A study on concurrence of calf diseases and effect of calf management and feeding practices on various diseases at dairy farms of Punjab

Abstract The present study was undertaken to determine the predisposition of one calf disease with another and various calf management and feeding practices predisposing to occurrence of diseases in calves. For this purpose, a total of 420 respondents from six different agro-climatic zones of Punjab were selected purposively and were interviewed personally through a structured interview schedule. Calf scours was negatively correlated (p < 0.01) with constipation. Pneumonia, joint ill were found to be significant (p < 0.05) with septicemia, while septicaemia was found to be correlated with lumpy skin disease. Lumpy Skin Disease was found to be highly significant with pneumonia and naval ill with joint ill (p < 0.01). Parasitic infestations were found to be correlated with pot belly (p < 0.05). Various calf management practices such as calf assistance, ligation of naval cord, antiseptic used on naval cord, provision of calving pen during parturition and calving pen disinfection, drainage facilities were negatively correlated with naval ill. Similarly, deworming was negatively correlated (p < 0.01) with pot belly condition while weaning with parasitic diseases and ventilation facilities with pneumonia in calves. Over feeding of colostrum, and feeding of silage at an early age to calves was highly significant with (p < 0.01) with calf scours. Feeding of milk replacer, addition of yeast and vitamins in diet of calves was negatively correlated with calf scours and feeding of calf starter with pot belly condition in calves. Overfeeding of prebiotics and probiotics may predispose to constipation and septicemia and was found to be significant (p < 0.05). Addition of prebiotics reduces the incidence of calf scours (p < 0.01). Thus, it was concluded that presence of one disease can predispose the calves to other diseases as well. Various management and feeding practices also trigger the incidence of calf diseases if not done scientifically. Hence, farmers need to be educated on scientific and healthy calf management through training and other extension and advisory services.