An overview of calf diarrhea - infectious etiology, diagnosis, and intervention

Cho, Yong-il; Yoon, Kyoung-Jin

Calf diarrhea is a multifactorial disease [62, 134] . Factors involved in the occurrence of calf diarrhea can be summarized as ones associated with a) peripartum calving management, b) calf immunity, and c) environmental stress or contamination. Characteristics of major or emerging bovine enteric pathogens were previously described in this review. There is not much of difference between the patterns of disease development and prevention of calf diarrhea according to each etiological agent. Knowing of causal pathogen(s) is important for accurately assessing the current status of the affected farm and developing further interventions. Nowadays, disease control and prevention in production animals involves animal welfare from the public or consumer's point of view, and increased productivity from the livestock producer's point of view.