INFECTIOUS AGENTS OF CALF MORTALITY IN NEONATAL PERIOD

The aim of this study was detection of the percentage of infectious agents in mortality of calves in the neonatal period. The study was conducted on 37 carcasses of Holstein-Friesian calves, aged between 2 and 14 days from 10 farms located in south-western Poland. Standard set of organs (liver, spleen, lung and intestine) were examined to presence of bacteria (general microbiology, isolation of Salmonella, Campylobacter) and Candida. Isolated strains of E. coli were evaluated for virulence genes. The results obtained from research indicate that the main cause of mortality of examined calves was diarrhea (64.9%). In 13.5% there was found sepsis, and in case of 21.6% there could not be determined the cause of death. Among the pathogenic strains of E. coli had most of the F5 (K99). In testing material there was no found Salmonella sp.