Most often, outbreaks of pyroplasmosis are recorded in the spring-autumn season. Cows go to pasture where they meet with infected ticks. The disease is transmitted through the bite of a parasite and can cause a decrease in herd productivity. In some cases, cattle die. To prevent economic losses, preventive measures must be taken.
What is pyroplasmosis
Cattle pyroplasmosis is widespread in most countries of the planet. The disease has another name - Texas fever. In order to understand what this ailment is, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the etiology of cattle piroplasmosis.
Several pathogens are isolated, all of which are transmitted to the cow through the bite of an infected tick. Their localization is in red blood cells. Pathogens are pear-shaped, oval, amoeba-shaped, ring-shaped. Most often, from 1 to 4 pieces find them in a red blood cell, but sometimes more. Out of blood, they can live no more than two days. Pyroplasmosis causes damage from 5 to 15% of red blood cells. In some cases, this indicator reaches 40-100%.
Pyroplasmosis is a viral disease that most often occurs in acute form. It is characterized by yellowness of the mucous membranes, fever, impaired functioning of the heart and gastrointestinal tract.
The incubation period of the disease
The incubation period may vary depending on the state of livestock health. It usually takes 10 to 15 days, after which the disease becomes acute. The better the immunity of the cow, the later the owner will notice frightening signs in it.
If the animal is exhausted, then even with the timely start of treatment, its death is possible. Young cows and bulls are especially sensitive to the disease. Susceptibility to pyroplasm is independent of the breed or sex of the animal.
Calves up to 3 months old are ill with almost no symptoms. Older young animals under the age of one year are especially susceptible to cattle piroplasmosis. In this group of animals, the highest percentage of cattle death is always recorded.
If the cow has other dangerous diseases, such as brucellosis, leukemia or tuberculosis, then the likelihood of her death increases. After recovery, animals are carriers of bovine pyroplasmosis parasites for 2–3 years.
Signs of the disease
After the end of the incubation period, symptoms of cattle piroplasmosis begin to appear. In infected cattle, the need for food decreases, he begins to drink a lot. The temperature of cows rises, they reduce milk yield by 60-80 percent. Sometimes, after a cattle pyroplasmosis disease, lactation completely stops in animals. Pregnant cows often lose their offspring, especially if the gestation period is short. The temperature in sick animals is kept at 40-42 degrees Celsius.
Cattle urine becomes pinkish and then black or dark red. Cows become lethargic, depressed, inactive. Ill cattle lose weight, refuses to get up, does not respond to the owner. Its mucous membranes first acquire a white tint, and then turn yellow.
Later, cardiac pathologies begin to develop, the pulse increases markedly. With cattle pyroplasmosis, the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, the animal then diarrhea, then constipation occurs. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, then diseased cattle become weaker more and more, and then die. Mortality from pyroplasmosis in cattle ranges from 30 to 80 percent.
Infection pathways
The most dangerous time is the first weeks of pasture of cows on pastures. Ticks have recently woken up after hibernation and are beginning to track down their prey. The insect clings to the cow, finds the most attractive place for a bite and produces it. Together with saliva, microscopic parasites that cause the disease fall into the resulting wound. Pyroplasma rush to red blood cells and affect them.
Parasites begin to multiply in the body of the cow. When pyroplasm becomes very much, they disrupt the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. A huge number of parasites, as well as destroyed red blood cells, move with the blood stream. This causes an increase in temperature, intoxication and inactivity of livestock. When the liver ceases to cope, the kidneys are affected, which is why urine acquires a dark shade.
If the infected cow continues to walk on the pasture, then healthy ticks can repeatedly bite it. At the same time, they will swallow the microorganisms that inhabit the circulatory system of the animal, and will be infected. After, saturated with blood, the mites fall off. Next year, already infected insects hatch from the eggs laid by them. Young ticks will be ready to infect new livestock.
Diagnostics
In order to confirm or deny the presence of the disease in cattle, you need to invite a veterinarian. One of the methods for diagnosing cattle piroplasmosis is taking blood from a cow. The resulting biological material is sent to the laboratory.
If the cow is sick with pyroplasmosis, then red blood cells affected by pathogens will be found in its blood smears. Fallen animals take material for research during the day, if done later, the result will not be informative.
If blood donation from livestock is not possible for any reason, the veterinarian will diagnose the symptoms. In this case, it is important not to confuse pyroplasmosis with diseases similar to it in clinical manifestations: leptospirosis, anthrax, poisoning with poor-quality feed.
Treatment
Sick animals need to be isolated and give them complete rest. It is impossible to overtake such cattle, it may not endure it. Treatment of cattle pyroplasmosis begins with the normalization of the diet and drinking of cows. Food should be easily digested and not overload the gastrointestinal tract.
Vitamin B12 and caffeine are added to the diet, this is done to relieve symptoms. For small calves and dairy cows use the drug "Berenil", it acts sparingly and practically does not affect milk. The process of its complete elimination from the body takes no more than 24 hours. Also, azidine and flavacridine drugs give a good effect.
Prevention
What to do if cattle have piroplasmosis? Timely start treatment and monitor the condition of sick cattle. But it is best to prevent pyroplasmosis in cows in advance.
Now there are drugs that can be used to process livestock before pasture on pastures. Some medicines must be applied to cows daily, while others should be applied once every few weeks. Drugs are selected individually, depending on the age of the animal and its lactation phase. To apply the product, livestock are sprayed from hoses or bathed in special bathtubs. You can also wipe the cows with a treatment solution.
Is there a danger to humans?
People, like cows, suffer from pyroplasmosis, but very rarely. This ailment has different pathogens for animals and for humans. It is impossible to become infected with pyroplasmosis through contact with a cow, so the owners, without fear of anything, can clean up in places where animals are kept.
Infection with pyroplasmosis through milk is also impossible, so it can be eaten. However, you should not drink it during the treatment period, as some drugs taken by cows can have a negative effect on human health. In this case, you should wait a bit, soon all restrictions on milk intake will be removed.