Cattle actinomycosis: causes, signs, treatment methods, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Cattle farms can be harmed by a variety of infectious diseases. Outbreaks of contagious diseases on farms cause a decrease in the productivity of animals, and sometimes their death. And one of the most unpleasant diseases faced by the owners of farmsteads is, of course, cattle actinomycosis.

For the group of incurable this disease, fortunately, does not apply. However, the disease is still considered quite serious. In some cases, if left untreated or due to weakened immunity for some reason, it can even lead to death in animals.

What is this disease

When infected with actinomycosis in different parts of the body of a cow or calf - on the head, neck, limbs, in the lymph nodes, on the udder, etc. - large granulomas appear. After self-breakthrough of the latter, fistulas that do not heal for a long time are formed in cattle. The form of this disease is exclusively chronic. Its incubation period can last from several weeks to a year.

In immunocompromised animals, actinomycosis often takes on andgeneralized character. In this case, abscesses form in a cow not in one organ, but throughout the body. With this course of the disease, animals, unfortunately, often die.

The danger of actinomycosis lies, among other things, in the decay of the tissues surrounding the abscess, as well as the melting of the bones. In the latter case, the prognosis by veterinarians regarding the possibility of recovery of the individual is usually unfavorable.

This disease can affect different farm animals - sheep, horses, pigs. But most often it is diagnosed in cattle. Actinomycosis is a disease that, unfortunately, can also develop in humans. However, cases of human infection from cows with this disease have not yet been identified, fortunately.

Cattle actinomycosis: case history

This unpleasant ailment has been known to man for a very long time. Peasants faced him, apparently, even in the old days. This can be judged by the bones of cattle found by archaeologists in ancient settlements with lesions characteristic of this disease.

Harming livestock activities, this disease, thus, has been causing more than one millennium. However, actinomycosis was described by doctors only in the middle of the 19th century. The causative agent of this disease was identified for the first time by the scientist Rivolta in 1868

At present, actinomycosis is, unfortunately, very widespread throughout the world. This disease occurs in cattle on all continents. Of course, this disease causes many problems for Russian farmers as well.

Pathogen

Several varieties of radiant fungus can cause this disease in cattle. But most often the causative agent of actinomycosis is still Actinomyces bovis. This fungus is widely distributed in the external environment and is highly resistant to various adverse factors. In the air, for example, it can remain viable for up to six years. Also, Actinomyces bovis easily tolerates both drying and exposure to low temperatures. The reader can see what the fungus that causes actinomycosis in cattle looks like in the photo below.

This pathogen dies when heated to 75-85 °C. It can also be destroyed with a 3% formalin solution. This fungus is also sensitive to certain types of antibiotics - Tetracycline, Levomycetin, Erythromycin, etc.

What harm does the disease

Farmers have known this disease for a long time. Unfortunately, it is capable of causing significant harm to farms. Of course, in many countries of the world, among other things, there are certain rules aimed at preventing the spread of this disease on farms.

What effective measures can be taken in this regard to combat actinomycosis in cattle? Restrictions in order to prevent the spread of this disease on those farms where it was detected are usually quite serious. For example, such farms are not allowed to sell livestock outside. It is impossible, of course, to sell the carcasses of slaughtered cows with actinomycosis. Meat from he althyAnimals before sale must be most carefully checked in the laboratory. And this, in turn, also leads to additional costs.

How infection occurs

This fungus enters the body of cattle exclusively through damaged epidermis or epithelium. In this case, they can become infected, for example, through the oral cavity, limbs, udder, etc. Most often, cattle become infected with Actinomyces bovis when eating food containing mycelium or spores of the fungus. In this case, infection occurs through damage caused by caries, sores on the tongue and gums, gastrointestinal organs, etc.

After entering the body of an animal, the fungus begins to actively infect nearby tissues. The disease takes on a generalized character when the pathogen enters the bloodstream. In this case, the mycelium spreads throughout the body. As a result, the animal metastasizes and new granulomas form.

Abscesses caused by radiant fungus contain large numbers of drusen (colonies) of Actinomyces bovis. After the opening of the granuloma and the formation of a fistula, the spores enter the environment along with pus. This is how the disease spreads further.

How it is transmitted

Most often, actinomycosis of cattle falls ill during the stall period from autumn to spring when feeding on contaminated hay. The disease affects in most cases with an epidemic of about 10% of the herd. At the same time, animals of absolutely all ages can become infected with Actinomyces bovis. Both adult dairy cows and bulls, and even very small ones, can suffer from actinomycosis.calves.

In addition to roughage, this disease is often transmitted through water. Cows kept in dirty rooms can also become infected with actinomycosis. In this case, the pathogen easily enters the body of animals, for example, through wounds on the udder or limbs from infected bedding.

Diagnosis

Measures against actinomycosis in cattle should be taken immediately, immediately after the first symptoms are detected. The signs of this common disease, of course, should be known to every farmer. Symptoms of this disease in cattle usually have pronounced.

The sizes of granulomas containing pus with fungus drusen, as already mentioned, are large. Their diameter can reach up to ten centimeters. Such formations do not differ in particular pain. However, to the touch, the skin in the area of their localization usually seems colder than in other parts of the animal's body. With the breakthrough of such abscesses, pus with visible remnants of molten tissues begins to stand out from the formed fistula.

Despite the severity of external symptoms, the final diagnosis of actinomycosis is made in cattle, of course, only after laboratory tests. To perform such studies, a puncture is usually taken from a granuloma on the body of a cow. Without laboratory tests, actinomycosis of cattle can be confused with some other diseases, also accompanied by the appearance of fistulas and abscesses.

Symptoms with localization in the oral cavity

In this case, granulomas in cattle may occur:

• on the gums;
• in the intermaxillary space;
• on the tongue.

Usually, when abscesses are localized in the mouth, the cow begins to have difficulty eating. In particular, a similar symptom manifests itself in cattle with the formation of a granuloma in the region of the tongue. In this case, the affected organ in the animal greatly increases in size. Because of this, the cow often cannot even close her mouth.

Symptoms of lymph node involvement

In such places, Actinomyces bovis is also localized quite often. With such an arrangement of its colonies, rather dense, delineated, practically immobile infiltrates are observed in cattle. When the lymphatic system is affected, the disease in cows usually develops very slowly. At first, cattle do not even experience an increase in body temperature.

Severe symptoms of actinomycosis with such localization become after the opening of abscesses. A sick cow at this moment has a sharp deterioration in well-being. In this case, the skin over the affected area acquires a bluish or red color. In the event that the granuloma after opening in the lymph node does not form a fistula, the animal recovers quickly enough. At the same time, the tumor gradually decreases in size, and then completely disappears for an indefinite time.

Udder symptoms

In this organ in cattle, when infected, several small abscesses usually form. Later, non-healing fistulas and suppurations appear in the places of localization of granulomas. When palpated inThe udder of a cow is determined by dense formations of irregular shape with pronounced inclusions.

Ulcers at the site of mature abscesses on the udder of a cow are formed quite large. They have uneven borders and secrete purulent esudate in large quantities. In the event that the disease is cured only at this stage, scars will remain on the cow's udder in the future.

Drugs

Therapy of actinomycosis in adult cows, bulls or calves can be done by several methods. Most often, this disease is treated by introducing various kinds of drugs directly into the affected area. In most cases, even today, actinomycosis of cattle is treated with iodine and bicillin. But more modern means among farmers are also gaining popularity and are considered quite effective.

For example, "Monklavita-1", "Zinaprim" and "Polyfit-propolis" are inexpensive, but effective drugs that are suitable for the treatment of actinomycosis in cattle just fine. Such funds can be purchased both in veterinary pharmacies and, for example, via the Internet.

Therapy Methods

An abscess to an animal during treatment is first opened surgically. Next, clean the affected area. Surrounding he althy tissues are pretreated with antibiotics. This is necessary in order to prevent the spread of infection throughout the body of the cow. At the next stage, the selected drug is injected directly into the place of the former formation.

This treatment of actinomycosis in cattle in mostcases gives good results. Drugs are administered to sick cows, depending on their variety, once every 1-10 days.

Sometimes, in addition to such therapy, a special technique called autohemotherapy can be used on farms. In this case, in addition to antibiotics, the he althy tissues of the cow around the affected area are additionally chipped with her own blood taken from the jugular vein. When using this technology, the treatment of actinomycosis of cattle with "Zinaprim", iodine, "Polyfit-propolis", etc. gives the result several days earlier.

Reviews and recommendations from experienced farmers

The methods of treating the disease described above are considered by the owners of the farms to be quite effective. According to farmers, both iodine and Polyfit-propolis or Zinaprim help well against actinomycosis of cattle. With the right approach to business, it is possible, judging by the reviews, to help a sick animal using such funds quickly enough.

But in the treatment of this disease, experienced farmers still advise to follow some rules. It is believed, for example, that when cattle are infected with Actinomyces bovis, it is important to open the abscess in time. It is highly undesirable to allow its self-breakthrough and the formation of a fistula. Otherwise, none of the methods of treating actinomycosis in small calves of cattle and adult cattle may, unfortunately, not give results.

The formations themselves with this ailment, as already mentioned, do not differ in pain. But after surgery, farmers still advise giving cows and calves painkillers.

Disease prevention

Cattle actinomycosis is thus amenable to treatment. However, of course, it is much easier to prevent its outbreaks on the farm. Preventive measures against this disease include:

• parrying hay and haylage before feeding to cows;
• steaming cereals;
• fairly frequent bedding changes;
• regular cleaning of manure in barns.

You need to buy feed for cattle only from trusted manufacturers and suppliers. The same goes for the livestock itself. It is worth replenishing the herd on the farm only by buying new individuals in farms that are safe in terms of various kinds of infectious diseases, including actinomycosis.

Animals affected by this disease should be immediately isolated from the rest of the herd for prevention purposes. To prevent infection from entering the farm from private households, all workers should be given overalls.

In the summer, it is advisable to graze cows away from all sorts of natural and artificial reservoirs. It is near lakes, rivers and ponds that grass is most often infected with spores and mycelium of Actinomyces bovis.