Pinkeye is a contagious and widespread cattle bacterial eye disease found worldwide. Although non-fatal, it can cause substantial losses to the cattle industry through decreased weight gain, lowered milk production and treatment costs.
Like many diseases, management is often the most effective and economical method of disease control. When environmental conditions, animal nutrition and herd immunity are properly managed, animal health increases and disease frequency decreases.
Treatment works, but treating one cow – let alone several – takes time. According to an Oklahoma State University fact sheet, there are seven strategies producers should implement to prevent the disease.
1. Fly control. Controlling face flies also goes a long way in preventing an outbreak. Remember, flies spread the Moraxella bovis bacteria from animal to animal. Insecticide fly tags, sprays, charged backrubbers and dust bags are products that can provide chemical control. Use of feed through growth regulators may help reduce the fly population. Manure management can be beneficial in controlling stable and house flies in confinement operations.
2. Grass, weed and brush control. According to Richard Randle, University of Nebraska Extension beef cattle veterinarian, a good prevention program should incorporate procedures to reduce initial eye irritation. This strategy includes grazing management, mowing, brush mowing and spraying to minimize pollen and mechanical irritation.
3. Hay and/or feed bunk management. Lower overhead hay feeders, spread hay out and do not feed hay containing mature seed heads or cheat grass in overhead feeders or round bales. Increase bunk space to decrease direct contact.
4. Ultraviolet light (sunlight). Breed for pigmentation around the eye, consider introducing Brahman influence into the herd and provide shade or tree rows with ample room to prevent overcrowding.
5. Disease management. Isolate infected animals and decrease environmental and nutritional distress. Provide proper vaccinations as recommended by your veterinarian to improve overall animal health.
6. Vaccination. Commercial and autogenous pinkeye vaccines are available. Results reported by producers and veterinarians have been mixed from their use of these products.
“Typically, vaccinations help reduce the incidence, shorten the duration and reduce the severity of cases but cannot guarantee total prevention of an outbreak,” Randle says.
Vaccines obtain the best results when they are specific to the causative agent in the herd and administered prior to infections. Culture, serotyping and sensitivity should be performed to determine the bacterial pathogens and serotypes involved in the outbreak. This will provide information about treatment and the choice of vaccines.
Check with your local veterinarian about the use of these products in a specific geographical area.
7. Maintain current health records. Identify cattle that repeatedly become infected and those that seem more tolerant to infection. This information can help with culling decisions.
OSU extension specialists remind producers a key to prevention is to observe cattle carefully and identify the disease early for effective response to treatment. They also suggest quarantining new purchases.
“Reducing dusty conditions also aids in control,” Randle says. “Cattle often have grass or weed seeds in their eyes, and these materials no doubt irritate the eye and contribute to the development of pinkeye.”
Pinkeye rarely affects just one animal, but spreads throughout the herd.
“According to a 1993 study, costs resulting from decreased weight gain, weaning weight, milk production and treatment were estimated to be $150 million in the U.S. alone,” the OSU fact sheet summarizes. “Although newer figures have yet to be published, it is likely current losses greatly exceed this estimate.”
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