Preliminary Study Of Aetiology And Integrated Prevention And Control Measures Of Clinical Calf Arthritis

Recently, the incidence of newborn calves arthritis has been rising in Shanghai suburban dairy herds. A dairy farm raised the total of 984 female calves over three years from 2008 to 2010. Sixty-one of 984 (6.2%) calves developed bovine arthritis on the dairy farm in which 15 and 20 were dead or severe arthritis respectively. Altogether,35 of 61 (57.4%) calves had been eliminated. The clinical signs of bovine arthritis were tarsometatarsal joints and wrist swelling, cripple, chronic weight loss and then dead. The disease would be a major cause of severe economic losses in the dairy industry. In order to identify the causes of calves arthritis initially, some tissue fluid from the joints of the sick animals was collected and several bacteria were isolated and purified. A series of qualification tests for isolates were required, including Gram-stain, biochemical test, analysis of 16S rRNA genes and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Pathogenic survey showed that several Gram-positive bacteria are capable of causing infections that result in arthritis,including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Corynebacterium. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing suggested that all isolates were sensitivity to cephradine, cefoperazone sodium and piperacillin, but insensitivity to tetracycline, polymyxin B and furazolidone. According to the results of the series of qualification tests for isolates, a comprehensive prevention and control measures have been drawn up and implemented. Then some advantages have been gained for the prevention and control of newborn calves arthritis.