Efficacy of tulathromycin in the control of respiratory disease in buffalo calves

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of tulathromycin in the control of respiratory diseases (BRD) in buffalo calves. The trial was performed in one buffalo farm located in the South of Italy where more than 2,000 animals are bred. An outbreak of BRD was considered when the animals showed three of the following criteria: rectal temperature >39.8°C, depression score >2 on a scale of 0 (alert) to 4 (soporous), respiratory rate >60 ⁄ min), dyspnoea (abnormal lung sounds) and cough or nasal discharge. A nasal swab was performed for microbiological investigations. After the results of the latter animals were treated with a standard therapeutic regimen on D 0, which consists of 2.5 mg/kg/live weight of tulathromycin (Draxxin®, Zoetis SRL, Italy) in a single administration. Daily clinical examinations were performed on treated calves for fourteen consecutive days to evaluate: A) depression score and general health status with a score from 0 (normal) to 4 (general conditions severely impaired); B) respiratory distress with a score from 0 (no alterations) to 3 (respiratory rate >80⁄min, abdominal breath and nasal discharge) and C) rectal temperature with a score from 0 (normal; 38.8-39°C) to 3 (> 40.3°C). Data were analyzed by analysis of variance. A total of 81 calves (53 females and 28 males) were included in the study. Bacteriological cultures revealed the presence of Pasteurella M. and Moraxella spp. in 53.1 and 38.3% of the samples, respectively. The average A, B and C scores were 2.24±0.1, 1.85±0.1 and 1.78±0.1 on day 0. Treatment was effective in solving the BRD in four days (Scores A, B and C = 0) in 79/81 calves (97.5%), and, consequently, 2/81 (2.5%) mortality rate was recorded. In conclusion, treatment with tulathromycin is highly effective in the control of the BRD in buffalo calves.