by a prion. It appears to be caused by contaminated cattle feed that contains the prion agent. Most mad cow disease has happened in cattle in the United Kingdom (U.K.), a few cases were found in cattle in the U.S. between 2003 and 2006. Feed regulations were then tightened. In addition to the cases of mad cow reported in the U.K. (78% of all cases were reported there) and the U.S., cases have also been reported in other countries, including France, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. Public health control measures have been implemented in many of the countries to prevent potentially infected tissues from entering the human food chain. These preventative measures appear to have been effective. For instance, Canada believes its prevention measures will wipe out the disease from its cattle population by 2017. What is varia...

A prion is a mis-folded protein that can cause other proteins to change their shape too. This sets off a chain-reaction effect. The prions build up in the brain cells, causing brain damage and, ultimately, death. CJD progresses quickly. It is always fatal, and most people with the disease die within one year. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease made headlines throughout the world in the year 2000. During this time period, there was a rise in cases in the United Kingdom. Those cases were linked to food contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a prion disease in cows that causes variant CJD (vCJD), also known as "mad cow" disease. The cases of CJD in the United Kingdom were called "variant" CJD since typical "classic" CJD is not linked to eating beef. Fortunately, all forms of CJD, even the variant, are extremely rare. It affects about one person in every one million per year worldwide. In the United States, there are about 350 cases per year. • Sporadic CJD is the most common form. It makes up about 85 % of all CJD cases. People who have this form of CJD have no known risk factors. This means doctors don't know why a specific person gets the disease. • Variant CJD occurs when a person eats contaminated beef. • Hereditary CJD occurs because of a family history of the disease. This form of CJD makes up 10% to 15 % of all cases. • Iatrogenic CJD is spread through specific kinds of medical procedures like corneal transplants or blood transfusions. It can also be transmit...

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is an infectious disease that causes the brain to degenerate. The hallmark of this disease is mental deterioration and involuntary muscle spasms. Over time, the disease causes growing problems along with memory, personality changes, and dementia. It is a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion disease. These types of diseases can spread between human and animals. Spongiform refers to the way the brain will start to develop holes in it. The holes give the brain a similar appearance to a sponge. Prion refers to a mutated protein that you may spontaneously develop, come in contact with, or inherit. CJD is a rare and often fatal disease with about There are • sporadic CJD: accounts for about 85 percent of new cases with the person having no known risk factors • hereditary CJD: accounts for about 10 to 15 percent of new cases and develops due to an inherited genetic defect • acquired CJD: accounts for remaining cases of CJD and occurs from exposure to infected nervous system tissue and infected meat CJD progresses rapidly. About CJD Symptoms of CJD often start as barely noticeable and then rapidly progress. These typically include: • • loss of balance or coordination • changes in personality and behavior • confusion or disorientation • convulsions/seizures • muscle changes including loss of mass, weakness, and tremors • insomnia • difficulty talking • blindness or vision impairment • • coma • increased risk of infections...

Warts on a beef cow. Credit: Michigan State University. Warts are caused by a contagious bovine virus (papillomavirus). Four types of the virus are known to produce warts in cattle. Two of the viral types cause most of the warts found on the head and neck of cattle. All are described as “hardy” – meaning the virus will survive out in the environment for weeks or even months if it is protected by pieces of skin, a shed wart, or bits of tissue on a halter. Because of the infectious nature of the wart virus, animals with warts are disqualified from shows and exhibitions. A veterinarian pre-fair visit showing an indication of warts should mean that the animal does not even get on the truck to go to the event. The papillomavirus is widely distributed in cattle throughout the world. Calves are most susceptible to warts and very few cases are ever seen in cattle over 2 years of age. Occasionally, warts may be found on the teats of lactating dairy cows. Cattle are the main source of the virus, meaning that in most cases, cows get it from other infected cows. However, it should be noted that halters, ropes, tattoo instruments, teat cup liners, or clippers can all serve as a potential source of infection spreading the virus from one animal to others. Calves are often unintentionally infected by tattoo or ear tagging equipment, halters, or dirty clippers. For that reason, it is important to clean clippers, tattoo and ear tag guns between cattle! Commercial vaccines are available, and...