Page 16 - MWC 8-20-20s

The Midwest Cattleman · August 20, 2020 · P16
Pinkeye in Cattle

By Brent Plugge, Nebraska Extension Educator and
Brian Vander Ley, DVM Epidemiologist
Driving or riding through sive weeping of the affect-
a pen or pasture of cattle is a ed eye and closure due
favorite chore for many pro- to pain are the two signs
ducers. Making sure our cat- most commonly observed.
tle have plenty of clean water, As the disease progress-
access to feed or forage and es, the cornea becomes
monitoring herd health are cloudy or white. An ulcer
important aspects of daily frequently develops near
care. When examining cattle, the center of the cornea.
one important disease not to Cattle with pinkeye keep
overlook is pinkeye. Pinkeye the affected eye or eyes
is a highly contagious infec- closed because of pain
tious disease that affects cat- and to avoid bright sun-
tle worldwide. The incidence light. The course of the
and severity of this common infection may run for sev-
disease can vary widely from eral weeks.
year to year. Although pink- Pinkeye is primarily caused a guarantee for prevention. eyes, and these materials
eye rarely causes the death by Moraxella bovis (M. bovis); Face flies can remain infect- can irritate the eye and con-
of affected cattle, it can cause however, other organisms ed with M. bovis up to 3 days tribute to the development of
substantial losses to the have been isolated from eyes following feeding on infected pinkeye.
cattle industry through de- with infections resembling material. Under experimen- Cattle with pinkeye can be
creased weight gain, lowered pinkeye. It remains unclear tal conditions, disease trans- helped by prompt treatment
milk production and treat- whether these other organ- mission is uncommon without which usually includes an
ment costs. isms are primary pathogens the presence of face flies and antibiotic and often includes
Pinkeye is known to occur or opportunistic, secondary is common with flies pres- eyepatches to limit further
at all seasons of the year and invaders. Pinkeye is caused ent. Fly control does have the irritation. Since the cornea
in all breeds of cattle. Exces- by a combination of factors. added benefit of limiting the heals slowly, any ulceration
Other suspected risk factors fly avoidance behavior that is likely to require several
that contribute to clinical reduces productivity in cows weeks for complete recovery.
Angus. America’s Breed. pinkeye are excessive ultravi- and calves on pasture. The in- Vaccinations for pinkeye have
olet light (sunlight), biological fection can also be spread by met with variable results.
vectors (face flies, house flies, direct contact when the eye There are other infections
Adam Conover,
Regional Manager stable flies), plant material secretions of an infected ani- that look like pinkeye, so it is
and dust. mal are rubbed into the eye of recommended that you con-
Iowa Efforts to prevent pinkeye an uninfected animal. sult with your veterinarian
Missouri are directed at reducing trans- Reducing dusty conditions to assist you in the diagno-
mission and minimizing irri- and providing protection sis, treatment, and control of
tation. Fly control can min- against sunlight also aids pinkeye.
imize both transmission and in control. Cattle often have
irritation; however, it is not grass or weed seeds in their

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genetics, select marketing options tailored to continued from page 5
your needs, and to access American Angus class in the worst way and handed out by the professor,
Association ® programs and services. Put the my grade point average was my current grade was a ‘C’ (a I whipped out my pocket cal-
business breed to work for you. already in need of help. The very low C). culator, turned it on, and the
math was do-able for me, it I used two week’s pay to numbers lit up as bright red
Contact Regional Manager Adam Conover: just required huge amounts purchase the gadget, which as the comb on a nutrition-
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Cell: 816-676-8560 of my time, that was already
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ty hours a week at a job, my tal display was not LCD, but bers. Half way through the
other classes, and any hope of rather, lighted numbers that two-hour exam, the numbers
a social life. Luckily, I picked could drain the batteries after began to dim, so I began to
up a free flier on campus, about one hour of use. My nu- dig in my pocket for new bat-
that said Mr. J.C. Penny had trition class was fifty minutes teries. At that point, my face
a newly arrived shipment of long, so by the end of each faded to match the pale dis-
something called a portable, class, the lighted numbers play on the calculator, when
pocket-sized, battery operat- began to flicker and fade. I realized the new batteries
ed, electronic calculator, that When finals week rolled were still lying on the desk by
3201 Frederick Ave. | St. Joseph, MO 64506 around, I precisely figured my front door.
816.383.5100 | www.ANGUS.org could add, subtract, multiply
and divide at the push of a that I needed an ‘A’ on the A grade of ‘C’ is nothing for
button, for only $69.95. That final to bring my grade for which to be ashamed.
© 2019-2020 American Angus Association
was a lot of money in 1972 the course up to a low ‘B’, but