Neonatal calf diarrhea

reducing impacts and antibiotic use with lactoferrin and Diaque™

Abstract

Due to concerns about the human health impacts of agricultural antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), alternatives to conventional antimicrobials are being sought. As a natural component of colostrum, lactoferrin has antimicrobial and anti-LPS capabilities and may have a role for the treatment of calf diarrhea. Diaque™ (Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., St. Joseph, Missouri) is an oral electrolyte and energy supplement that can be mixed with milk to administer to calves. Diaque may impact the intestinal flora, or may also be a viable option to aid mixture of lactoferrin with milk. This study measured the effects of supplemental lactoferrin and Diaque on concentrations of total and AMR fecal coliforms in two-week-old, Holstein dairy heifers. We hypothesized that supplementation of lactoferrin and/or Diaque would decrease the concentration of total and/or AMR coliforms. Additional objectives of this research included 1) validating a novel technique for measuring AMR coliform concentrations, 2) understanding the dynamics of AMR coliforms early in the calf’s life, and 3) determining the association between passive transfer of IgG on shedding of AMR coliforms.