The objective of this study was to evaluate whether pre-weaning heifer calves divergent for residual feed intake ( RFI ) or residual feed intake and body weight gain ( RIG ) exhibit differences in thermography, blood, and ruminal parameters. Thirty-two Gyr heifer calves were enrolled in a 63-d trial and classified into 2 feed efficiency ( FE ) groups based on RFI and RIG (mean ± 0.5 SD). The groups were classified as high efficiency ( HE ) RFI (HE RFI, n = 9), HE RIG (HE RIG, n = 10), low efficiency ( LE ) RFI (LE RFI, n = 10), and LE RIG (LE RIG, n = 11). The amount of whole milk provided for each calf was calculated based on their metabolic weight at birth (42% x BW 0.75 ). The liquid diet was divided into two meals at 0700 and 1400 h. The total solid diet ( TSD ) was composed of 92% concentrate and 8% of Tifton 85 hay chopped in 5-cm lengths, as fed. Intake was measured daily. Blood concentrations of insulin, beta hydroxybutyrate, urea, and glucose, and ruminal pH, N-NH 3 , and volatile fatty acids ( VFA ) were evaluated at 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70 days of age. Thermal images of the calves were taken with an infrared camera (FLIR T420, FLIR Systems Inc., Wilsonville, OR) on d 56 (±3) at 0600 h, before the morning feeding. Total VFA concentration and propionate as % of total VFA were 24.2% and 22.2% lower in HE RFI compared to LE RFI calves, respectively. On the other hand, acetate as % of total VFA was 10.6% greater in HE RFI than LE RFI calves. Blood urea concentration tended to be greater in LE RFI than HE RFI calves. High efficiency HE RIG tended to have 6.8% greater acetate and 15.4% lower propionate as % of total VFA than LE RIG. Blood insulin concentration was greater and blood glucose tended to be greater for LE RIG than HE RIG group. Low efficiency RIG group had greater left rib, left flank, and anus surface temperature measured by infrared thermography than the HE RIG group. Differences in ruminal fermentation do not seem to be associated with pre-weaning calves efficiency, while differences in protein metabolism seem to affect RFI during this phase. Infrared thermography appears to be correlated to RIG in pre-weaning heifer calves.

709 clinical mastitis cases were analyzed and treated with antimicrobial combination cephalexin-neomycin and the anti-inflammatory prednisolone. A sample of milk was collected to perform a microbiological culture before starting the treatment and 14 days later. Somatic cell count (SCC) was obtained from samples collected on the day of the clinical case (D0), 14 days after (D14) and 28 days after (D28). Of the total, 435 (61.4%) at the D0 exhibited growth of microorganisms. Of the isolated agents, 365 (84%) were Gram-positive, and 66 (16%) were Gram-negative. A clinical cure was achieved in 63% of cases. Bacteriological cure occurred in 75% of cases. Only at D28 after the clinical case a significant SCC reduction was verified. The logistic regression for clinical cure showed significant effects for days in milk and parity (P< 0.05). For bacteriological cure, there were significant effects of Log (SCC) D0; clinical cure and quarter affected (P< 0.05). In the principal component analysis, the Temperature-Humidity Index was associated with reduced clinical cure of clinical mastitis cases.

The aim of this study was to identify possible effects of different vaccination strategies (concomitantly or not) against brucellosis and clostridia on intake, performance, feeding behavior, blood parameters, and immune responses of dairy heifers calves. Fifty heifers calves were enrolled [38 Gyr (Zebu, Bos taurus indicus) and 12 5/8 Holstein x Gyr]. At 120 days of age, animals were randomly distributed among three groups: B (n = 18), vaccinated against brucellosis; C (n = 14), vaccinated against clostridia and CB (n = 18), vaccinated concomitantly for both. Rectal (RT) and thermographic temperatures were evaluated on days -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7,10, 14, and 28 relatives to the vaccination day. Feed and water intake, body weight (BW) and feeding behavior were monitored daily by an electronic feeding system. Blood was sampled on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28, relative to the vaccination day for determination of glucose (GLC) and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations. Blood sampled on day 0 (pre-vaccination) and on day 28 and 42 were used to evaluate the immune response against Brucella abortus and clostridia. There was an increase in rectal temperature between the first and the third day post-vaccination in the three groups. The thermography revealed an increase of local temperature for seven days on groups B and CB. Group C had increased local temperature for a longer period, lasting for up to 14 d. Dry mater intake was reduced for groups B and CB, but no alteration was observed for group C. No alterations regarding initial BW, final BW, average daily weight gain (ADG) and feed efficiency were observed. No differences were observed for the three vaccination groups for blood parameters throughout the evaluation period. The concomitant vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia led to lower neutralizing antibody titers against epsilon toxin of C. perfringens and botulinum toxin type C of C. botulinum (C &gt; CB &gt; B). When cellular proliferation assay and serological tests to B. abortus were evaluated, no differences were observed between groups B and CB. The present results indicate that the concomitant vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia has no relevant impact on the intake, performance, and feeding behavior of dairy calves. However, the concomitant vaccination of vaccines against these two pathogens impacts animal immunity against clostridial infections.