How does Leptospirosis affect beef, dairy cattle and calves?
Lepto pomona and Lepto hardjo can both cause abortions and stillbirths in beef and dairy cattle and are associated with low calving rates and infertility in pregnant cows. Lepto hardjo primarily affects lactating and pregnant cattle while Lepto pomona can affect all cattle and calves. The disease caused by Lepto pomona is commonly referred to as ‘redwater’ due to the presence of broken down red blood cells in the urine. Calves as young as two or three weeks of age can become affected and severely affected animals may die. Redwater can occur in adult cattle, but these cases are less common and symptoms are usually milder and deaths are rare. A distinctive form of mastitis may also be associated with Leptospirosis. There is a sudden onset of slackness of the whole udder and abnormal milk in all four quarters. Milk will return to its normal appearance after a few days. Can humans contract Leptospirosis? Yes. Humans can also become infected with Leptospirosis and this is a MAJOR RISK to pe
