Antimicrobial drug usage from birth to 180 days of age in Irish dairy calves and in suckler beef calves

Figures & data

Table 1. Case definitions^a provided to the farmers to assist with classification of disease events.

Disease	Definition
Diarrhoea	Repeated passing of loose (soup-like) or watery faeces, of normal or abnormal colour, with or without blood content
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD)	One or a combination of the following clinical signs: increased respiratory effort (including increased respiratory rate, laboured breathing, or open mouth breathing), nasal discharge / snotty nose (a considerable amount of cloudy or pus-like discharge), or repeated coughing
Navel infection	Warm enlargement of, with or without foul smelling discharge from umbilical structures
Joint infection / lameness	One or more swollen joints, resulting in lameness, with or without fever
Bloat	Swollen abdomen and exhibited signs of discomfort and / or respiratory distress
Dull	Signs of depression, with or without decreased appetite or fever
Fever	Temperature of greater than 39.5°C / 103°F
Grass tetany	Combination of the following clinical signs: staggering gait, twitching muscles, collapse, trashing, head thrown back, with or without severe paddling convulsions, and diagnosis preferentially confirmed by veterinarian
Meningitis	Combination of the following clinical signs: lack of suckle reflex, head pressing, extended head and neck, star gazing, blindness, over-reactive to stimuli, and / or seizures, and diagnosis preferentially confirmed by veterinarian
Mineral / vitamin deficiency	Combination of the following clinical signs: unthriftiness, weight loss, awkward gait, change in hair coat colour, etc., and diagnosis preferentially confirmed by a blood test and / or veterinarian
Injury	Physical damage or hurt due to a slip, fall, bump, etc.

^aAdapted from Windeyer et al. (2014).

Table 2. Number of farms, calves, days at risk and standard calf body weights during the study.

Number of farms		Beef			Dairy
		79			44
Days of age			Mean	SD		Mean	SD
0–30 days	Number of calves	3107	39.3	24.2	5332	121.2	61.8
	days at risk (d)	91,596	1159.4	712.6	144,866	3292.4	1686.3
	Body weight (kg)*	60			50
	mg/PCU	8.03			9.74
31–90 days	Number of calves	3024	38.3	23.3	3723	84.6	47.8
	Days at risk	179,172	2268.0	1380.0	184,885	4201.9	2653.7
	Body weight (kg)*	105			82
	mg/PCU	2.70			3.72
91–180 days	Number of calves	3036	38.4	23.7	2891	65.7	42.4
	Days at risk	270,185	3420.1	2093.0	250,246	5687.4	3564.7
	Body weight (kg)*	180			139
	mg/PCU	1.43			0.95
0–180 days	Number of calves	3204	40.6	25.3	5358	121.8	61.7
	Days at risk	540,953	6847.5	4168.5	579,997	13,181.8	7653.6
	Body weight (kg)*	135			108
	mg/PCU	7.25			7.11

The data are expressed as mean with SD values. *Standard body weight.

Figure 1. UDD_Vet by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Antimicrobial treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

Table 3. UDD_Vet by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Health treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

	0–30 days		31–90 days		91–180 days		0–180 days
	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy	beef	dairy	Beef	Dairy
Tetracyclines	2.2(0–33.3)	0.9(0–15)	1.0(0–14)	1.3(0–24)	1.2(0–30)	0.4(0–14)	1.7(0–16)	0.8(0–9.3)
Amphenicols	2.7(0–40)	3.6(0–40.2)	2.6(0–42.9)	1.6(0–37)	1.1(0–16)	2.1(0–32)	2.8(0–33)	2.8(0–42)
Penicillins	4.2(0–25)	6.9 (0–67.5)	2.7(0–71)	1.4(0–18)	1.5(0–42)	0.4(0–6.5)	2.8(0–28)	2.8(0–14)
1st & 2nd Generation cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.4(0–18)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.001(0–0.01)
3rd & 4th Generation cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.02(0–1.43)	0(0–0)	0.1(0–4.4)	0.01(0–0.4)	0.1(0–5.9)	0.01(0–0.54)
Sulfonamides	10.4(0–250)	3.2(0–53)	9.2(0–158)	2.6(0–82)	2.9(0–100)	12.1(0–359)	12.1(0–133)	18.4(0–462)
Macrolides	1.1(0–30)	2.4(0–30)	0.4(0–9.5)	0.35(0–12)	0.2(0–10.8)	0.6(0–21)	0.8(0–14)	1.7(0–27.8)
Lincosamines	0.06(0–5)	0(0–0)	0.06(0–4.7)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.1(0–3)	0.0 (0–0)
Fluoroquinolones	3.8(0–266)	0.6 (0–5)	0.5(0–7.6)	0.7(0–8.5)	0.2(0–8.3)	0.13(0–5.8)	2.1(0–118)	0.5(0–7.3)
Aminoglycosides	1.6(0–44.5)	1.9(0–20)	0.8(0–19)	0.5(0–5.5)	0.04(0–2.8)	0.13(0–5.8)	1.0(0–18)	1.0(0–9.3)
Others	0.6(0–41.7)	0.7(0–30)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.3(0–19)	0.3(0–13.9)

The data are expressed as mean with range in brackets.

Figure 2. TI_UDDVet by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Antimicrobial treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

Table 4. TI_{UDD Vet} by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Health treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

	0–30 days		31–90 days		91–180 days		0–180 days
	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy
Tetracyclines	1.1(0–26.6)	42.3(0–1640)	1.92(0–72)	23.0(0–709)	6.8(0–526)	0.01(0–0.34)	4.5(0–252)	29.0(0–740)
Amphenicols	4.0(0–205)	14.3(0–553)	1.4(0–29.0)	12.8(0–547)	3.5(0–263)	0.12(0–3.6)	3.8(0–126)	19.1(0–801)
Penicillins	40.0(0–640)	23.0(0–325)	2.7(0–168)	3.6(0–95)	0.26(0–11)	1.3(0–35)	10.2(0–254)	9.4(0–137)
1st & 2nd Generation cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.03(0–1.5)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	15.3(0–673)
3rd & 4th Generation cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.04(0–3.5)	0(0–0)	0.02(0–1.31)	0.5(0–22)	0.02(0–1.14)	0.2(0–9.2)
Sulfonamides	4.9(0–67)	77.0(0–1490)	0.8(0–15.6)	3.30(0–91)	0.23(0–12.3)	0.09(0–1.3)	1.8(0–24)	23.4(0–514)
Macrolides	2.3(0–158)	0.58(0–15.9)	0.1(0–4.5)	1.0(0–44)	0.01(0–0.45)	0.03(0–0.71)	0.5(0–28)	0.89(0–37)
Lincosamines	0.1(0–5.5)	0(0–0)	0.01(0–0.62)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.01(0–0.9)	0(0–0)
Fluoroquinolones	40.0(0–1014)	70.0(0–1640)	2.6(0–118)	3.6(0–137)	3.4(0–263)	0.01(0–0.16)	13.1(0–307)	26.5(0–740)
Aminoglycosides	6.0(0–219)	39.30(0–1640)	0.28(0–10)	4.02(0–137)	0.2(0–12.3)	0.03(0–1.12)	1.4(0–38)	17.8(0–740)
Others	0.1(0–4.5)	0.07(0–2.93)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.01(0–0.81)	0.01(0–0.50)

The data are expressed as mean with range in brackets.

Figure 3. TI_DDDVet by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Antimicrobial treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

Table 5. TI_{DDD Vet} by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Health treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

	0–30 days		31–90 days		91–180 days		0 to180 days
	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy
Tetracyclines	1.0(0–13.9)	1.6(0–37.0)	0.8(0–29.0)	1.5(0–42)	0.6(0–36.8)	0.01(0–0.35)	0.7(0–23.5)	0.6(0–15.6)
Amphenicols	1.6(0–34)	1.6(0–37)	0.7(0–8.6)	0.6(0–24.1)	0.3(0–18.4)	0.1(0–2.90)	0.5(0–12.0)	0.5(0–12.8)
Penicillins	10.1(0–143)	3.0(0–29)	0.5(0–9.13)	0.6(0–10.8)	0.4(0–16.8)	0.3(0–5.4)	1.1(0–12.3)	0.7(0–4.8)
1st & 2nd generation Cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.1(0–3.6)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.02(0–0.90)
3rd & 4th generation Cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.04(0–3.3)	0(0–0)	0.02(0–0.91)	0.1(0–6.2)	0.02(0–0.85)	0.1(0–3.3)
Sulfonamides	1.8(0–15.5)	5.8(0–96)	0.5(0–10.0)	0.56(0–14.5)	0.1(0–1.83)	0.1(0–1.32)	0.3(0–3.5)	0.8(0–15.0)
Macrolides	5.3(0–233)	2.8(0–53)	0.3(0–6.8)	1.0(0–41.2)	0.04(0–1.57)	0.1(0–1.94)	0.5(0–17.5)	0.6(0–15.6)
Lincosamines	0.03(0–2.12)	0(0–0)	0.002(0–0.23)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.002(0–0.20)	0(0–0)
Fluoroquinolones	5.4(0–171)	8.5(0–223)	0.3(0–6.8)	1.1(0–36.2)	0.7(0–53.0)	0.01(0–0.26)	0.9(0–34)	1.3(0–35)
Aminoglycosides	1.34(0–37)	2.0(0–56)	0.1(0–5.3)	0.6(0–14.0)	0.02(0–1.63)	0.01(0–0.65)	0.2(0–2.9)	0.4(0–9.0)
Others	0.03(0–1.70)	0.1(0–3.14)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.002(0–0.13)	0.01(0–0.25)

The data are expressed as mean with range in brackets.

Figure 4. TI_DCDVet by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Antimicrobial treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

Table 6. TI_{DCD Vet} by antibiotic group, period and farm type. Health treatment records for calves born between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 on 79 suckler beef and 44 dairy farms were analyzed.

	0 to30 days		31–90 days		91–180 days		0–180 days
	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy	Beef	Dairy
Tetracyclines	0.3(0–3.9)	0.4(0–10.4)	0.2(0–8.1)	0.4(0–11.6)	0.2(0–10.4)	0.003(0–0.10)	0.2(0–6.64)	0.2(0–4.41)
Amphenicols	0.5(0–11.2)	0.5(0–12.0)	0.2(0–2.80)	0.2(0–7.8)	0.1(0–6.0)	0.03(0–0.94)	0.2(0–3.82)	0.2(0–4.17)
Penicillins	2.8(0–41.0)	0.8(0–7.14)	0.1(0–2.25)	0.2(0–3.1)	0.1(0–4.8)	0.1(0–1.54)	0.3(0–3.5)	0.2(0–1.36)
1st & 2nd generation cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.02(0–0.80)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.004(0–0.19)
3rd & 4th generation cephalosporins	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.01(0–0.89)	0(0–0)	0.01(0–0.23)	0.04(0–1.67)	0.01(0–0.23)	0.02(0–0.90)
Sulfonamides	0.5(0–4.9)	1.6(0–31.9)	0.1(0–2.60)	0.2(0–3.42)	0.02(0–0.50)	0.03(0–0.36)	0.1(0–0.9)	0.2(0–3.54)
Macrolides	0.5(0–11.1)	0.3(0–8.1)	0.1(0–1.55)	0.2(0–9.1)	0.01(0–0.16)	0.10(0–0.23)	0.05(0–0.83)	0.1(0–3.40)
Lincosamines	0.01(0–0.45)	0(0–0)	0.01(0–0.05)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0.001(0–0.03)	0(0–0)
Fluoroquinolones	1.9(0–69.0)	2.4(0–59.0)	0.1(0–2.6)	0.3(0–9.5)	0.2(0–21.5)	0.002(0–0.1)	0.4(0–14.0)	0.4(0–9.31)
Aminoglycosides	0.5(0–18.2)	0.6(0–14.0)	0.04(0–1.32)	0.2(0–7.2)	0.01(0–0.40)	0.01(0–0.32)	0.1(0–1.44)	0.1(0–2.23)
Others	0.01(0–0.6)	0.02(0–1.03)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0)	0(0–0.04)	0.001(0–0.1)

The data are expressed as mean with range in brackets.

Windeyer MC , Leslie KE , Godden SM , Hodgins DC , Lissemore KD , LeBlanc SJ. 2014. Factors associated with morbidity, mortality, and growth of dairy heifer calves up to 3 months of age. Prev Vet Med. 113:231–240. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2013.10.019.

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