Dairy Event 2011: Pneumonia costing millions

Pneumonia is costing UK farmers about £80 million a year with any lung damage having life time effects.

Speaking to Farmers Weekly at the Dairy Event and Livestock Show, Fiona MacGillivray Merial Animal Health vet advisor said the relative size of cattle lungs compared to their body weight was one of the reasons why dairy and beef farmers should be concerned about the real impact of calf pneumonia.

“For every 100kg bodyweight, humans have on average ten litres of lung capacity, horses eight and cattle on four.

“This not only makes them more vulnerable to the effects of respiratory disease, it also means any damage to the animals lungs can have a profound effect on long-term production, costing the farmer money both in treatment and in reduced productivity.”

Housing is a particular risk period for pneumonia, she said. “Overcrowding and mixing of cattle increase the risks and good housing management is absolutely crucial to reducing these.”

Pneumonia costs between £43 and £84 for every infected animal, with costs rising to £104 for every animal when re-treatments are required. “Treatment costs are only one aspect of the costs involved,” she added.

“In the longer term pneumonia can have a negative impact on daily liveweight gains and for beef producers this means longer finishing times, or for dairy producers an increase in the age to first calving.”

First signs of pneumonia farmers should look out for include animals hanging back from the rest of the group, as well as laboured breathing, coughing, depression, lethargy, mucous discharge, poor appetite and emaciated body condition.

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