When calves develop pneumonia repeatedly, the lungs may not tell the whole story. Dr. Jeremy Schefers, technical services veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, encourages veterinarians to investigate problems that may begin upstream in the respiratory and digestive systems.
“If the calf has pneumonia or a lung problem, we have tunnel vision and we just look at the lung. There are so many important structures in front of the lung that protect the lung. So if the lung is damaged, I look upstream,” Schefers says.
That means examining the mouth, soft palate, throat and esophagus, along with feeding equipment and management practices. Problems in these areas can interfere with swallowing, allow milk to enter the respiratory tract or contribute to middle-ear infections.
The location of lung lesions can also provide clues about how pneumonia developed. Schefers points to pneumonia in the front portion of the right lung as a potential indicator of aspiration. Damage to the mouth, throat or esophagus can allow small amounts of fluid to enter the airways and reach the right lung lobes. Although lesion location alone cannot confirm the cause, it can prompt the investigation of feeding practices, equipment and technique alongside infectious causes.
How Feeding Practices Can Contribute to Calf Pneumonia
Calves must coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing to consume milk safely. If milk flows too quickly, a calf may struggle to swallow normally, increasing the risk of aspiration.
Schefers has seen farms enlarge bottle-nipple openings to speed up feeding. Excessive milk flow can overwhelm a calf’s ability to swallow, potentially causing coughing, gagging or aspiration. Coughing during nursing, milk leaking from the mouth and milk pooling beneath the nipple are warning signs that feeding mechanics may be contributing to the problem.
“They choke and they gag on it and they aspirate and all kinds of bad things happen,” Schefers says.
Feeding position also deserves attention. Calves need to reach feed and water comfortably without excessive pressure on the neck.
Schefers worked with a farm that successfully raised Holstein calves but encountered problems after introducing shorter dairy-beef crossbred calves. The existing feeders and water sources were positioned for taller animals, making them difficult for the smaller calves to reach. The farm lowered the equipment to accommodate their stature and correct the issues they were having.
Facilities should be reassessed when calf size or breed type changes. Equipment that works well for one group may be poorly suited to another.
Can Feeding Problems Cause Ear Infections in Calves?
Feeding-related problems can affect more than the lungs. They can also contribute to painful middle-ear disease.
The Eustachian tubes connect the middle ears with the back of the mouth and help drain fluid. Schefers’ presentation identifies long nipples as a potential contributor to ear problems because they can bruise the soft palate near the Eustachian tube openings, interfere with swallowing and push fluid into the ears. Trauma and swelling can impair drainage, allowing fluid to accumulate and creating conditions for infection.
Schefers has observed calves with drooping ears, lowered heads and unusually slow nursing. These signs can indicate painful ear disease, particularly when they appear several days after the start of nipple feeding.
“Kids with an ear infection act a certain way. Calves with an ear infection act the same way,” Schefers says. “The damage that can happen in their ears or their nose or their mouth can snowball into pneumonia later in life.”
Middle-ear infections can be difficult to treat because the infection is surrounded by bone, limiting antibiotic access. Recognizing potential problems early and preventing feeding-related injury are therefore important considerations.
Inspect Esophageal Feeders When Calves Develop Pneumonia
A recurring pneumonia problem in young calves prompted Schefers to investigate one farm’s esophageal tube-feeding equipment.
A Brown Swiss breeder reported that calves repeatedly developed pneumonia at 10 to 14 days of age. Diagnostic testing identified a mixture of bacteria, but no viruses. Schefers asked to inspect the farm’s esophageal feeder.
The equipment was being disinfected, but its design raised other concerns. It lacked a long, flexible hose and a pinch clamp, making it awkward to handle. Schefers was concerned that the equipment could cause trauma during insertion and feeding.
Rough or abrasive tube feeders can damage the esophagus, causing inflammation, ulcers and scar tissue. These injuries can make swallowing difficult and contribute to regurgitation or aspiration.
Schefers recommends esophageal feeders with a long, flexible hose and pinch clamp to improve handling and help limit trauma and aspiration risk. Proper technique is also important. During tube feeding, the calf’s nose should remain low to allow fluid to flow outward rather than toward the lungs.
The case highlights why equipment inspections should consider design and function as well as sanitation.
The distribution of lung lesions can provide additional diagnostic clues. Aspiration may cause damage in the right cranial lung region, consistent with the anatomy of the bovine respiratory tract. Lesion location should be interpreted alongside the calf’s history, clinical signs and diagnostic findings rather than used as a stand-alone diagnosis.
A Practical Checklist for Investigating Calf Pneumonia
When investigating recurring pneumonia, there are a few targeted checks that can be used to identify potential management-related contributors:
- Observe feeding. Look for coughing, gagging, excessive milk flow or difficulty swallowing. Check nipple length, openings and condition.
- Inspect equipment and positioning. Examine esophageal feeders for rough edges or damage, review tube-feeding technique, and confirm that calves can comfortably reach feed and water.
- Examine affected calves and review the pattern. Assess ear, nose and throat health, note the age when signs develop, and consider recent changes in feeding or management.
These checks complement diagnostic testing. Viral and bacterial pathogens remain important causes of respiratory disease, and multiple factors may contribute to an outbreak. The goal is to identify potentially correctable management problems without overlooking infectious causes.
When pneumonia recurs, examining feeding mechanics and the structures that protect the lungs can reveal problems that might otherwise go unnoticed. A broader investigation may identify opportunities to improve calf welfare and prevent additional cases.
