Cattle self assessment

During August a 5-year-old Holstein cow, which calved 2 weeks previously, is presented with respiratory distress with occasional open-mouth breathing. The milking herd is managed indoors year-round but the dry cows have access to pasture. The cow had been treated with oxytetracycline and meloxicam for 3 days before veterinary examination. The cow has not been observed eating today. Milk yield is reported to be 12–15 litres per day for the past week (expected to be 45 litres per day at peak). On inspection, the cow's neck is outstretched with the head held lowered and the ears directed caudally with a painful expression (Figure 1, Video 1). The cow has a low body condition score (BCS 1.5); the abdomen is drawn-up with an obvious sunken triangle behind the rib cage caused by poor rumen fill. The coat is long and lacks its normal sheen. There is a purulent nasal discharge. The rectal temperature is 39.0°C. The respiratory rate is 32 breaths per minute with an expiratory grunt. There is obvious halitosis and occasional coughing. Auscultation reveals no adventitious lung sounds only muffled heart lung sounds. There is no peripheral oedema and no jugular pulse. The cow is not lame and there are no joint swellings. There is no vaginal discharge and no history of retained fetal membranes nor mastitis. There are no other cattle affected at present although several cows have been observed with similar, but less severe, signs over the past 12 months. There has been no history of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) in the herd from bulk milk testing.