Cow breeder should be more cautious during rainy season. The extreme temperature change from hot to cold may cause the cows to be more prone to sickness. This article lists 10 types of cow sickness during rainy season which should make any breeder aware.
1. Lameness/limp
Breeding cows inside a dirty stable will increase its vulnerability against lameness or limp during rainy days. The muddy and slippery stable will increase the slipping and falling hazard, which will lead to limp. Stable should be properly cleaned and well maintained to prevent this.
2. Fever
This is a common sickness due to extreme temperature change. A cow is more vulnerable to fever when it has a low health condition due to the lack of certain nutrition.
3. Bloated and diarrhea
During rainy days, the greens (for cow feed) will be mostly wet. The wet condition (especially for unripe greens) will lead to bloat and diarrhea for the cows.
4. Intestinal worms
A breeder should also aware of intestinal worm problem for the cows. Although it may not be as dangerous and fatal compared to the other sicknesses, if not treated properly it can lead to worse condition. In some cases it can cause cow’s death.
5. Flies
Rainy season is identical with the high numbers of flies in the stable. One should be aware of the sickness/illness caused from flies. Flies can cause a severe infection to a wounded cow, it will spawn/ lay eggs at the wound and will lead to ulcer. Maintaining a good sanitation and hygiene of the stable is one of the steps to control flies population.
6. Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)
IBR is contagious and caused by a virus which attacks the cow’s respiratory and reproductive organ. The infected usually has a high fever (± 42°C), decrease in appetite, increase in nasal mucus, hypersalivation, decrease in milk production, and thin body.
7. Brucellosis
Brucellosis is also another contagious sickness which attacks cows, goats, and other farm animals. This sickness can lead to miscarriage for a pregnant cow.
8. Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD)
BVD virus attacks cows and is a very contagious one. A cow is normally infected after non-clinical delivery. During the sickness, the cow undergone biphasic temperature increase (body temperature increases two times) and leucopenia (decrease in the number of white blood cells) which is followed by the increment of antibody.
9. Anthrax
Anthrax is a common contagious sickness for cows. It is caused by bacteria Bacillus Anthracis and it is very deadly in its most dangerous form. An anthrax cow is under bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood) condition.
10. Salmonellosis
The last sickness in our list is caused by the infection of bacteria Salmonella. The infected cow will suffer from intestinal inflammation and organism invasion into the bloodstream which will lead to septicemia. The transmission of salmonellosis occurs through the cow feed or water which has been polluted with the dung of the infected animal.
Several tips for a healthy cow during the rainy season:
- Rainy season is always associated with wet air and minimal sunlight, which will lead to humid environment and a potential paradise for bacteria and viruses. A breeder should keep the stable clean at all times and maintain a dry environment (no puddle/pool).
- Dairy cows prefer cold climate which makes them comfortable. Usually, their appetite increase in this condition. Therefore the breeder should maintain a dry feed condition to keep the cows in a good shape.
- Consider to give enough space for each cow so they can move around with ease. An idle cow with minimal/limited movement is more prone toward cramps.
- Add more vitamins in the form of injection and minerals mixed within the feed to increase the cow’s vitality, as it is always good to prevent rather than to treat a sick cow.
- Dry the cow feed which contains high water content by fermenting or mixing with other dry feed ingredients. For example mix with coffee shells, palm oil, etc. This is because most forage greens has a high water content during rainy season.
- Always be cautious and monitor the cow’s condition at all time. If there is a symptoms of a certain type of sickness and it remains for a few days, call a vet for further treatment.
The most important thing is always take a good care of the cows. It is common that during rainy season, the cows are more prone to sickness. The hazard can be minimized by knowing and applying the prevention measures. However if the cow falls sick eventually, knowing the symptoms and the correct treatment will surely save the day. After reading this article, at least now you know 10 types of cow sickness during rainy season and be one step closer to become a successful cow breeder.