Lichen in cows: signs and methods of treatment

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 20:55

Lichen is one of the most common diseases of domestic and farm animals. Owners of farms specializing in cattle breeding, unfortunately, encounter this disease very often. At the same time, in most cases, cows, like many other animals, are affected by ringworm, a rather unpleasant form of this disease.

Main symptoms

Caused by lichen in cows by simple microscopic pathogenic fungi. The main symptom of this disease is the appearance on the skin of cattle of oval, scaly, sharply defined spots with fallen hair. Also, with lichen, symptoms such as:

• pronounced skin inflammation with crusting;
• discharge of purulent exudate on the affected areas.

In ringworm-infected calves, among other things, there is a developmental delay. Adult cows and bulls often look lethargic and inactive when infected. In severe cases, the animals are emaciated.

How the disease is transmitted

Ringworm infection occurs most often through direct contact of animals with each other. Also, spores of the simplest fungi of this variety can be transmitted from cow to cow through care items and equipment.

Most often, epidemics of ringworm on farms break out in the autumn-winter period. That is, when cattle are kept indoors all day long.

Reason for development

Ringworm is unfortunately a highly contagious disease. The main reasons for its spread in the herd are crowded animals and non-compliance with sanitary standards in the barn. Dampness in the cattle shed is often also a driving factor for lichen epidemics.

Cows are strong animals. Their immune system is very well developed. If spores of a protozoan fungus that causes lichen get on the skin of an absolutely he althy and active cow, infection may not occur. However, if the rules for caring for cattle are violated, an epidemic of this disease on the farm can flare up with a very high degree of probability. With poor feeding, for example, in cows, like in any other farm animals, immunity is greatly weakened. A fungus that has fallen on the skin of a cow in this case will cause the disease almost completely.

Thus, the reasons for the development of lichen in cows, in addition to poor housing conditions, may be insufficient feeding or an unbalanced diet. Cows on the farm must without fail and in the rightquantities to receive all three types of feed intended for farm animals and poultry - juicy, coarse, concentrated. That is, cattle should be given, in addition to hay, bran, cereals and legumes, root crops, silage, meal, cake, etc.

Which animals are most affected

As it was noted, most often in farms calves under the age of 2 years get sick with ringworm. The result is, as already mentioned, a lag in development of young animals. This, in turn, leads to a significant decrease in the profitability of cattle breeding. Calves weakened by deprivation gain weight worse and reach physical maturity later. As a result, not much meat can be obtained from bulls in the future. Heifers, on the other hand, will give less milk and will not bring high-quality offspring. The consequence of all this will be a decrease in the income of the owner of the farm.

Prevention measures

Of course, lichen cannot be attributed to the group of especially dangerous diseases. This disease is treated with the right approach to business quite easily. Lunge from it in the farms almost never happens. However, deprive farms, as a business, can still cause significant harm. Therefore, it is important for farms to carry out special measures aimed at preventing the development of this disease.

The main preventive measures against ringworm in cows include:

• periodic manure cleaning;
• disinfection of premises according to the schedule;
• thorough washing, cleaning and disinfection of equipment andcare items.

Cows, of course, need to be kept in fairly spacious rooms equipped with at least the simplest ventilation system. Barns should always be dry, warm and light enough.

Treatment

Ringworm can develop in cows both on large farms and in private backyards. There are several methods for its treatment. In large and medium-sized complexes, in order to help sick animals, they most often use a healing mixture consisting of the following components:

• fish oil;
• creolina;
• lysol;
• tar 5-10%;
• crude carbolic acid.

This remedy is a good answer to the question of how to treat lichen in a cow. However, if the animal's lips, nostrils or eyes are damaged, softer formulations are still used externally. In most cases, this is a heated mixture of mineral and vegetable oil. The temperature of this "medicine" should be such that the animal does not experience too much discomfort when lubricating the affected areas with it.

In private backyards, owners can also use a mixture of a small amount of hydrochloric acid and whey to help sick cows. This medicine is given to cattle with food, 10-12 drops three times a day. It can also be successful to treat lichen in a cow at home with a decoction or juice of dandelions, fumes, wheatgrass,chicory.

A very good remedy for this disease is considered, in addition to this, and a mixture consisting of:

• 1 parts blue vitriol;
• 3 parts sulfur.

Cow lichen can also be treated with 2 parts lime and 1 part sulfur.

Drugs

Folk treatments for lichen usually give good results. But of course, with such a disease, purchased preparations can also be used to treat animal skin. For example, it’s pretty good for depriving cows:

• Spray "Zoomikol";
• ointment "Yam Fungibak".

For the treatment of premises during an outbreak of a disease, drugs such as:

• Ecocide C.
• Brovadez 20.

Additional measures

Purchased medicines for depriving cows, as well as folk remedies, should be used on farms in combination with other measures aimed at destroying the infection. Of course, cattle with characteristic spots on the skin on the farm must be separated from other animals and transferred to separate pens. To support the body of infected individuals and strengthen their immunity, it is very useful to give them vitamins A and D. It has been observed that the addition of such products to food significantly speeds up the recovery of cows with ringworm.

Most often, as mentioned above, this disease affects cattle after its transfer to the stall content. Toto minimize the risk of an outbreak of depriving to a minimum, in the fall, immediately after the cancellation of pasture, the skin of cows for prevention should be treated twice with sulfur dust. The premises themselves, equipped for keeping cattle, at this time, it is desirable to disinfect with a formalin-kerosene solution.

In areas disadvantaged by lichen, on farms to prevent the spread of this disease, among other things, vaccination of cattle can be carried out.

Important

One of the characteristics of ringworm is that it can be easily transmitted from cows to humans. Therefore, if sick animals are found in the herd, the farm, among other things, must take measures to prevent infection of personnel. All work in such a facility must be carried out by employees only in overalls.

Treatment of ringworm in cows by treating the skin with drugs should, of course, be done exclusively with gloves. The same applies to procedures such as cleaning inventory and cleaning rooms.

Of course, in livestock complexes, among other things, showers should also be equipped. Workers in infected farms should take water procedures after the end of each shift. If characteristic spots appear on the skin, the farm employee must consult a doctor. Until he recovers, he should not be allowed to work with animals.