F. T. GALYSH AND R. F. WALLIN 
1035 
mixed pasteurella bacterin." At 4 to 5 weeks of 
age, the above vaccination is repeated and 
calves receive single injections of (1) mixed 
bovine bacterin,^ (2) Clostridium chauvei-sep- 
ticum bacterin,^ and (3) Leptospira pomona 
bacterin/ At 6 to 8 weeks of age calves are 
treated for external parasites by topical appli- 
cation of Ruelene.^ 
Calves selected for research use are identified 
10 to 14 days before shipment and carefully ob- 
served for signs of disease. Rectal temperatures 
are recorded daily. Procaine penicillin G and 
dihydrostreptomycin are administered by injec- 
tion prophylactically for 3 days before ship- 
ment. At time of shipment, calves must show no 
clinical evidence of respiratory or gastrointes- 
tinal disease and must be accompanied by an of- 
ficial health certificate. 
Disease Control 
Young calves are susceptible to many dis- 
eases and often suffer from several concur- 
rently, but pneumonia and gastroenteritis are 
the most important. Many calf problems are 
due to improper feeding, inadequate housing or 
unsanitary equipment. A suitable feeding pro- 
gram for calves of various sizes should be devel- 
oped for laboratory use, recorded as a standard 
procedure and understood by animal care 
personnel.-^ The importance of thoroughly sani- 
tizing equipment between feedings, properly 
storing, handling and mixing milk and milk re- 
placers and avoiding overfeeding must be 
stressed. 
The uniform history and age of precondi- 
tioned calves is helpful in the differential diag- 
nosis of calfhood diseases. Thus conditions such 
as omphalophlebitis, neonatal diarrhea, vitamin 
deficiencies, pediculosis and congenital abnor- 
malities are not usually encountered in the con- 
ditioned laboratory animal. 
Calf pneumonia may be of bacterial or viral 
origin but is usually preceded by the stress of 
chilling or shipping. The disease is contagious 
and may spread to other susceptible calves; 
thus the importance of an adequate condition- 
° Bar-3, Elanco Products Company, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 
^ Fromm Labs., Grafton, Wisconsin 53023 
^ Bio-Ceutic Labs., St. Joseph, Missouri 64502 
0 Pitman-Moore Company, Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania 19304 
ing program is again apparent. Calves with 
pneumonia develop high fever (104 to 107°F), 
rapid respiration and coughing. Diarrhea may 
precede or accompany pneumonia. The muzzle 
becomes dry and crusted and generally dehy- 
dration ensues. 
Calves with pneumonia are treated with sul- 
fonamides (e.g., sulfathiazole, 60 mg/lb/day in- 
travenously) or antibiotics (e.g., oxytetracyc- 
line, 5 mg/lb/day intramuscularly) preferably 
in isolation. In addition, supportive treatment 
and good nursing care are indicated. 
Gastroenteritis is accompanied by diarrhea 
and most often results from bacterial or viral 
infections, coccidiosis, sudden changes in diet, 
or overfeeding. If feeding has been carefully 
controlled and the dietetic causes of diarrhea 
can be ruled out, infectious agents are most 
likely responsible. In this case, calves should be 
treated with sulfonamides, antibiotics, or nitro- 
furans along with gastrointestinal protectants, 
fluid therapy when indicated and careful nurs- 
ing care. Gastroenteritis in conditioned calves 
weighing 150 to 300 pounds usually responds 
well to such treatment. 
Ringworm caused by various species of Tri- 
chophyton is a rather common skin infection of 
young calves. Lesions are circular, thickened, 
hairless plaques usually found on the head or 
neck, about the eyes and in the pelvic region. 
The disease is a zoonosis and should be 
promptly identified and treated. Lesions are 
scrubbed with soapy water to remove scales and 
fungicides such as 2 % tincture of iodine applied 
topically. 
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES AND PROBLEMS 
Blood Procurement 
Although many investigators collect blood 
aseptically from adult donor cattle,^ and others 
obtain blood from slaughter houses,'^ we have 
found it convenient to maintain on our premises 
a donor colony of four large calves weighing 
from 160 to 275 kg. Donor blood is collected 
freshly (Figure 1) and aseptically from the 
jugular vein into ACD or heparin blood bags. 
These calves donate up to 1500 ml of blood every 
week or two and maintain hematocrits above 
