Very common in winter, stomach flu in cattle quickly spreads throughout the herd. And the repercussions in terms of health and savings can be significant. So how do you find it and treat it?
During the recent cold spell, some dairy herds faced the stomach flu. Very common, this disease winter is due to a very contagious virus. It therefore goes around the herd very quickly in 7 to 10 days.
Corentin’s herd in La Manche was recently affected. They explain us in video sure his Youtube channel the symptoms detected and what it set up:
Click on the picture to start the video
“We have identified several symptoms : diarrhea, blood in the dung, decreased intake and decreased milk production. The following are also regularly observed: nasal and ocular discharge, cough, hyperthermia and dehydration of the animals.
Helping cows overcome the flu
The young man then explains: “The faster we act, the less pathology is going to be important and the less it will cost us too. There is no vaccine against stomach flu. Littoral Normand’s advisors therefore recommend:
– to quarantine the first affected animals in order to limit the spread;
– increase the proportion of fiber in the ration to restore consistency to the faeces;
– administer an absorbent intestinal dressing to limit irritation of the intestinal mucosa;
– and to take a vitamin C cure to stimulate the immune system.
This is what the breeder followed: “If the cows have a daily share of minerals and vitamins, they have been given a cure. vitamin C and D’clay to limit bleeding. And that way, production got back up in a week. On the cost side, Corentin admits: “We still lost 2 liters of milk per cow and per day, ie 1,600 liters less during this flu period. We also invested 700 € in the clay and vitamin cure. But hey, it’s over, and the main thing is that the cows are in good shape health. »
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