The Microbiota Profile Of Severe Watery And Hemorrhagic Feces
We further extracted the individual severe watery and hemorrhagic fecal samples and characterized their microbiota structure, as they would pose greater risk to the intestinal health of calves. All severe abnormal fecal samples had much less bacterial richness according to the number of ASVs and slightly lower bacterial diversity according to the Shannon index . For the microbiota composition, one of the severe watery feces harbored more than 5-fold higher relative abundance of Fusobacterium , Peptostreptococcus , Campylobacter , Parasutterella , and Tyzzerella compared to normal feces , and the other one contained more Tyzzerella , Veillonella , Lachnospiraceae_UCG-004 , _torques_group than normal feces . For the severe hemorrhagic feces, it shed more than 10-fold higher relative abundance of Tyzzerella and approximately 5-fold more Veillonella than normal feces .
Figure 4. The microbiota characteristics of severe watery or hemorrhagic feces. The number of ASVs of subgroup feces. The Shannon index of subgroup feces. The dotplot that shows the relative abundance of genera in subgroup feces.
How Often To Give Probios To Calves
Probios, or probiotics, are administrated to pets, farm animals and even people for digestion problems. When given to calves, they are usually for treatment of calf scours or diarrhea. Studies are mixed on the effectiveness of probiotic treatment. A University of Illinois study suggests it might be effective in calves facing heat stress. Information on how often to give probios to calves can be usually be found on technical sheets inserted in the product package or on the product label.
Natural Remedies That Work
The following can be added to milk to supplement/improve digestion for a few feedings. Dehydration is often the most dangerous symptom of scours in calves and is one of the most important symptoms to remedy first. Natural remedies are often all that is needed in mild cases of scours and for milk scours.
The following recipes imply a regular calf feeding of a half gallon-sized calf bottle or bucket of milk/replacer.
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Continued Feeding Of Cow’s Milk
It has become increasingly evident over the past 20 years that a damaged intestine needs metabolic fuel to optimize repair, and that fresh cow’s milk provides an excellent, inexpensive, and readily available source of nutrition and growth factors to facilitate repair. Milk is also more energy dense than oral rehydration therapy solutions and continued milk feeding minimizes the weight loss associated with chronic diarrhea in calves.52 Concurrent feeding of milk and ORT solutions results in improved intestinal morphology, compared with that from ORT solutions alone.
Glutamine supplementation has been investigated as an ancillary treatment of calf diarrhea, but the results of two studies indicate the addition of glutamine had deleterious effects on small intestinal villus height and villus surface area, and glutamine-treated calves had a lower mitotic rate in the small intestine than control calves.53, 54 It is currently believed that glutamine offers no advantage in improving gut morphology in diarrheic calves.55
Gastrointestinal Microbial Structure Of Cattle
GI microbial communities are involved in the digestion and fermentation of plant polymers, which is of particular importance in mature herbivorous animals. Ruminant animals harbor a complex microbial community consisting of a diverse array of anaerobic microbes in the rumen, which forms a different community structure from aerobic consortia for fiber digestion . These microorganisms interact with one another and take part in the systematic digestion of fibrous plant material, which they anaerobically ferment into end products that are, in turn, used as energy sources by the host . Microbial characteristics, functions, and current concerns regarding dysfunctions in the two respective sites in cattle are summarized in Table 1. Even though the major functionalities differ from each other, ruminal community may affect that of large intestine.
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Prevention As A Method Of Prevention
Treating diarrhea is a difficult and painstaking process that sometimes even an adult cow cannot tolerate. In order to prevent the onset of the disease, you need to do its prevention in time. Sometimes prevention is considered a much more effective and relatively cheap option compared to other means .
The following preventive measures can prevent the disease from appearing:
- Often the causes of many diseases lie in improper sanitary and hygienic care. This also applies to young cows: it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness and safety of the premises, as well as the protection of individuals from extreme heat and frost.
- There will be no need to treat livestock if the cow is vaccinated in a timely manner: the vaccine will give the baby a better chance of survival and living in critical environmental conditions.
- The quality of colostrum should also be at its best – it is important to try to control its abundance and quality together with a doctor.
- The calf and cow must be protected from contact with the manure of other livestock and animals, because this is a real source of viruses and bacteria. Where possible, temporary isolation from other livestock should be established.
- Poor quality feed can easily cause disorder, therefore it is necessary to ensure that the food includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
- It is impossible to cure diarrhea without observing a strict diet and drinking regime.
Current Applications Of Prebiotics In Calves
Several types of oligosaccharides have been suggested to have specific functionalities in calves. Mannan oligosaccharides are complex mannose sugars that are believed to block colonization of pathogens in the digestive tract. A previous study demonstrated that deeding fructooligosaccharides in combination with spray-dried bovine serum to calves reduced the incidence and severity of enteric disease . It has been suggested that this sugar prevents the adhesion of Enterobacteriaceae, most notably Escherichia coli and Salmonella, to the intestinal epithelium . Galactosyl-lactose is a trisaccharide that is produced by the enzymatic treatment of whey with beta-galactosidase. The addition of GL to milk replacer was previously found to have beneficial effects on the growth and health of dairy calves . Supplementation with MOS, FOS, and GL may improve the growth performance of calves in either the pre- or postweaning stage however, modifications to the activities of microbial fermentation by these sugars have not yet been examined in detail. In addition, similar to the case of probiotics, the observable benefits of prebiotics are likely to be minimal when calves are generally healthy . As shown in Table 2, most prebiotics may not have any apparent beneficial effects over probiotics.
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Homeopathic Treatments Such As Podophyllum Or Oregano
Veterinary homeopathy is increasing in popularity, particularly in Europe, where priority is often given to veterinary homeopathic treatment rather than allopathic veterinary medicine on organic farms.11 The homeopathic agent podophyllum is derived from Podophyllum peltatum , and it has been used as a medicine by Native American Indians as a laxative or a treatment for intestinal parasites. The results of a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of podophyllum in 44 calves with diarrhea in Sweden indicated that podophyllum had no effect on the duration of diarrhea or the presence of depression, inappetance, and fever.11
Allicin, a sulfur-containing component of garlic that prevents the growth of some bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, had no effect on weight gain or duration of diarrhea due to C parvum in calves.108 Anecdotal reports of the use of nutmeg as a treatment for calf diarrhea exist,109 but treatment efficacy has not been formally evaluated.
Treating Diarrhea With Medicines
The first and logical question that arises for a farmer when an unpleasant disease appears is: “What to give to calves against diarrhea?” Due to the weak body of the animal, the choice of the remedy should be as deliberate as possible. It is necessary to treat diarrhea in a calf by observing the following procedure:
- to eliminate the main reason why the calf was carried
- subject the animal to rehydration therapy
- provide energy and vitamin saturation
- carry out anti-inflammatory therapy.
Home treatment should treat dehydration, sometimes with antibiotics and oral fluids. In addition, it is important to purchase special auxiliary medications that can effectively fight the disease. They must be applied carefully, after consulting a doctor. The most commonly used treatments for diarrhea in calves are vaccinations, probiotics, and antibiotics.
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Parenteral Administration Of Mycobacterial Cell Wall Extracts
A product that was derived from mycobacterial cell wall extracts was developed in the 1990s in the United States. Parenteral administration of the product during the first 24 hours of life purportedly decreased the prevalence of diarrhea,107 suggesting that the product may have some efficacy as an ancillary treatment for calf diarrhea. However, peer-reviewed publications documenting treatment efficacy do not appear to be available.
Normal And Abnormal Feces In Young Calves Carried Distinctive Microbiota
To compare the microbiota composition of normal and abnormal feces, the sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S gene was conducted. A total of 2,172,004 raw reads were generated and after removing substitution and chimera errors using DADA2 pipeline, 1,703,949 high-quality ASVs were yielded .
Figure 2. The microbiota characteristics of normal and abnormal feces. The number of amplicon sequence variants of normal and abnormal feces. The Shannon index of normal and abnormal feces. The PCoA plot based on Bray-Curtis distances comparing microbiota composition between normal and abnormal feces. The difference in Bray-Curtis distance was analyzed by the permutational multivariate ANOVA . Distribution of abundant bacterial phyla in normal and abnormal feces. The taxonomic cladogram obtained from the linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis showing the unique bacterial taxa in the normal and abnormal feces. Results of the LEfSe analysis showing microbial function that were significantly different between normal and abnormal feces.
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Targeted Intestinal Support By Dbc Ag Products
First Arrival® with Encrypt® is a fast-acting, safe and reliable feed supplement, engineered to enhance the immune system. It targets 98% of the pathogens that cause scours and malnutrition, while providing beneficial bacteria at the same time. First Arrival® with Encrypt®, our exclusive trademarked organic carbon source is a targeted feed supplement specially formulated to help a newborn calf build a strong immune system. Its innovative formula provides Encrypt®, targeted egg proteins, micro-encapsulated lactic acid forming bacteria, and Vitamins A, D3 and E that better enable newborn calves to fight the pathogens that may cause scours and other diseases.
Even after feeding colostrum during the first 24 hours, calves have a severe immunity gap that makes them highly susceptible to diseases that cause scours. Thats why First Arrival® with Encrypt® was developed. Our proprietary formula is a dark gray granular powder that is research backed and delivers the following key benefits that help avoid scours in newborn calves:
- Encrypt aids in inhibiting growth of pathogens, including cryptosporidia, and absorbs harmful toxins
- Targeted egg proteins concentrate on the most common digestive pathogens
- Micro-encapsulation protects beneficial bacteria from stomach acid and bile
- Dark gray powder serves as marker of passage and proper use
- All natural ingredients require no withdrawal
- Easy to use buckets, bottles and hands clean up easily
Paste
The Variation In Microbiota Of Abnormal Feces With Different Morphologies
After comparing gut microbiota composition between calves with abnormal feces and calves with normal feces, the abnormal fecal group was subcategorized based on differing morphologies for further analysis. The number of ASVs was lower in watery feces and was dependent on severity of the watery property . Average number of ASVs for normal, mild watery, and severe watery feces was 124.3, 102.2, and 78.00, respectively. The feces with presence of slight blood contained slightly lower level of ASVs compared to normal feces, but the severe hemorrhagic feces harbored much fewer ASVs . Similar but less obvious pattern was observed for the Shannon index . The results show an incremental decrease in bacterial species richness and diversity with increased levels of severity of both hemorrhagic and watery feces. However, no significant difference was observed for overall microbiota structure between severe watery feces and severe hemorrhagic feces with the normal feces according to the PCoA plot based on Bray-Curtis distance .
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Calf Scours: Key Considerations For Prevention Treatment And Recovery
Scours its an unwelcome but far too common problem on many dairies today. Thanks to education and development of new products, tremendous strides have been made in reducing the severity and number of calves lost due to the main causes of calf scours.
Scours prevention
Scours prevention is the best strategy to help your calves stay healthy and realize the genetic potential we have been working so hard to achieve. Cleanliness is a cornerstone of prevention, and it starts in the calving pen by providing a clean area so the calf is not exposed to that first manure meal. It is also critical to keep colostrum harvesting, storage and administration equipment clean and free of biofilms.
These primary causes remain the same: bacteria , viruses and parasites . Work with your veterinarian to identify the timeline of when calves are affected and use diagnostic testing. This is a straightforward way to determine which pathogens are prevalent on your farm and develop a prevention and treatment plan to deal with calf scours.
Equally as critical is to get the sufficient amount of high-quality colostrum into calves as quickly as possible . High-quality colostrum is produced by healthy dry cows and springing heifers on a vaccination program to cover pathogens endemic to your farm, kept on a proper plane of nutrition and comfortably housed. Oral antibodies and vaccines administered to the calf at birth can be an effective tool as well.
Scours Treatment
Identification Of Lactobacillus Spp Strains And Their Antimicrobial Activities
Figure 6. Isolation of Lactobacillus strains and their antimicrobial activity. The concentrations of lactic acid bacteria in normal and abnormal feces. In the bar graph, the asterisk reflects they are significantly different based on the Students t-test. Number of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from healthy calves identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus spp. against pathogenic strains. Bars with different letters indicate significant difference based on one-way ANOVA followed by an F-test and Tukeys HSD test for pairwise comparison of multiple means.
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Calf Gain Milk Supplement
Calf Gain is a unique six in one supplement for adding to cows milk. Cows milk is often deficient in a number of important nutrients which can result in poorer growth and nutritional problems. Calf Gains combination of essential nutrients will help bridge the weak links associated with whole milk feeding.
Rich specific proteins help the calfs own immune system against undesirable organisms that could affect its health and performance. Where specific problems have been identified then the use of Bio-Start Bolus is recommended immediately after birth and for the first 3 days.
The unique combination of beneficial bacteria will help maintain a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which are esential, It also contains a unique blend of natural acids and preservatives which ensures faster clotting of the whole milk essential for health and vitality.
Extra essential vitamins and essential trace elements often lacking in cows milk are added which are vital if the calf is to develop its own natural immune system against disease.
The glucose base provides additional energy plus flavour and sweetener for improved palatability.
Britmilk covers the whole of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern and Southern Ireland. Working closely with merchants and agents we are able to combine the supply of high quality products with technical backup and unbiased advice.
For details of your nearest Merchant contact us 01387 750459 or
Isolation Of Lactobacillus Spp Strains And Antimicrobial Activities
The normal and abnormal feces were plated after 10-fold serial dilution in phosphate-buffered saline on de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar to determine the concentrations of lactic acid bacteria , then plates were anaerobically incubated at 37°C for 48h using the GasPak EZ Anaerobe System . To isolate Lactobacillus strains from the normal feces, colonies with different morphologies were randomly selected and purified on the same solid media to isolate pure colonies. A total of 79 colonies were isolated from fecal samples of healthy calves. Genomic DNA of the isolated colonies was extracted by bead beating method, as previously described . Then, to speciate the isolates, the 16S gene was amplified using the universal primer pair KCP812 and KCP813 . Amplified PCR products were purified using the QIAquick PCR purification kit . Purified PCR products were sequenced in Genewiz , and the 16S rRNA gene sequences were identified by BLAST searching against National Center for Biotechnology Information 16S ribosomal RNA sequences database.
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High Prevalence Of Abnormal Feces In One
One-month-old calves had high prevalence of abnormal feces. Among the 91 fecal samples, 74 were firm and brownish, which were classified as normal feces, whereas 17 were abnormal, including six mild watery, two extremely watery, eight with slight blood observed, and one extremely hemorrhagic . Twelve out of 17 abnormal feces were from heifer. Interestingly, the birthweight of heifer with abnormal feces were significantly lower than those with normal feces , suggesting birth weight might be associated with gut health. However, the pattern was not observed in bulls .
Figure 1. The distribution of normal and abnormal feces and its relationship with birthweight of preweaning calves. The prevalence of normal and abnormal feces of preweaning calves. The difference in birthweight between heifers with normal feces and those with abnormal feces. The difference in birthweight between bulls with normal feces and those with abnormal feces. In the box plot, the asterisk reflects that they are significantly different based on the Students t-test.