Bovine Neonatal Enteritis
Neonatal enteritis is one of the most common causes of mortalities in calves up to one month of age and it is generally caused by the interaction of a number of infectious enteropathogens and predisposing factors. These section shows the most common infectious agents diagnosed in calves under one month.
| Organism | Negative | Positive | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotavirus | 1276 | 602 | 32.1 |
| Cryptosporidia | 1501 | 363 | 19.5 |
| Campylobacter Jejuni | 1565 | 183 | 10.5 |
| Giardia | 923 | 66 | 6.7 |
| E.Coli K99 | 1248 | 13 | 1.0 |
| Salmonella Culture | 1864 | 8 | 0.4 |
| Coronavirus | 1856 | 6 | 0.3 |
Figure 8.1: Cryptosporidial oocysts in a faecal smear. Photo:Cosme Sánchez-Miguel
Figure 8.2: The relative frequency of enteropathogenic agents identified in calf faecal samples tested by DAFM laboratories in 2017
The significance of Giardia and Campylobacter jejuni as a cause of calf enteritis is doubtful. Both are a common cause of gastroenteritis in humans and they are routinely surveyed in neonatal faecal samples.