Dairy cattle terminology and industry facts were provided. Key points included definitions of terms like cow, bull, calf and heifer. The average milk production per cow is 18,200 lbs over a 305 day lactation period. Main dairy breeds discussed were Holstein, Jersey, Ayrshire and Guernsey. Body condition scoring was also summarized to monitor cow health and productivity. Several zoonotic diseases transmissible from cattle to humans like anthrax, brucellosis, rabies, ringworm and salmonellosis were outlined.

1. Dairy Cattle

2. Terminology
• Cow- female that has had one or more calves
• Bull- intact sexually mature male
• Calf- newborn of either sex or intact male that
has not reached sexual maturity
• Calve-verb, to give birth
• Heifer- female that has not had a calf
• Steer- neutered male of any age

3. • Freemartin- genetic female born twin to a
male, sterile as a result of arrested
development of the reproductive tract.
Ovaries are hypoplastic and most lack a cervix.
More common in cattle than in sheep and
goats.

4. • Polled- born without horns
• Shrink- weight loss, ( leading to financial loss)
associated with stress, transportation,
weaning
• Freshen- verb, to give birth
• Pasteurize- flash heating to kill bacteria
• Homogenize- blending technique used to
prevent cream from separating from milk

5. Breeds of Dairy Cattle
• Holstein- black and white or red and white
• Jersey- soft brown, small cow, fat and protein
production higher in milk
• Ayrshire- brick red and white, looks like a small
Holstein
• Guernsey- butterscotch color, lots of white, skin is
yellow, resemble jersey
• Brown Swiss- largest, chocolate milk color, late to
mature

6. Industry Facts
• Average milk production per cow is 18,200 lbs
• 305 day lactation period ( 10 mos) and a 60
day dry period ( 2 mos) equals a 12 month
calving interval
• Milk production peaks 4-6 weeks after
freshening
• Milked 2 times a day

7. Dairy Products
• Milk and milk by products
• Replacement heifers ( average 30-40% of the
herd is replaced each year)
• Veal calves
• Dairy steers fed out as beef cattle

8. Nutrition
• Water- most important nutrient, average 20
gallons per head per day
• Factors that increase water consumption
- Environmental heat and humidity
- Lactation
- Exercise
- diet

9. Factors that decrease water
consumption
• Palatability
• Temperature
• Salinity/mineral content
• Medication
• Availability/ competition
• illness

10. Body Scoring System
• Monitoring body score to maximize
production
• Monitoring body score to minimize disease

11. Conditions associated with high body
scores ( 4 or 5)
• Dystocia- impeded fetal passage through birth
canal
• Retained placenta, metritis
• Ketosis- increase in ketone bodies in tissues
and body fluids
• Displaced abomassum, liver abcesses
• Milk fever- acute flaccid paralysis after calving,
need emergency ca

12. Conditions associated with low body
scores ( 1 or 2)
• Infertility/ delayed conception
• Prolonged interval before resuming normal
estrus cycles post calving
• Decreased milk production
• Decreased milk fat content

13. When to assess body score
• Midway through the period
• At freshening
• 45 days into lactation
• 90 days into lactation
• 180 days into lactation
• 270 days into lactation

14. Body Score Goals
• Midway through dry period 3.5
• At freshening 3.5
• 45 days into lactation 3.0
• 90 days into lactation > 2.5
• 180 days into lactation 3.0
• 270 days into lactation 3.5

15. Terminology
• Vector- individual ( arthropod, mammal, avian
etc) which transfers and infectious agent
• Fomite- inanimate object which mechanically
transfers an infectious agent
• Intermediate host- an organism passes
through its larval or asexual stages of
development
• Dead end host- organisms life cycle is
interrupted, disease not transmitted

16. • Definitive host- host in which organism attains
sexual maturity and is able to be transmitted
• Reservoir host- host, other than definitive, in
which organism can exist, usually w/o causing
clinical disease
• Latency- presence of a pathogenic organism
without clinical disease but with the potential
for clinical disease to develop when triggered

17. • Pre-patent period- interval from exposure to
onset of clinical symptoms
• Infective period- period during which a
disease is able to be transmitted from one
definitive host to another
• Lateral/horizontal transmission- transmission
other than by placental transfer or lactation
• Vaccination- the administration of a vaccine

18. • Immunization- the development of protective
immunity through challenge with pathogen,
with vaccine or natural exposure
• Bacterin- vaccine derived from killed bacteria
or bacterial fragments
• Index case- initial case of disease outbreak
• Endemic- present in the population at a
steady rate
• Epidemic- disease occurrence rises

19. • Morbidity- incidence of disease in a
population, stated as a percentage
• Mortality- incidence of death ( as caused by a
specific disease) stated as a percentage

20. Disease Outbreak Management
• Index case
• Symptomatic animals
• Asymptomatic animals
• Latency
• resevoirs

21. Disease Containment
Organism identification-
virus/bacteria/parasitic/other
- Prepatent period
- Infective period
- Environmental persistance/viability
- Mode of disease transmission
- Source of organism

22. Hosts immune response to pathogenic
organisms
• Does natural infection confer immunity?
• What is the duration of immunity?
• Vaccinal immunity?
a. Vaccinate prior to exposure
b. Vaccinate in face of outbreak
c. Vaccination intervals

23. • Reinfection
• Chronicity
• Residual effects of disease after organism has
been eliminated from the body
• Mitigating/exacerbating conditions
a. Immunocompentency
b. Stress
c. Nutrition
d. Sanitation/hygiene

24. Zoonotic Diseases

25. Anthrax
• Bacteria- bacillus anthracis
• Species affected- all warm blooded animals,
cattle especially affected
• Route of exposure- consumption of spores
while grazing, usually in areas where soil has
recently been disturbed ( spores persist in soil
for >35 years)
• Symptoms- sudden death, +/- hemorrhage
from all body openings

26. Anthrax, cont
• Treatment – none
• Carcass disposal- CRITICAL- burial minimum
10 feet covered with lime

27. Anthrax in Humans
• Route of exposure
- Cutaneous Woolsorters disease, bacteria
spores on hair/hide/wool/leather products
enter a wound on skin
- Inhalation pulmonary anthrax, spores inhaled
- Intestinal consumption of contaminated meat

28. Anthrax in Humans
• Symptoms
a. cutaneous- papule resembles insect bite,
progresses to necrotic lesion, 20% mortality
in untreated cases
b. Pulmonary- symptoms resemble common
cold, death occurs in 1-2 days
c. Intestinal- gastroenteritis, mortality 25-60%

29. Anthrax treatment
• Antibiotics if diagnosed early
Comments
Reportable disease in humans and animals
No human to human transmission through
normal contact

30. Brucellosis
• Bacteria- Brucella abortus/Brucella suis
• Bang’s disease in animals
• Route of exposure- direct contact with
reproductive tract secretions from infected
animal
• Infected animals are identified with orange
ear tag in the right ear

31. Symptoms
• Abortion
• Birth of weak calves
• Diminished fertility

32. Control of Brucellosis
Brucellosis Eradication Program
a. Surveillance
- Testing bulk milk containers
- Livestock market testing
b. Vaccination
c. Test and slaughter, no treatment

33. Brucellosis in Humans
Undulent Fever
1. Route of exposure
- oral- consumption of unpasteurized milk or
milk products
- Mucus membranes in contact with aborted
fetuses, placental membranes, uterine
discharges or carcasses of infected animals

34. Symptoms of Brucellosis in Humans
• Fatigue, headaches, fever, chills, drenching
sweats, joint pain,
• Rarely fatal but symptoms persist for months
• Treatment- antibiotics
• Prevention- no vaccine available, wear gloves
and protective clothing

35. Rabies
• Virus- rhabdovirus, affects all warm blooded
animals
Animal symptoms
a. Furious form- aggresssion, hyper- alertness,
excessive response to stimuli
b. Dumb/paralytic form- tail paralysis, loss of
sensation, incoordination, choke, urine
dribbling

36. Rabies Note
• Any warm blooded animal with neurologic
symptoms should be considered a rabies
suspect until proven otherwisess

37. Human Rabies
1. Route of exposure- animal bite, saliva
entering skin wound, defect, mm
2. Prevention- vaccination for individuals at risk
3. Control- post exposure anti serum for
exposed, unvaccinated individuals
4. Treatment- none, once contracted, rabies is
always fatal

38. Ringworm
Fungus - Microsporum
Animal
1. Species affected- cattle, horses, sheep, goats,
swine
2. Route of exposure- organism is ubiquitous in
environment, development of clinical disease
is associated with immunosuppression
3. Symptoms- dermal lesions
4. Treatment- antifungal meds, topical or
systemic, UV light ( sunlight)

39. Human Ringworm
1. Route of exposure- direct contact with skin
lesions of affected animals,
immunosuppression is not necessary to high
conc. Of organisms in lesion
2. Symptoms- skin lesions w/wo pruritis
3. Diagnosis- fungal culture
4. Treatment- antifungal medications, topical or
systemic

40. Salmonellosis
Animal
1. Species affected- cattle, swine, goats, sheep,
horses, poultry, reptiles, amphibians
2. Route of exposure- oral contact with feces
from infected animals
3. Symptoms- profuse watery diarrhea,
endotoxic shock, ( carrier state exists)
4. Treatment- supportive, fluid replacement,
intestinal protectants

41. Human Salmonella
1. Route of exposure- consumption of
contaminated food or water, inadequate
hygiene after handling patient with
salmonella
2. Symptoms- fever, headache, diarrhea,
abdominal pain
3. Treatment- usually requires hospitalization

42. Tuberculosis ( bacteria)
Mycobacterium bovis, tuberculosis
Animal
1. Route of exposure- consumption of
contaminated water, milk from infected cows
2. Symptoms- animals may remain
asymptomatic until disease is advanced,
weight loss, unthriftiness, poor hair coat
3. Post mortem- lung abcesses resulting in
devaluation/condemnation of carcasses

43. Tuberculosis in animals cont
4. Diagnosis- intradermal skin testing
5. Control/prevention- maintain closed herd,
test replacement stock

44. Tuberculosis in Humans
1. Route of exposure- consumption of raw,
unpasteurized milk, aerosol
2. Symptoms- cough, pulmonary disease,
debilitation, “consumption”
3. Diagnosis- tuberculin skin test, chest rads,
culture of sputum
4. Treatment- 95% recovery rate with 6-9
months of antibiotic treatment