Long-term production effects of clinical cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves.

This study measured the long-term growth rate of beef calves on farm by comparing groups of animals that had suffered differing degrees of clinical severity of cryptosporidiosis as neonates. A group of 27 beef calves were enrolled in the study and monitored from birth to 6 months of age. The calves were scored for severity of cryptosporidiosis and weighed at regular intervals. The average difference in weight gain, at 6 months, between a group of calves that had severe cryptosporidiosis as neonates and a group of calves with no clinical signs of infection was 34 kg. Those calves that had experienced severe cryptosporidiosis as neonates showed a significantly reduced live weight gain compared with those calves showing no clinical signs of infection (P=0.034). Therefore, the impact of severe cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves has longer term effects on weight gain and production efficiency, resulting in the parasite having a greater impact on cattle production than previously thought. PMID: 32277986 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - Category: Parasitology Authors: Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: research