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by Dr. Bill Wohler Mycoplasmosis has been recognized in dairy cattle for forty years. How long it has been a problem in stocker cattle is debatable. Some have yet to admit that it is a problem, but cattlemen who have experienced the disease have no difficulty recognizing it when they see it a second time. Some have quit the business and a number will only buy backgrounded cattle in an effort to get around the Mycoplasmosis problem. Highly stressed lightweight calves are the most susceptible, but it can occur in calves still with their mothers as well as 800 pound feeders. There are a few reports of abortion (Texas Veterinarian, June 2001, Vol. 63, No. 3) and it has even been found to be the cause of death in adult dairy cows. In swine, Mycoplasma has been shown to potentiate virus infection, and in man, Mycoplasma has been found to hasten the time it takes an HIV person to develop clinical AIDS (Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 1999, p. 620-627). These Mycoplasma are different than the Mycoplasma we have in cattle, but you get the picture. If you haven't seen it before, the first things you notice are signs of unthriftiness and a rather low-grade pneumonia. The calves will stay fairly bright-eyed (no doughnuts around the eyes). The muzzle will remain moist, maybe even pretty drippy, not dry, red and cracked. Calves may come to feed and eat a little, but lose their fill. They also breathe faster than normal, cough, dry up and die. Some get lame, generally in the upper leg joints and some may droop an ear due to an inner ear infection. Treatment is tough. Baytril and Nuflor seem to work the best. Some people report success with large doses of Oxytel, and Aureomycin has been used in feed at very high levels with some success, more for prevention than treatment. Consultation with your veterinarian is very important to determine the level of dosage and interval for re-treatment. Reports from the use of the Mycoplasma Bovis Bacterin have mostly been good to excellent, some moderate success and a few apparent failures. It definitely takes two doses. Condition of the cattle, the environment, nutrition, vaccination program, intercurrent disease and particularly the experience and dedication of the caretakers are major determinants of success in managing this very costly disease. One experienced cattleman pointed out, "This stuff will break every man in Texas big enough to break. Why doesn't the government do something?" My answer is that it isn't a governmental problem. It is an industry problem and will take the best efforts of the cattle industry including market interests, the veterinary profession and the animal health firms to get ahead of the problem. With a concerted effort, the problem can be managed. © |
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