Cattle

Dairy and beef as well as veal calves create three main subsectors of cattle and have specificities not only in farming targeted on milk or meat production but also for therapeutical or metaphylactic use of antimicrobials. Group oral treatment (especially in pre-ruminating calves) has recently started to be replaced by long-acting injectables. Specific pharmaceutical forms for intramammary and intrauterine therapy are used in cows, where high-yield dairy cows create significant proportion of animals treated with antimicrobials. Considerations linked to pharmacokinetics after different routes of administration are therefore more pronounced in the cattle medicine and use of antimicrobials, especially highlighting the need to reach effective concentration of antimicrobials in udder tissues in mastitis treatment. In both beef and dairy cattle, old breeds as well as breeds with high genetic and top yields bring benefits as well as risk of suffering by the diseases, from which not only in Europe but also worldwide, most frequently treated by antimicrobials is mastitis in dairy cows and respiratory diseases in beef and veal calves’ sectors. In young animals, infections caused by Escherichia coli and protozoa are main indications for use of antibiotics and anticoccidials, respectively. Considering these major diseases, but not omitting those less frequent, this chapter tries to highlight also preventive tools, vaccination, improved hygiene and alternatives to antimicrobials. More responsible and justified use, preference of the first-choice antimicrobials, selective drying off and supporting targeted antibiotic treatment with tools as on-farm culturing of mastitis pathogens, followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing accompanied with strengthening the role of veterinarians working with farmers together, are promoted. Finally, an attempt to introduce alternatives to antimicrobials and future directions with this respect in the bovine sector are briefly summarised.