Early Vet Involvement Key in Managing Cattle Pneumonia

As herd numbers increase, so too does the risk of cattle respiratory diseases, such as Mycoplasma bovis. “Mycoplasma bovis is one of the agents of bovine respiratory disease,” says Zoetis Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Vickie Cooper. “It is also part of the normal bacterial colonies that are in the upper respiratory tract of cattle. So, it doesn’t really become an issue until something sets it off, just like any respiratory disease.” The first step, if respiratory issues are detected in cattle, is to contact a veterinarian. “If you lose calves, they need to have a post-mortem examination and identify the different causes of the pneumonia. Very seldom is pneumonia a single-organism issue. It’s multiple organisms affecting the calf and causing lung damage. Mycoplasma is a chronic, insidious disease. It grows very slowly, and it just continues to cause progressive lung damage.”