An Evaluation of Tulathromycin Treatment at Post-weaning Movement on Incidence of Respiratory Disease and Growth in Commercial Dairy Calves

Abstract

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is common following weaning and movement of calves from individual to group housing. If this disease occurs in the young calf, it has long term implications for the individual welfare of the calf by increasing its mortality risk and economic impacts for the farmer by increasing the time to first calving (Waltner-toews et al, 1986). Given the long-term consequences of this disease, an effective and easy to manage method of prevention is important for dairy calf management. Our objective is to evaluate the effects of tulathromycin administered at the time of post-weaning grouping on incidence of respiratory disease and growth in dairy calves.