Pneumonia: Early Detection To Prevent Damage

Pneumonia in cattle often goes undetected for too long – and can lead to significant financial losses. smaXtec identifies the condition before clinical symptoms appear, enabling early intervention. This helps prevent long-term damage while reliably safeguarding the health and performance of your cows.

The bovine lung has several anatomical peculiarities that make cattle particularly susceptible to pneumonia. While respiratory infections are generally treatable, they can quickly become problematic if they remain undetected. Untreated pneumonia can cause chronic lung issues resulting in significant drops in performance, even with minor inflammation. smaXtec helps detect pneumonia at the earliest possible stage, stopping it in its tracks before it causes major harm.

The unique structure of the bovine lung

Cattle have relatively small lungs for their body size with a high proportion of connective tissue, limiting their elasticity. The lungs’ low gas exchange capacity makes oxygen absorption more difficult. In many animals, lung function is already reduced due to previous cases of pneumonia or injuries sustained as a calf. These anatomical features make cows particularly vulnerable to respiratory infections, especially pneumonia, which can be triggered by a variety of factors.

First inflammation, then high costs

Each case of pneumonia can cost around £220, meaning that in a herd of 100 cows, secondary costs can exceed £2,200. With early detection via smaXtec, these costs can be drastically reduced – by up to 40%, according to a customer survey. This translates to savings of approximately £90 per case.

Accurate pneumonia detection and treatment with smaXtec

Fast and accurate diagnosis is key to treating pneumonia. The effectiveness of treatment largely depends on how early the disease is detected. While early-stage pneumonia can typically be treated successfully, delays in intervention can lead to lasting lung damage, reduced productivity, or in severe cases, death.

Common signs of pneumonia include:

• Persistent or high fever
• Reduced feed intake
• Nasal discharge
• Increased respiratory rate
• Coughing
• Drooping head posture

Preventing pneumonia with smaXtec: How does it work?

How does smaXtec detect the onset of pneumonia, before the cow shows visible symptoms? A rise in internal body temperature is often the first indicator of pneumonia and typically occurs several days before clinical symptoms like reduced milk yield or changes in rumination occur. Thanks to smaXtec’s unique and continuous measurement of internal body temperature, using TruTemp^® technology (with a relative accuracy of ± 0.01° C), even the slightest deviations from normal can be detected early.

“Cattle are prone to respiratory illness. Severe inflammation can lead to the loss of entire sections of lung tissue. Early, proactive intervention can help limit the damage or even prevent it altogether.” – Veterinarian Dr. Jonathan Wallis

Diagnosis: Pneumonia. What now?

Once pneumonia has been diagnosed, steps can be taken to minimise financial losses.

If smaXtec reports elevated temperature, please analyse the animal's diagram to see if it looks like pneumonia. You can then also monitor the animal closely and check for symptoms such as increased respiratory rate and nasal discharge. This allows farmers to quickly and confidently determine whether pneumonia is the cause and involve a veterinarian if needed.

Recommended measures if pneumonia is suspected:

• Contact a veterinarian
• Administer anti-inflammatory medication
• Initiate appropriate therapy
• Use decongestants and mucus-dissolving medications

With early detection through smaXtec and timely treatment, you can effectively prevent milk loss, long-term performance drops and animal loss due to pneumonia.