Haemophilus somnus infections I. A ten year (1969-1978) retrospective study of losses in cattle herds in Western Canada

Abstract

A total of 838 outbreaks of fatal Haemophilus somnus infections in herds of cattle were diagnosed at provincial veterinary laboratories in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia during the period 1969-1978. The index cases from these outbreaks included 759 cases of thromboembolic meningoencephalitis, 78 cases of fibrinous pneumonia with pleuritis and one case of H. somnus abortion. The epizootics were subdivided on the basis of province, class and age of cattle and seasonal occurrence. Most outbreaks occurred in a feedlot-type of operation, approximately four weeks after arrival of the cattle. There was often a history of respiratory disease prior to an outbreak and in some cases thromboembolic meningoencephalitis had occurred in the herd the preceding year. The average morbidity-mortality ratio was 2.7/1. The average economic loss per herd was $3 190 based on an average of 15 sick animals and five deaths per affected herd.