Advancing Sustainable Dairy Calf Management through Thoracic Ultrasound Training and Research

Commodities

Practices

Antimicrobial stewardship is critical to sustainable livestock production. In dairy calves, respiratory disease is a leading cause of antimicrobial use. Treatment needs can be reduced through early disease detection, yet detection of subclinical lung disease can be challenging. Thoracic ultrasound (TUS) is an innovative diagnostic tool to evaluate calves for subclinical lung lesions. TUS can help inform treatment decisions, however veterinarian adoption of TUS is not consistent, and epidemiologic studies are needed to understand the relationship between subclinical lesions and treatment recommendations.

To address this need, we will conduct a longitudinal study of 358 pre-weaned dairy calves to evaluate the relationship between subclinical lung lesions, average daily gain, subsequent treatment risk and prognosis. Calves will undergo weekly TUS examinations throughout the pre-weaning period. Clinical health records and treatment data will be analyzed to quantify associations between subclinical and clinical disease and to define evidence-based thresholds for treatment recommendations.

To promote adoption of TUS in practice, we will develop and host hands-on workshops for veterinarians and veterinary students in partnership with a Northern Colorado dairy. These workshops will provide training in lung anatomy, image acquisition, diagnostic landmarks, equipment selection, and will offer continuing education credit.

Together, these research and education aims will advance the implementation of TUS as a sustainable veterinary diagnostic tool in calves and increase veterinary and producer education in the use of TUS. More accurate and timely diagnosis of respiratory disease by veterinarians and farm staff will reduce antimicrobial use and increase welfare and productivity on farm.

The research objectives of this proposal are as follows:

• Characterize the association between subclinical lung lesions and average daily gain in 358 dairy calves at a Northern Colorado dairy between March and September of 2027.
• Evaluate the temporal relationship between subclinical disease identification, clinical signs, and antimicrobial administration in 358 dairy calves at a Northern Colorado dairy between March and September of 2027.

The education aims of this proposal are as follows:

• Create a veterinary TUS workshop for RACE CE credit that will cover the major components of TUS implementation, research, and technical training to be held in the spring of 2027.
• Generate and disseminate extension materials to advance producer exposure to TUS as a diagnostic technique for their cattle over the winter and spring of 2027.
• Author a manuscript describing the research conducted as a part of this proposal in the summer of 2027.