[New possibilities in oral immunoprophylaxis of newborn diarrhea in calves--a field study using specific egg antibodies].

To investigate the effect of oral immunoprophylaxis in diarrhea of newborn calves egg powder with antibodies specific to E. coli K99 (ETEC) and rotavirus were used in a field trial in south west Germany. Fourteen farms with a total of 105 calves were selected. Egg powder (21 g per day) was fed as a supplement to the regular diet for the first 14 days after birth. Animals of the control group received egg powder derived from hens not immunized with the antigens. Frequency, duration and severity of diarrhea, fecal dry matter and weight gain were examined in order to evaluate the influence of the specific egg powder. Using a Lactovac test kit pathogens were detected in the feces of 76.2% of the calves, with 24.7% infected with E. coli K99, 39.1% with rotavirus, 19.0% with coronavirus and 32.4% with cryptosporidia. An overall reduction in diarrhea frequency from 68.5% to 52.9% was observed in calves fed with specific antibodies. Animals with an E. coli K99 infection showed a reduction from 92.3% to 30.7% and those infected exclusively with E. coli K99 from 83.3% to 0%. The duration of diarrhea was significantly reduced (42 h) in animals fed with specific antibodies in comparison to the control animals (60 h). With the exception of animals infected with coronavirus a marked reduction in the severity of diarrhea was observed in antibody treated calves. During the first 14 days after birth antibody treated calves showed a weight gain of 5.6 kg on average in comparison with 3.5 kg in the control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)