Bleeding Calf Syndrome
Following some recent scientific studies we are closer to now understanding the disease known as ‘Bleeding Calf Syndrome'.
The research suggests that the disease occurs in calves that have consumed colostrum containing antibodies capable of destroying the developing bone marrow cells (these are the precursors of the platelets required for clotting).
It appears that the Pfizer BVD vaccine - Pregsure - is a potential contributory cause as a component of the vaccine may inadvertently stimulate the vaccinated cows to produce these harmful antibodies. This only occurs in a small number of cows but is nonetheless significant on certain farms where the disease has been previously diagnosed.
The following recommendations should be followed when dealing with cows that have previously had a ‘bleeding' (BNP) calf.
- Farmers should avoid the use of pooled colostrum (especially pooled colostrum containing colostrum from any cow which has produced a BNP calf).
- Farmers should ensure that newborn calves, born to cows which have previously produced a BNP calf, are not able to take colostrum from that cow. They should also ensure that these calves do receive adequate colostrum in a timely manner from other cows which have not produced BNP calves,
- Farms with BNP calves should collect and store colostrum from cows which have not produced BNP calves to ensure they have a supply available,
- In the small number of herds which have experienced a higher incidence of BNP, consideration should be made about sourcing colostrum from another non-BNP herd.
- As an additional precautionary measure, no colostrum or blood from cows on farms with a BNP history should be used for commercial purposes, for example production of commercial colostrum replacers, other feed additives, or pharmaceuticals.