Calf Diagnostic Testing

Calf Diagnostic Testing

Introduction

We understand the importance of staying on top of calf health. BoviSync makes it easy to record and track vital calf information from day 1. With simple data entry and powerful reporting tools, farm managers can be confident that BoviSync can help them uncover bottlenecks occuring in their youngstock programs.

Why use diagnostic tests?

Diagnostic tests can provide objective data for farm managers to make more informed decisions. They may identify areas for training or improvements such as in maternity management, technician performance, treatment decisions, or calf performance. Diagnostic tests can also provide valuable insight for making culling decisions.

Diagnostic approaches may include sample collection, clinical scoring systems incorporating visual and tactile assessment, and sample-based testing conducted by the user or an external laboratory using analytical tools. Many available diagnostic tests have undergone external validation and verification and can be used as objective measures when users are adequately trained in these methods and in interpreting the resulting data. 

Your herd veterinarian is the best resource for interpreting diagnostic test results and helping integrate them into management decisions.

Example Protocols and Use in BoviSync

Tissue/Blood Sampling:

Genomic Sample

Farms may use this test to confirm parentage, make better breeding decisions in the future, and identify possible animals for early culling.



Highly Infectious Disease

Farms with a history of or are currently struggling with highly infectious diseases may benefit from early testing in their calves. Again, this can help inform early culling decisions. This example protocol is set up around weaning age to collect a tissue sample for BVD.


Results are then reported and recorded as a Highly Infectious Disease event:


Serum Total Protein/IGG

Measure the passive transfer of immunity from colostrum feeding at birth. Serum total protein is a reliable and cost-effective way to measure this.


Health Monitoring

Lung Ultrasound

Lung ultrasound is a relatively new technique used to characterize lung health. It reveals the distribution of subclinical pneumonia, clinical pneumonia, or upper respiratory infections in your calves. It can be used as a monitoring tool to determine when calves are most at risk for respiratory disease on your farm, identify impact of management changes, or assist in culling decisions.
Some resources to learn about lung ultrasound:
WeanClean Initiative, DairyLand Initiative, University of Wisconsin - Madison
How Lung Ultrasounds Are Changing Calf Care, University of Wisconsin - Extension



Diagnostic Tests associated with medical diagnoses

Temp, feces, cough, nasal discharge, ocular discharge, ear position, joints, navel
Example scoring guidelines, University of Wisconsin, School of Veterinary Medicine

Diagnostic Test
Associated Medical Diagnosis
Feces
Scours, Diarrhea
Joints Score
Joint ill
Navel Score
Navel infection
Temp
Fever, Pneumonia
Nasal discharge
Pneumonia
Ocular discharge
Pneumonia
Ear position
Pneumonia


Example using Temp:


Example using Joints Score:


Other calf diagnostic tests

Calf vigor score- (Learn more from University of Wisconsin Extension) evaluated shortly after birth to assesses their Visual appearance, Initiation of movement, General responsiveness, Oxygenation, heart and respiration Rates.
Heart girth - (Learn more from Penn State Extension) a way to estimate body weight without a scale (can be useful for treatment applications)
Appetite - speed of milk consumption or interest in eating

Example Reports

IGG Results by Birth Tech



Serum Total Protein Results by Birth Tech



Lung Ultrasound Results



Birth Cohort Scorecard


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